Warblers, hummingbirds and sparrows among avian influx
Statewide Birding Report
After a great start to the month, birding remained fantastic across most of the state this week. The north saw its first rose-breasted grosbeaks, Baltimore orioles, gray catbirds, house wrens, ruby-throated hummingbirds, bobolinks, upland sandpipers, and various warblers. Thrushes moved in too, including hermit, Swainson's, gray-cheeked, wood, and veery. Stealing the show, however, were the sparrows. Large numbers of white-throated sparrows have arrived, joined by excellent numbers of white-crowned and Lincoln's sparrows, swamp sparrows, and above-average numbers of Harris's sparrows. Flocks of Bonaparte's gulls foraged over open water bodies, which at long last welcomed returning common loons as well. May 9 saw a good migration of shorebirds, dominated by lesser yellowlegs but also featuring at least 10 other species such as pectoral and solitary sandpipers, willets, dowitchers, semipalmated plovers and more. Broad-winged hawks continued to fill the skies, although their migration is now waning.
A favorite of most birders, warblers such as this American redstart have returned to Wisconsin in earnest.Photo credit: Ryan Brady
Warbler migration is likely at or very close to peak across the south, where birders from Milwaukee to Green Bay and Madison to La Crosse reported outstanding diversity and numbers. Many were found foraging lower than a typical year and thus offered especially spectacular views. Baltimore orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and ruby-throated hummingbirds continue to adorn feeding stations, now joined by good numbers of indigo buntings. Ruby-crowned kinglets were abundant earlier in the week, while a couple olive-sided flycatchers and common nighthawks made somewhat early arrivals. American avocets at several locations were among the most noteworthy shorebirds.
Snowy owls continue to linger statewide with at least a dozen reported this month from as far south as Oshkosh. This week's list of rarities is again long, including a scissor-tailed flycatcher in Milwaukee, snowy egret in Dodge, blue grosbeak in Racine, white-faced ibises at multiple locations, northern mockingbirds in Milwaukee and Ashland, white-eyed vireos in Milwaukee and Walworth, yellow-throated warbler in Door, Kentucky warbler in Dane, worm-eating warblers in Dane and Milwaukee, yellow-crowned night-heron in Dodge, summer tanagers in multiple locations, piping plover in Sauk, and lastly both eared grebe and cattle egret in Portage. The next couple weeks will offer the peak of spring migration so be sure to get out and take advantage of events across the state. As always, find out what others are seeing and where they're seeing it at www.ebird.org/wi. Good birding! - Ryan Brady, conservation biologist, Ashland