Last Week

What a weekend for a family wedding on the East Coast! I missed some great birds. Saturday at Havenwoods 25 birders came out for a whole bunch of bird adventures. The most exciting being a Short-eared Owl and American Crow show down. Sunday at Lakeshore State Park, both raindrops and birds were plentiful.

Thanks to Katie for leading the walks and John for lists and photos

Havenwoods State Forest, https://ebird.org/checklist/S320139300

Lakeshore State Park, https://ebird.org/checklist/S320732175

Have a birding event to share? email us on the Contact Page

April

Stationary Birding at Turtle Park with Kira
Friday, April 17
Free, registration required, Details HERE

Birding Pike Lake and Hartford area with Noel J Cutright Bird Club
Saturday, April 18 7:00 am meet up
Check out Big Cedar Lake, Wildlife Drive, flooded fields, and more before heading to the northeast corner of Pike Lake.
Meet up at the Jackson Park-and-Ride (on CR P, just north of Hwy 60)
No sign-up needed. Trip leader: Carl Schwartz, cschwartz@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272

Natural Landscaping for Birds
Saturday, April 18 Morning program
This event focuses on the connection between native habitat, birds, and biodiversity, and how small, intentional actions at home can make a meaningful difference. Participants will gain a better understanding of how native plants and other natural landscaping techniques support birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, while learning practical steps they can take to create healthier, more resilient landscapes. Registration and details HERE

Lakeshore Alive at Lakeshore State Park Bird Walk
Saturday, April 18 2:00-4:00pm
Join MIlwaukee Birders for a family friendly bird walk around Lakeshore State Park and learn more about some of the summer bird residents: Red-winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, and American Kestrels. There will be activities all afternoon to celebrate lighting the Hoan Bridge. Details HERE

Gardening for Hummingbirds
Sunday, April 19 by Goss Bird Club
Details HERE

Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Annual Convention Registration closes April 20
Keynote by Laura Erickson, educational sessions, meals, and the highlight of WSO Conventions – the field trips! Accompany local birders to hotspots for great birding. The Convention is in Madison, May 15-17. Details and registration HERE

Woodcock Walk with Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition
Wednesday, April 22 at Mequon Nature Preserve
Details HERE

Port Washington Bird Sanctuary Field Trip with Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Thursday, April 23
Details HERE

Mead Wildlife Area Field Trip with Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
Saturday, April 25
Details HERE

Beyond the Bird Feeder: Bird ID
Saturday, April 25 at Wehr Nature Center
Details: HERE

Native Tree Giveaway by Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
Saturday, April 25, Port Washington
April 25 | Port Washington (9am–12pm)
W.J. Niederkorn Library
Featuring Beyond Our Senses: Bank Swallows, a short documentary by David Busse Details HERE

MAY

3-DAY FIELD TRIP: Southern Kettle Moraine to Wyalusing State Park
May 6-8  (Wednesday to Friday) with Ozaukee-Washington Birding Coalition

This trip is earlier on the calendar than in past years, but eBird recorded 20 warbler species at Wyalusing State Park by this date in 2025, and seeing the birds will be easier with the trees not yet fully leafed out.

On Wednesday, we will start the day in the Southern Kettle Moraine (exact meeting spot TBD), then make our way across to Prairie du Chien, have dinner at the Black Angus and overnight. We will make stops along the way to search for birds like Lark Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, Louisiana Waterthrush. It’s an overnight Wednesday in Prairie du Chien. Thursday will see a pre-dawn start to bird Wyalusing for such specialties as Prothonotary, Kentucky, Yellow-throated and Cerulean Warblers. Later in the day birding east to overnight Thursday in Sauk City. Options late Thursday and Friday include Spring Green Preserve, Gov. Dodge State Park, Honey Creek Preserve and hotspots in Dane and Columbia counties. 
Interested in going? Contact Gisela Zelenka-Drysdale, trip coordinator, giselazd@yahoo.com 
 You will make your own motel reservations. There are several motels on the south end of Prairie du Chien, including: AmericInn (located next to the Black Angus), Quality Inn and Microtel; in Sauk City, the Holiday Inn Express is convenient.

World Migratory Bird Day Celebration at Havenwoods
Saturday, May 9
Bird ID talk, Bird Walks, Tree Giveaway from Lake Michigan Bird Observatory, Bird Crafts and more!

RIVEREDGE BIRDATHON/BANDATHON
Saturday, May 9

How many species will be singing and displaying on the Riveredge Nature Center’s 452 acresof diverse prairies, forests, wetlands, ponds, and Milwaukee River banks during the peak of spring migration? The Noel J. Cutright Bird Club invites participants from all members of the Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition to spend the day searching for as many as possible. We’ll multiply those results (averaging about 100 species) by donations to support Riveredge, compensate coalition speakers and help fund local bird conservation efforts such as  the Pineview Wildlife Rehab Center, Wanakia Wildlife Rehab, the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas and the Great Wisconsin Birdathon.

Anyone can help with the count that day, but if you want to participate in our birding teams, show up by 6:30 a.m. in the main parking lot at Riveredge where we will divvy up the property and set off. Want to show up at 4 a.m. for owling and the dawn chorus? Email Carl Schwartz at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com

The Riveredge Bandathon will be led by Research Manager Jana Gedymin on that same day. If you want to participate, contact her at jgedymin@riveredge.us

FIELD TRIP: Lion’s Den Gorge
Sunday May 10, 7:00am
Led by members of the Noel J. Cutright Bird Club, this field trip concentrates on the Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve, a 73-acre public park located adjacent to Lake Michigan south of Port Washington. The address is 511 High Bluff Dr., Grafton. The preserve, to whose preservation the bird club was one of the first donors, offers a variety of habitats in a major migration corridor.
No signup required.
Trip Leaders: Joan Sommer and Carl Schwartz; you can contact Carl at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272

FIELD TRIP: Land Trust Preserves
Saturday, May 23, 6:30 a.m.
This tour to three of the amazing Restoring Lands (formerly OWLT) preserves begins at the Kurtz Woods State Natural Area off Dahlia Lane between Saukville and Grafton), then visits Bratt Woods and finishes the morning at Donges Bay Gorge Natural Area.
No signup required.
Trip Leader: Carl Schwartz; you can contact him at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272

** Follow Bird City Milwaukee on Facebook! for event announcements

Check out Chirp Chat episodes by Xcaret Nuñez. It’s all about birding Milwaukee area on WUWM 89.7 last Wednesday of the month

List of Milwaukee area BIRD CLUBS !

Milwaukee parks that need birding this week

The county needs eBird records throughout the year for every park and natural area. Every week there are priority parks needing eBird lists. A park could be a priority because no surveys have been done for that week. Alternatively, it could be prioritized because there are surveys, but MKE Parks suspect more species might reside there than previously identified.

We can help MKE Parks! Pick a priority park, go bird, eBird it and note time spent there.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY PARKS : April 1-7

• Baran Park
• Currie Park
• Dineen Park
• Dretzka Park
• Franklin Savanna (if you haven’t been and need access help contact Colleen at 414-379-6741)
• Grootemat Nature Preserve
• Kern Park
• Little Menomonee River Pkwy 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (2 definitely has no trails, at least Apple of the others do but check maps if you don’t want to bushwhack)
• Menomonee River Parkway 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Milwaukee River Pkwy 1, 3, 5
• Oak Creek Pkwy 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 (north and south) 13, 14 (for 12- no trails and for 13, there is no trail, and be VERY careful of property lines as private property is to both sides)
• Root River Pkwy 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18 (no trails for 15, 16, 18)

Based on the needs spreadsheet from MKE Parks, Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (Thanks Colleen!) curates suggested locations based on accessibility to the property and availability on the ebird hotspots tool. Please track your time spent! At the end of the year WMAS provides hours to the county.
Follow Wisconsin Metro Audubon on Facebook for their weekly park posts.

Note- even if it’s already been birded this week, going another day or even a different time of day helps. The parks department wants a number of surveys for each park. Birding more than once in a week is very helpful!

Find a park and a park map: https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Explore/Find-a-Park

Wisconsin Metro Audubon is also birding for Waukesha Parks…

Bird where you can and share your ebird list with their ebird account: WaukeshaCountyBirding

March bird surveys needed at these locations- all are ebird hotspots

• Berg Property – free – address S102W33451 CTH LO should get you there or very close. It’s just west of Mukwonago so you could do them both in one trip! Needs 6 shared surveys
• Fox Bend Park- fee or pass- looking for 6 shared surveys
• Monches County Park- fee or pass- looking for 4 shared surveys
• Mukwonago Park (pass or daily fee) – looking for 6 shared surveys
• Nagawaukee Park- daily fee or pass – needs 3 shared surveys
• Ashippun Lake – Waukesha County- (free)- looking for 1 shared survey
• School Section Lake- requires LAKE (not a park pass) daily or season pass- needs 5 shared surveys
• New Berlin Trail (free)- 6 shared surveys needed