Wisconsin Statewide Birding Report 7.4.11Breeding Bird Activity is starting to wind down as we enter July. Many birds are feeding young or are fledging young and working to keep them safe from predators for the next two weeks. Orioles, grosbeaks and many other species of long-distance migrants are going to begin summer molt in the next week and will then begin their annual migration to wintering areas in Central and South America. Many species of grassland birds are now working on second broods or second nest attempts, and wetlands are now full of duck, goose, coot, and grebe broods. Rare birds reported this week in Wisconsin include the state's first record of Neotropic cormorant from the Horicon Marsh International Education Center. The bird is being seen in the marsh right below the center. Fall shorebird migration is also underway with the first waves of adult least sandpipers and greater/lesser yellowlegs now being seen statewide. Please report your bird sightings to Wisconsin eBird (
www.ebird.org/WI) to help better track migratory bird populations.
