Breeding Bird Atlas II: Year 4

Everyone is glad that spring has finally arrived, including the migrating birds! This is an excellent time to get out for some fresh air, to check out the migrating birds, and to participate in Wisconsin’s largest citizen science project, the Breeding Bird Atlas II. This is the start of year four of the five-year project and there are many opportunities to make observations and memories. 

Arlene Koziol photographed a barred owl family at the Lakeshore Nature Preserve in Madison, which includes three young. The atlas welcomes all photographs. Photo by Arlene Koziol

The first atlas was conducted from 1995–2000 by over 1,600 (mostly) volunteer observers. The information they collected proved to be a landmark tool guiding species management and conservation activities by federal, state, and private natural resource groups. The second, five-year atlas is documenting changes the last two decades. Major partners leading the atlas project are the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO), the Department of Natural Resources, the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory. Madison Audubon Society endorsed the project and is sponsoring the Canada goose. Funds from species that are sponsored are used to hire birders to conduct point counts and to atlas in difficult areas.

The Wisconsin Breeding Bird Altas II is still looking for volunteers this year. Image provided by Wisconsin Society for Ornithology

Kim Kreitinger, former WSO President, said, “The second Atlas project will provide a new snapshot of Wisconsin’s bird community, which will help us address important bird conservation issues in the state. Because the Atlas requires such a massive volunteer effort, it will also help us to elevate public awareness of nature and directly connect Wisconsin’s citizens to conservation.”

In Wisconsin, 1,500 volunteers have submitted almost 95,000 checklists and confirmed 220 species. In Columbia County alone, 129 volunteers have submitted almost 2,000 checklists and confirmed 122 species. The atlas work is conducted by birders that adopt a specific block of land and others that submit random observations. There are 18 priority blocks in Columbia County and an additional 67 blocks. Each block is three by three miles wide.

In Columbia County, we are finding interesting changes in bird populations. Bald eagle and osprey counts are increasing, while other birds like the ruffed grouse and ring-necked pheasant are decreasing. We added common ravens to the list of nesting birds in Columbia County while finding that gray partridges no longer live here.

Bald eagle nests are increasing in Columbia County. Photo by Richard Armstrong

We are looking for common as well as uncommon birds to atlas. In Columbia County some birds of interest include: hooded mergansers; great blue heron rookeries; green herons; turkey vultures; ospreys; Cooper’s hawks; bald eagles; red-tailed hawks; American woodcock; eastern screech, great horned, barred and northern saw-whet owls; eastern whip-poor-wills; chimney swifts; belted kingfishers (nesting cavities); red-headed and pileated woodpeckers; purple martins; brown thrashers; scarlet tanagers; dickcissels; bobolinks; eastern meadowlarks; and orchard orioles.

Four great blue heron on their nest tree. Photo by Richard Armstrong

Northern pintails have only been recorded as “probably nesting” in two of Wisconsin’s 6,800 blocks. Our goal this spring is to confirm pintails nesting for the first time in Wisconsin Atlas II at Goose Pond. At the pond there are two lone pintail pairs and we will be working with volunteers to also confirm nesting for northern shovelers, gadwalls, green-winged teal, and ruddy ducks.

Ruddy duck brood south of Goose Pond. Photo by Mark Martin

All the county coordinators can use additional help. The more eyes and ears we can get out there, the better our Atlas results -- and our ability to conserve birds -- will be. Overall in Columbia County, we are doing very well; however, we need more volunteers to help cover priority blocks, report incidental observations, help with special surveys for species like whip-poor-wills, and canoe waterways. (Sounds like a tough job, doesn't it?)

You don’t have to be an expert birder to be part of the atlas! All you need is to be a careful observer, learn the data collection and reporting procedures, and then go out and enjoy observing birds. Those wanting to learn more should visit the Atlas webpage (wsobirds.org/atlas) and the eBird Atlas webpage (ebird.org/content/atlaswi).

If you would like to help in Columbia County you can contact Mark and Sue at 608-333-9645 or goosep@madisonaudubon.org.   

 Hopefully you will have many memorable atlas sightings. Some of our favorite sightings and memories are locating the southern-most raven nest in the state, seeing an osprey nest on the tall lights at the Pardeeville High School football field, a landowner with 160 nesting pairs of purple martins, seeing nesting red-headed and pileated woodpeckers, and photographing a vulture nest in a large silver maple nine feet high.

These ospreys don't mind the Friday Night Lights at Pardeeville High School. Photo by Mark Martin

We had 9-foot-high hopes for this turkey vulture nest found during a WI Breeding Bird Atlas II survey. Photo by Mark Martin

Written by Mark Martin and Sue Foote-Martin, Goose Pond Sanctuary resident managers and Atlas Coordinators for Columbia County

Breeding Bird Atlas II – Year 3

Pileated woodpeckers at Otsego Marsh, photo by Mark Martin

Midway through the five-year Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II, we have had many memorable sightings including:

• frequent observations of a raven and later locating a nest,
• three active ospreys nests at Baraboo River Waterfowl Production Area and an osprey nest on the lights at the Pardeeville High School football field,
• a landowner with 160 nesting pairs of purple martins,
• 30 Amish families with purple martins,
• three families of red-headed woodpeckers and observing the parents catching flies,  
• a calling northern saw-whet owl,
• nesting chimney swifts, and
• frequent observations of a pair of trumpeter swans. 

Observations this week included seeing a belted kingfisher carrying a fish to a nesting hole, hearing a food begging great horned owl, hearing a Virginia rail, and seeing and hearing a black-crowned night heron at Goose Pond Sanctuary.

Brood of Ruddy ducks, photo by Mark Martin

The first atlas was conducted from 1995–2000 by over 1,600 (mostly) volunteer observers, and the information they collected proved to be a landmark tool guiding species management and conservation activities by federal, state, and private natural resource groups. The second, five-year atlas will document changes the last two decades.  Major partners leading the atlas project are the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO), the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory.

Kim Kreitinger, WSO President, said, “The second Atlas project will provide a new snapshot of Wisconsin’s bird community, which will help us address important bird conservation issues in the state. Because the Atlas requires such a massive volunteer effort, it will also help us to elevate public awareness of nature and directly connect Wisconsin’s citizens to conservation.”

Over 1,300 volunteers in Wisconsin have submitted almost 72,000 checklists and confirmed 219 species.  In Columbia County 101 volunteers have submitted almost 1,500 checklists and confirmed 117 species. 

In Columbia County, we are finding increases and decreases in some bird populations. Bald eagle and ospreys are increasing while other birds like the ruffed grouse and ring-necked pheasant are decreasing.  We added common ravens to the list of nesting birds in Columbia County while finding that gray partridge no longer live in Columbia County.

Osprey nest at Pardeeville High School, photo by Mark Martin

The atlas work is done by birders that adopt a block and others that submit random observations. There are 18 priority blocks in Columbia County and an additional 67 blocks.  Each block is 3 by 3 square miles.

We are looking for the common birds as well as uncommon birds to atlas.  In Columbia County some birds of interest include: northern bobwhite quail; great blue heron rookeries; green herons; turkey vultures; ospreys; Cooper’s hawks; bald eagles; red-tailed hawks; American woodcock; eastern screech-owls, great horned , barred and northern saw-whet  owls; eastern whip-poor-wills; chimney swifts; belted kingfishers (nesting cavities); red-headed woodpeckers; purple martins; brown thrashers; scarlet tanagers; dickcissels; bobolinks; eastern meadowlarks; and orchard orioles.

Mourning dove nest on a purple martin box, photo by Mark Martin

Overall we are doing very well, however we need more volunteers to cover priority blocks and report incidental observations.  All the county coordinators can use additional help.  The more eyes and ears we can get out there, the better our Atlas results are going to be.

You don’t have to be an expert birder to be part of the atlas! All you need is to be a careful observer, learn the data collection and reporting procedures, and then go out and watch birds.  Those wanting to learn more or want to sign up to help should visit the project’s website, www.wsobirds.org/atlas and http://ebird.org/content/atlaswi/

In Columbia County you can contact us at 608-333-9645 or goosep@madisonaudubon.org.  We are having people meet at Goose Pond for “atlas searches”, divide up into teams, and atlas priority blocks.  We also welcome incidental sighting and can report incidental sightings for you.  Hopefully you will have many memorable atlas sightings and contribute to the largest citizen science project in Wisconsin.

By Mark and Sue Foote-Martin, Resident Managers, Goose Pond Sanctuary and Atlas Coordinators for Columbia County