When conditions are favorable — think clear skies and tail winds — doppler radar explodes with color at night as birds leave roosts and head south.
In a single night in late August, more than 12 million birds were estimated to have passed over Wisconsin. Common nighthawks, eastern kingbirds, Caspian terns, indigo buntings and many species of warblers are among the birds on the move this time of year.
The BirdCast Dashboard, a product of Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds educational campaign, offers a unique look at migration through a series of color-coded maps across the United States. Data comes from nearly 150 radar stations that update every 30 minutes. The birds’ average speed, direction and altitude is estimated.
Radar can’t tell what species are migrating, but years of eBird data helps give a best guess of which species are most likely on the move. The real-time maps estimate activity in thousands of birds per kilometer.
If you want to spot colorful migrants this fall, keep in mind that they’ll typically migrate during clear weather and drop to the forest when it starts raining. Strong south winds will generally keep birds in place until there’s a switch to more favorable tail winds.
If you want to learn more about a favorite bird species, visit https://www.allaboutbirds.org and enter the name in the box at top left of the page.
For a deeper dive into migration, there’s a wealth of information on BirdCast.
Get started at https://dashboard.birdcast.info/. For the live migration maps, visit https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/.
The Boone and Crockett Club is hosting a press conference on Sept. 9 to release the results of five years of research providing the most comprehensive review of domestic wildlife poaching in U.S. history.
Wildlife crimes, such as illegal take and other breaches of hunting, fishing and trapping regulations, can significantly harm wildlife populations, diminish the hunting experience and affect social acceptance among both hunters and non-hunters.
The press conference will focus on differentiating between legal, regulated hunting and poaching and will emphasize how the Boone and Crockett Club, partners and ethical hunters can take a stand to reduce poaching. By quantifying the dark figure of undetected crime, identifying judicial bottlenecks and presenting a structured deterrent framework, the research equips state and federal wildlife agencies with data-driven strategies to reduce illegal take and protect America’s wildlife heritage.
Meanwhile, if you suspect illegal fish and game activities in Wisconsin, you can call or text 1-800-847-9367, or fill out a form at https://wi.accessgov.com/dnr/Forms/Page/8500-005/form8500-005/1.
The early goose, early teal and mourning dove hunts began Monday, and black bear hunting opened this morning (Sept. 3) for those using hounds in Zones A, B and D, or bait in Zones C, E and F.
Next up, the inland sturgeon fishing season opens on many waters, including the popular catch and release fishery on the Menominee River. Learn more at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Fishing/sturgeon/SturgeonInlandFishery.
Meanwhile, the archery and crossbow deer opener is Sept. 13. That day is also the first for wild turkey, gray and fox squirrel, Zone A ruffed grouse and northern zone cottontail rabbit hunting. The Northern Zone goose hunt begins Sept. 16 and the Northern Zone duck hunt on Sept. 27. This year’s youth waterfowl weekend is Sept. 20-21.
Learn how the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the Bay Mills Indian Community and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians are helping with a project designed to get whitefish to return to river spawning runs which were lost more than a century ago at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBvW3T2geWM. Whitefish have returned naturally to Green Bay tributaries, and the tribes are hoping to see the same thing happen in the lake.
You can help an annual citizen science project by reporting the number of bucks, does and fawns you see, now through Sept. 30. Operation Deer Watch helps collect data on deer reproduction and population throughout the state.
Learn more at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/summerdeer.
The Department of Natural Resources has put together its annual Deer Season Forecast, plus the outlook for bear, small game, migratory birds and furbearer hunting and trapping. There are links to all the reports at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/111471.
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