This is rare — and by rare I mean it's never happened before, and I'm a little freaked out because why are there Flamingos in Wisconsin?
Okay, there is a reason for this, so let's get to that first:
Wildlife biologists theorize the birds were pushed into the northern state after they were blown off course from their native Mexico and Cuba by the intense gusts of Hurricane Idalia.
Glad there's a reason. I was beginning to worry. Over the past few weeks, in the wake of Idalia, flamingos have been spotted in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, so it sort of makes sense that we'd find a few in Wisconsin. Hurricane Ophelia probably isn't helping the matter, so I'm thinking that's why these birds decided to stay a little longer and check out the great state of Wisconsin.
Five of the bright pink tropical birds were spotted Friday frolicking just off the shore in the waters of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin — marking the first time flamingos were ever spotted in the state.
Hordes of birdwatchers flocked to catch a glimpse of the three adults, who had already gotten their pink plumes, and two gray juveniles as they stood just 25 feet from the beach in Port Washington, a city 27 miles north of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported…
The birds appeared content as Wisconsin enjoyed a nearly 80-degree day on its first day of fall.
The flamingos mostly slept on the banks of the beach after landing in the Badger State early that morning, according to Ryan Brady, a conservation biologist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Here's some pictures of the birds during their visit to America's Dairyland:
The birdwatching game is intense in Wisconsin. Just a few months ago, we had a bunch of the bird fanatics flock to Cudahy, a suburb of Milwaukee, to catch a rare sighting of the flame-colored tanager, another bird which rarely makes its way all the way north to Wisconsin.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go set up shop on the Milwaukee lakefront for the day, see if I can find some strong wifi and maybe a few pink waterfowl. I mean, hey gotta come back south at some point, don't they?
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