justnorth posted on February 27, 2007 14:18 :: 1245 Views
Early signs of spring have sprung in the bird world. Cardinals and house finches are singing, the first great-horned owls and bald eagles are sitting on eggs, and wild turkeys are beginning to "strut" their stuff in fields on sunny days. The first trickle of migratory waterfowl has arrived in southern Wisconsin and along Lake Michigan. Lower Mud Lake in Dane county is beginning to open up and tundra swans and other waterfowl have moved in. The great-tailed grackle has still been seen in Horicon this week and raptors continued to be abundant at Horicon, Collins Marsh and other east-central Wisconsin locations. Short-eared owls are present in good numbers in Horicon, Collins Marsh, Bong Recreation Area, White River Marsh and Crex Meadows wildlife area. The Lake Michigan shoreline has been good for waterfowl and winter gulls, especially Sheboygan, Harrington Beach State Park, and downtown Milwaukee. Birders should be on the lookout for returning robins, grackles and red-winged blackbirds in the next week after the weather event this weekend. Other early migrants to be on the watch for include sandhill crane, eastern meadowlark, killdeer, and eastern bluebirds. As always, help biologists better understand bird populations by submitting sightings to www.ebird.org and use eBird to view other's sightings from anywhere across the state!
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