Wisconsin Statewide Birding Report 6.12.10The summer nesting season is in full swing as most migrant birds have now winged their way through the state or onto breeding grounds. Many waterfowl, cranes and early passerine nesting birds have fledged young and are now tending to broods. Of special interest is a whooping crane pair that has hatched two chicks as of last week and appears to still be tending to one of the chicks in the Necedah area and Kirtland's warblers appear to be back in even stronger numbers this year with at least five early nests. Migrant songbirds that arrived in early May are just now starting to fledge some early nests. The warm weather of May has led to a banner crop of early nests and has probably resulted in very few weather-related nest failures. Rare birds reported in the last week include glossy and white-faced ibis, black-necked stilt and other great marshbirds at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge and a prairie warbler in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Dickcissels appear to be common this year in appropriate grassland habitats as well. As always, please report sightings to Wisconsin eBird (
www.ebird.org/WI) to help better track migrant bird populations.
