Friday, May 29, 2015

Warbler Guy, has Kirtland's Warbler been seen this year in Wisconsin? Is it nesting again in 2015 within Wisconsin?

Yes, Dennis, Kirtland's Warbler has been reported on five ebird.org checklists noted at:

http://ebird.org/ebird/map/kirwar?neg=true&env.minX=&env.minY=&env.maxX=&env.maxY=&zh=false&gp=false&ev=Z&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=cur&byr=2015&eyr=2015

Whether it's nesting in Wisconsin is still an open question, given I do not yet see the WI DNR or USFWS web sites indicating nesting presence in 2015.

Nonetheless, nesting success again in 2015 within Wisconsin is likely, given the last seven years have yielded nesting success in one or more state locations.

Check back here again soon and I'll have a more extensive update.

Of course, the annual nesting presence of Kirtland's in Michigan has repeated, as 10 or more of this state's counties have hosted this federally endangered species since monitoring efforts began.

One ongoing, perhaps annual nest in Ontario may also again host a nesting pair again in 2015, but I'll have to confirm this phenomenon. Again, please feel free to check back as more information becomes available that I am able to share here.

One related update offers a fascinating discovery:
A banded Kirtland's Warbler from Wisconsin has been recaptured in the Bahamas where this species spends the non-breeding season. See:

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/greenbay/endangered/kiwa/2015/UpdateApril2015.html


(Above, Kirtland's Warbler nestling receives color-bands at 5-6 days old, Adams County, Wisconsin.
Photo by Joel Trick.)