Statewide Birding Report
Statewide Birding Report
Despite the warm weather, shorter day length has birds on the move. Winter arrivals this week included the first northern shrikes, snow buntings, white-winged crossbills, and common redpolls. Red crossbills are widespread in low densities, while pine siskins are showing in good numbers statewide. Birders found more rough-legged hawks and golden eagles as well, the latter especially in the western half of the state. Though hard to find during daylight, northern saw-whet owls and long-eared owls also pushed south earlier in the week. Look for short-eared owls at dawn and dusk at large grassland and wetland complexes, as well as the Lake Michigan shoreline where active migrants may concentrate. On the water, duck migration this week featured good numbers of northern pintails, green-winged teal, redheads, scaup, and other species. As the first long-tailed ducks arrive, all three scoter species are moving through now, with surf scoters being most commonly reported.
Strong south winds ushered this scissor-tailed flycatcher well north of its typical range to Bayfield County on Wednesday, where it was seen hawking insects off a Lake Superior beach.
Photo Credit: Ryan Brady
Over 200 common loons were spotted off Washington Island in Door County. Birders also found Bonaparte's gulls and a few red-necked grebes across northern lakes. Meanwhile, large rafts of American coots were reported on many southern lakes. Shorebirds found this week included greater yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, black-bellied plover, sanderling, and Wilson's snipe. It was a great week for rarities, highlighted by a scissor-tailed flycatcher in Bayfield county, rufous hummingbird in Manitowoc, white-faced ibis in Columbia, western grebe in Ashland, greater white-fronted geese and a late gray catbird also in Bayfield,and Townsend's solitaire in Richland. Report your sightings and find out what others are seeing at www.ebird.org/wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, Bureau of Wildlife Management research scientist, Ashland