Birding report and rarities; whooping crane cam
Upland sandpipers have returned to southern Wisconsin grasslands after spending the winter nearly 5,000 miles south in Argentina! Photo credit: Ryan Brady
Statewide birding report
In southern Wisconsin, Baltimore orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks have arrived in numbers, along with a few orchard orioles and ruby-throated hummingbirds. Meanwhile, far northern Wisconsin experienced a significant ice/snow event over the past few days, bringing large numbers of American robins, hermit thrushes, and sparrows to roadsides. Feeders were also extremely active...Read more.
Whooping crane cam and nest update
A pair of whooping cranes has nested for the first time at White River Marsh Wildlife Area, marking a welcome expansion of nesting range in Wisconsin and an important milestone in efforts to establish a self-sustaining population of this rare crane in eastern North America. Watch the nest via the first ever 24/7 whooping crane cam.
As reported earlier, another pair of cranes has claimed the crown of the first nest in Wisconsin resulting from a released bird reared by a parent crane in captivity...Read more