Wisconsin Statewide Birding Report 5.18.12Kirtland's warblers, federally endangered migratory birds that nest in Wisconsin, are returning to the state. The first female of the year was spotted yesterday, May 15, and the male Kirtland's warblers began arriving on their breeding grounds around May 10-11. These are the earliest arrival dates recorded for both males and females since we began documenting Kirtland's warblers in 2008. Previously, May 12 was the earliest date for males and May 18 for females
A new web page with a video, slide show and more information on the bird, including links to weekly updates on sightings of this rare bird, is now available.
http://dnr.wi.gov/news/features/feature.asp?id=2 (I think the link should be directly to this page since people getting this are are already online, however, the search instructions are to go to dnr.wi.gov and search ER 40.) A volunteer helping DNR endangered resources staff monitor for the federally endangered Kirtland's warblers found a banded male back on the same territory he was banded on last year in Marinette County. This is the first time we have had a bird banded in Marinette return to Marinette. A total of five birds have been banded in Marinette County (two in 2008, one each in 2009, 2010, 2011). One of the 2008 Marinette birds was not seen in 2009, but turned up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula in 2010 and in 2011. A returning male gives biologists hope for birds to become established at a particular site. Time will tell if he is successful in attracting a female and establishing a nest.
