justnorth posted on September 18, 2007 14:44 :: 1794 Views
Cooler temperatures and northwesterly winds have accelerated bird migrations across the state. Passerine migration is in full swing with the peak of the warbler migration occurring statewide along with good numbers of Swainson's thrushes. Birders have reported high species diversity with as many as 20 species in a single park. Many of the flycatchers, swallows and orioles have already left the state but there still good numbers of tree and barn swallows staging for migration in and around wetlands with good insect populations. Raptor migration has begun with the first good push of broad-winged and sharp-shinned hawks
Southern Wisconsin birders have also noted migrant purple finches and red-breasted nuthatches this year. Shorebird numbers have peaked but there are still good numbers of plovers, yellowlegs, least and Baird's sandpipers in appropriate habitat. Birders have also been reporting sanderlings from Lake Michigan and Lake Superior beaches. Rare birds reported this week include a western sandpiper in Ashland and Racine, buff-breasted sandpiper in Rock County, and a surf scoter in Ashland. Birders should return to the woods this week as the mosquitoes have been waylaid by the recent cold spell! Birders should expect good numbers of migrant passerines and good hawk numbers after a frontal boundary.
Wetlands will be active with shorebirds, early waterfowl and staging blackbirds, swallows and other water birds preparing for migration. Birders looking for shorebirds may want to check flooded fields in southern Wisconsin or the Lake Mills Wildlife Area - Zeloski Unit as they now have exposed mudflats again along with good numbers of shorebirds. As always, please report birding observations to www.ebird.org/WI to better track the progress of migration across the state.
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