Wisconsin Birding Report
2007 was a great birding year in Wisconsin and birders can only hope 2008 will be better. Most of the Christmas Bird Counts are in and predictably the snow and ice have led to some drastic changes from the past two "snowless" winters. Waterfowl numbers are way down due to the early ice cover and many counts report fewer total numbers of birds due to the deeper snows and colder temps from years past. This winter appears to be a banner winter for northern shrikes in most areas of the state and blue jay numbers are very high across central Wisconsin and other areas with strong acorn crops. Winter finches have been spotty but most observers are seeing good numbers of pine grosbeaks and bohemian waxwings across the north including as far south as Jackson and Kewaunee counties. Redpolls have been turning up statewide but crossbills have been very difficult to find. Rare birds seen in the last two weeks include a western grebe on Lake Geneva, Townsend’s solitaires and varied thrushes in a handful of locations across the state, Harlequin ducks and a Barrow's goldeneye in Point Douglas, purple sandpiper in Racine, and harlequin ducks in Sheboygan and Kewaunee. Birders looking for rare gulls have been doing well at Wisconsin Point, the Lake Michigan shoreline, and below the dam in Sauk City. Rare gulls reported include Thayer's, Iceland, slaty-backed, and lesser black-backed. Good luck to all the birders starting their 2008 lists and as always please use eBird (
www.ebird.org/WI) to report bird sightings not only to keep personal lists but to contribute information to the larger conservation community.
