Milwaukee Lakeshore Field Trip Report – January 19, 2020
Tom Schultz, Field Trips co-chair
Following two weather cancellations due to forecasted snow events, we finally got this field trip off! Unfortunately, the eventual date brought much colder weather, with a strong northwest wind producing a nasty, subzero wind chill.
Despite the 8 degree morning temperatures, a number of us gathered at South Shore Yacht Club at 8:00 AM –...
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Avian cholera killed 3,800+ cormorants this fall on Green Bay
The bacterial disease avian cholera has been linked to the die-off of thousands of Double-crested Cormorants in Green Bay, according to the Wisconsin DNR.
In late September, avian cholera was confirmed in cormorants submitted for necropsy to the USGS-National Wildlife Health Center in Madison. These cormorants were collected from the Cat Island causeway in Green Bay.
Avian cholera is a common...
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December 2019 Rare Birds
An assortment of tanagers, Varied Thrushes, odd ducks and solitaires
By Mark Korducki
After a cold and snowy November, December was mild and largely snow free over the southern half of the state. The north was blanketed by heavy snow and there was little open water.
Likely as a direct result of the mild temperatures, Milwaukee feeders hosted two species of tanagers. A female Summer...
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2020 WSO Convention has some interesting new wrinkles
By Tim HahnWSO Convention Committee
Get ready for Great Birding on a Great Lake! Two Rivers, located on the breezy shores of Lake Michigan, will be hosting the 81st annual WSO convention on May 14-17. Attendees will enjoy a wonderful weekend full of field trips, social events, and educational presentations.Thursday, May 14Check-in begins in Two Rivers Central Park where we’ll host a...
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2020 WSO Small Grants Program
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology sponsors three research grants:
The Steenbock Award, which is intended for beginners, amateurs, and independent researchers, has been used to fund a wide variety of independent bird-related projects. Graduate students and professionals in ornithology may apply for personal projects only. Applicants need not include recommendations or references.
The...
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November Rare Birds
Winter’s early onset dampens activity, but a few sightings stand out
- By Mark Korducki
So much for a nice transition to fall. By the beginning of November, cold and snow were the norm. Four measurable snowfalls occurred in southeastern Wisconsin by the middle of the month. For Milwaukee, it was the snowiest start to winter in 123 years! A few record lows and record low high...
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WSO streamlines nominating process for Passenger Pigeon Awards
WSO seeking nominations for 2020 Passenger Pigeon Awards
(BIG NEWS! The nomination process has been SIMPLIFIED!)
Each fall, the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology announces their annual appeal for Passenger Pigeon Award nominations—and this year the process has been simplified. Yes indeed, based on a number of reasons (mostly) related to improving the process, we have created a nomination...
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‘Tis the season to join a Christmas Count
The 120th Audubon Christmas Bird Count season is almost upon us, and hopefully birders everywhere will be flocking to participate!
This annual event is the longest-running citizen science project in our nation, and the accumulated data has provided bird researchers with vast amounts of population trend and distribution information.
WSO helped to establish many of the some 110 Christmas Bird...
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Holiday Giving for Honey Creek
The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO) established the Honey Creek Nature Preserve with the first land purchase in 1960, followed by additional purchases during the 60s and 70s. About 300 acres have been protected for a few decades and with the Dischler property of 104 acres purchased in 2017, WSO is protecting now over 400 acres.
More than 500 native plant species have been...
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Oneida Smoke Dancers Will Perform at 2020 WSO Convention
-By Nancy Nabak (WSO 2020 Convention Chair)-
Thursday night of the 2020 WSO Convention is going to be a grand evening like never before. We’ll start with our traditional picnic – greeting old friends and having an opportunity to meet and make new ones. This is a time to socialize, meet members of WSO’s Board of Directors and ask questions, and get familiar with Two Rivers, the community...
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Bird Observatory Names New Science Director
Port Washington -- The Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory has named Dr. Jennifer Phillips-Vanderberg as its new science director.
Phillips-Vanderberg is a Ph.D. biologist with extensive experience conducting ornithological research. For the last two years, she has worked as a life scientist with the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago, addressing pollution-control issues in...
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