Many birds migrated early, but there are still plenty to see in Wisconsin

Air Date:
Heard On The Larry Meiller Show
An adult purple martin, which is black and purple, feeds her young a dragon fly.
A North American Purple Martin feeds her young from the balcony of a Purple Martin bird house in Wichita, Kan., Sunday, July 18, 2010. Orlin Wagner/AP Photo

Bird watchers may have missed the early-than-usual migrations, but that doesn’t mean their favorite species aren’t out there. First, we talk to bird expert Bill Volkert. Then, purple martin devotee Dick Nikolai joins us.

Featured in this Episode

  • Naturalist identifies which birds are now on the wing

    With this year’s early warm weather, migratory birds returned or passed through Wisconsin earlier than usual. Retired naturalist Bill Volkert assures bird watchers who missed the migrations that there are opportunities in the coming weeks to see our feathered friends.

  • Purple martins enjoy communal housing built by devotees

    Dick Nikolai, a Wisconsin Purple Martin Association board member, estimates he’s banded more than 10,000 of the birds since the 1970s. He joins us to explain why it’s important to track purple martins, listed as a species of Special Concern by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources..

Episode Credits

  • Larry Meiller Host
  • Bill Volkert Guest
  • Dick Nikolai Guest
  • Jill Nadeau Executive Producer
  • Joel Patenaude Producer
  • Lee Rayburn Technical Director

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