The Great Wisconsin Birdathon, coordinated by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, returns for its 15th year from April 15 through June 15. Teams compete to spot birds and raise $130,000 for the Bird Protection Fund, which has raised over $1 million since 2012 supporting Wisconsin bird conservation projects.
Registration is open for the fourth annual Nebraska Birding Bowl, a free statewide competition running May 1-31 to celebrate Nebraska Bird Month. Organized by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission with support from Wild Bird Habitat Store, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Kowa Optics, and Vortex Optics, the event welcomes birders of all levels to compete individually or in teams using eBird to track observations.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Ruffed Grouse Society invite the public to a free guided woodcock walk on April 23 near Gladwin to observe the American woodcock's spectacular mating display. Participants will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Lame Duck Foot Access Area, a DNR-managed Grouse Enhanced Management Site.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is offering four free spring birding tours across state wildlife areas to observe migratory birds including ducks, swans, osprey, bald eagles, and sandhill cranes. Tours are scheduled at Fish Point, Shiawassee River, Nayanquing Point, and Portage Marsh state wildlife areas from April through May 2026.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting a free great blue heron viewing event on April 18 at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center in Farmington. DWR biologists will assist visitors in spotting herons nesting in the rookery, with spotting scopes and binoculars available.
Utah's wetlands host tundra and trumpeter swans during spring migration in March. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources highlights three prime viewing locations: Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area's Compton's Knoll, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge near Brigham City, and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Wildlife Education Center at Farmington Bay.
The third annual Camp Warbler takes place June 1-3 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center near Roscommon. This all-inclusive getaway includes lodging, meals, transportation from Detroit, and activities featuring guided wildlife drives through Shiawassee Wildlife Refuge, visits to Hartwick Pines State Park, and a Kirkland's Warbler breeding site. Tickets are $450 per person.
Bald eagle populations continue to grow in Massachusetts, offering winter birders improved opportunities to spot these iconic birds. MassWildlife encourages observers to report eagle sightings and nests to help monitor the population's expansion across the Commonwealth.
Winter and early spring offer the best opportunities to view large concentrations of bald eagles across Nebraska. Prime viewing locations include Sutherland Reservoir, Harlan County Reservoir, Lake McConaughy, and areas below Gavin's Point Dam, with Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District maintaining dedicated viewing facilities.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting two waterbird viewing events in southern Utah this month. The Delta Snow Goose Festival (Feb. 20-21) features free viewing at Gunnison Bend Reservoir where up to 20,000 snow geese gather, while a Jackson Flat Reservoir event (Feb. 21) showcases various duck species and other waterbirds with DWR biologists available to assist.
The DNR's third annual Camp Warbler runs June 1-3 at the Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center near Roscommon. This all-inclusive event features guided birding activities, presentations, lodging, meals, and transportation from Detroit, including visits to Shiawassee Wildlife Refuge and a Kirtland's warbler breeding site.
Nine compilers reported results from Oklahoma's 126th Audubon Christmas Bird Count across 24 designated count circles, with 200 birders documenting 200,379 individual birds. The Tulsa Count Circle reported the highest bird count at 54,919 individuals, while the Oklahoma City Count Circle recorded the richest species diversity with 118 species, including notable sightings at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge and other locations.
Niobrara State Park offers viewing blinds to observe sharp-tailed grouse mating displays from March 1 to May 1, with peak activity between March 7 and April 20. Reserve the trailer blind accommodating up to 12 guests or pop-up blinds by calling 402-857-3373. Use promo code "SHARPTAIL26" for discounted lodging at NebraskaStateParks.ReserveAmerica.com.
Ever heard of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count? It’s a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors and observe wildlife during winter! Anyone can participate, and several events will kick off later this week across Montana.
People enjoying the outdoors are encouraged to follow simple best practices as a strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, H5N1, circulates among birds in Nebraska. Nebraska Game and Parks recently confirmed H5N1 in several migrating birds and is asking for the public’s help reporting sick, dead or abnormally behaving birds.
If you’re an avid wildlife watcher but prefer a perch from the warmth and comfort of indoors, give Project FeederWatch a try. With Michigan temps predicted to stay fairly frigid, it may be the coziest way to connect with nature – and collect helpful birding data.
Whether you’ve just started bird-watching or you are an advanced “birder,” consider heading outdoors over the next few weeks to help gather important data about birds during the 126th annual nationwide Audubon Christmas Bird Count.
Winter bird feeding is a great way to observe and learn about our year-round bird residents such as black capped chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays. This winter is also predicted to be a great year for seeing birds that visit Vermont in the winter, including evening and pine grosbeaks, and red polls.
Each year, sportsmen, bird watchers, and other wildlife enthusiasts can join the Wildlife Department in documenting federally endangered whooping cranes as they migrate through Oklahoma. It is important for sandhill crane hunters to be aware that whooping cranes could migrate through Oklahoma and be roosting or loafing in hunting areas.
Sandhill cranes by the thousands are once again returning to their wintering grounds at the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area in southeastern Arizona. The best time to view the cranes is 30 minutes before and after sunrise, just before they leave to feed for the morning.