Nighthawk watches this week Tues and Wed - Forest Beach Migratory Preserve

Join us at 6:50 pm on either or both Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (Aug29 and 30), at the Bill Cowart Memorial Raptor Watch platform, at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve. In the parking lot just south of the building, there will be a map posted at the kiosk, with the location of the raptor watch platform (for anyone who has never been here before). Large flights of nighthawks have already been seen in areas north of us, and this last week of August is usually the peak time at our location. (26 August was a good night in 2013, for example:http://futureofbirds.blogspot.com/2013/08/nighthawk-watch-aug-26-2013-forest.html). Other species already on migration may also be seen.

Learn more about the Common Nighthawk

from a painting by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, Wikimeda Commons

It's almost time for the autumn migration of Common Nighthawks.

We'll be seeing them moving south in the evenings in late August and into September. Occasionally they continue movements into the daytime hours as well.

Here are some resources about this iconic, but declining species:

Video:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qpsyjmda5Q

Life history and ecology:
From ABC: https://abcbirds.org/bird/common-nighthawk/
From Cornell Lab: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Nighthawk/lifehistory
From BirdWatchingDaily: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/featured-stories/species-profile-nighthawk/

About declines in Canada:  http://www.bsc-eoc.org/organization/images/news/AIWorkshopreport2012.pdf
About their population decline, from ABA and eBird: http://ebird.org/content/pa/news/decline-of-the-bullbat-aba-bird-of-the-year/

Nighthawk Watches to start in about 26 days - Ozaaukee County

Join us to view Common Nighthawk migration at the Bill Cowart Memorial Raptor Watch platform at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve, starting in late August, and lasting through mid-September, when weather and a sufficient number of observers "line up" on the same evenings. For updates that include dates, times, directions, please e-mail wmueller@wglbbo.org

Additional information and updates will be posted along with news on our aerial insectivore activities and initiatives at  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1581381955435390/

To learn more about our observation site, go to this link:
https://wglbbo.org/news/23-hawk-watch-platform-dedicated-at-forest-beach-migratory-preserve


This site will also be the location for raptor watches this fall, starting in late September.

Ph. by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren - Wikim. Commons

chimney swift roosts, August and September

If you see roosting swifts in these next two months, please report the numbers and locations and dates. Here's how to do it, with directions provided by the Wisconsin Chimney Swift Working Group: http://www.wiswifts.org/report-chimney-swift-sightings/

bumblebee conservation

Over the past two decades, bee declines worldwide have drawn international attention. Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies decreased by 25% over 20 years in Europe and 59% over 58 years in North America, and many bumble bee populations in Europe and North America have gone locally extinct, resulting in dramatic range contractions. It is important to note that not all bees in all places are declining. Some populations are actually growing, and there are many more for which data are insufficient or nonexistent.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2016-01-complex-worldwide-bee-declines.html#jCp

Ph. Katja Schulz - Wikim. Commons

"Over the past two decades, bee declines worldwide have drawn international attention. Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies decreased by 25% over 20 years in Europe and 59% over 58 years in North America, and many bumble bee populations in Europe and North America have gone locally extinct, resulting in dramatic range contractions. It is important to note that not all bees in all places are declining. Some populations are actually growing, and there are many more for which data are insufficient or nonexistent. "


Learn more at these links:


Xerces bee conservation page: https://xerces.org/bumblebees/

Over the past two decades, bee declines worldwide have drawn international attention. Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies decreased by 25% over 20 years in Europe and 59% over 58 years in North America, and many bumble bee populations in Europe and North America have gone locally extinct, resulting in dramatic range contractions. It is important to note that not all bees in all places are declining. Some populations are actually growing, and there are many more for which data are insufficient or nonexistent.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2016-01-complex-worldwide-bee-declines.html#jCp

Over the past two decades, bee declines worldwide have drawn international attention. Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies decreased by 25% over 20 years in Europe and 59% over 58 years in North America, and many bumble bee populations in Europe and North America have gone locally extinct, resulting in dramatic range contractions. It is important to note that not all bees in all places are declining. Some populations are actually growing, and there are many more for which data are insufficient or nonexistent.

Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2016-01-complex-worldwide-bee-declines.html#jCp

The complex causes of worldwide bee declines
https://phys.org/news/2016-01-complex-worldwide-bee-declines.html

https://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/why-bees-need-help/

https://www.wpi.edu/news/buzzing-about-bumblebee-decline

"green" travel - some interesting opportunities

Check out Green Travel Guides at http://www.greentravelguides.tv/low_carbon_travel/low_carbon_travel.html

learn about aerial insectivores

The Midwest Aerial Insectivore Discussion Group is on Facebook at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1581381955435390/
Join the Discussion Group and learn more!

Find more information at: https://wglbbo.org/aerial-insectivores