Happy Superb Owl weekend!
See many owl pics here: https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2020/02/photos-superb-owl-sunday-iv/605854/
What is the highest flying migratory bird?
Milwaukee Bird Trivia Night!
Thursday Feb 29 4:30-6:00
Think you know birds? Want to get together and play happy hour bird trivia?
Come with a team or join one when you get there.
Gather at 4:30. Round 1 starts at 5:00pm
Meet at Wantable Cafe. Prizes. Drinks for purchase.
Wantable Cafe is a fabulous spot in Walker’s Point. They have a great set-up for us. The menu has everything from warming coffees to local beers.
Answer: Bar-headed Goose
Bird from your window, the Great Backyard Bird Count is Feb 16-19. Bird your yard and eBird it on those 4 days. This provides a valuable point count of winter birds. Learn more here: https://www.birdcount.org/
Last Week:
Fourteen of us started the overcast morning at Lakeshore State Park. Colder by the lake held true, it doesn’t take much of a breeze off of Lake Michigan to lower the temp. While we looked for birds, some cleaned out bluebird boxes. A most interesting find was a nest with four baby bird skeletons. Live birds were few. We moved onto Veteran’s Park breakwall.
Looking north in the Marina from Veteran’s Park, we spotted two Glaucous Gulls amongst the Herring Gulls. A few ducks bobbed in the open water. And for those quick to look up (not me) a Peregrine Falcon was seen swooping over. O
Our final stop was north of Bradford Beach at the Duck Watch point. There we were treated to a large raft of Goldeneye, a few Scaup, a Bufflehead and a single Long-tailed Duck rocking near the shore.
Ongoing Bird Walks:
Second Saturday (Nov-March) 11:00am Duck Watch on Lincoln Memorial Drive -east side heading north of Bradford Beach up the hill -yellow highlighted area. Look for all the people and scopes.
Sundays 9:00am Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Bird Walk
Wehr Nature Center 9701 W College Ave. No registration required.
Tues 8:00am Urban Ecology Center, Menomonee Valley 3700 W Pierce St
Wed 8:00am Urban Ecology Center Washington Park 4023 W Galena St
Thurs 8:00am Urban Ecology Center Riverside Park 1500 E Park Place
Third Saturdays 8:00am Schlitz Audubon Nature Center 1111 E Brown Deer Rd, Registration required, https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/saturday-morning-bird-walk-15/
Upcoming:
“OUR SWALLOWS ARE IN TROUBLE” with Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition
Feb. 14 (Wednesday) at 7 p.m.
Aerial Insectivores in Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest — Ecology and Changing Populations by Bill Mueller, director emeritus, Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
There is growing concern about the apparent population decline of many “aerial insectivores” – those species that feed on their insect prey in flight. These species belong to several avian orders and families that include swallows and martins, Chimney Swifts, some forest flycatchers, plus nightjars such as whip-poor-wills and nighthawks. In this presentation, Bill will primarily focus on three of the swallows found across the Upper Midwest: Purple Martin, Bank Swallow and Barn Swallow. Mueller is an ornithologist and conservation biologist,
Hybrid live and Zoom program at Riveredge Nature Center; no registration required.
To join Zoom meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89709885811?pwd=wWr592l3KpdDTTzxxHTG0IF5KTph7M.1
Meeting ID: 897 0988 5811 Passcode: 719624
Field Trip: Carpool caravan in Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington Counties
Feb. 17 (Saturday) at 7 a.m. with Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition
In search of overwintering birds and rarities, we’ll begin at 7 a.m. at Coal Dock Park in Port Washington; no signup required.
Riveredge Birding Series
February 17th: Raptor ID Class (with Cedar Grove Ornithological Research Station) https://www.riveredgenaturecenter.org/event/raptors-of-wisconsin/
March 2nd: Bluebirds and other Cavity Nesters Workshop
Two part series (with Jeff Bahls, president of Horicon Marsh Bird Club):
March 5th: Duck ID Workshop at Riveredge https://www.riveredgenaturecenter.org/event/ducks-of-wisconsin-field-identification-workshop/2024-03-05/
March 9th: Duck ID Field Trip at Horicon Marsh https://www.riveredgenaturecenter.org/event/ducks-of-wisconsin-field-identification-workshop/2024-03-09/
April 8-14
WI NRF Field Trip: Birding the Texas Coast during Migration
Always wanted to see thousands of migrants in one spot? This is the trip for you!
ACT FAST Registration closes Feb 8
https://www.wisconservation.org/travel-birding-texas/
ps Let us know if you are interested, we can connect you with others who are also interested
Book a spot in a bird blind to watch Sharp-tailed Grouse mating dance.
April and May
Book through Namekagon Wildlife Barrens.. View dates are April and May on Sundays, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays
https://www.namekagonbarrens.org/2024/01/12/the-2024-viewing-blind-reservation-schedule-is-open-on-the-friends-of-the-namekagon-barrens-wildlife-area-website/
Greater Prairie Chicken Mating Dance Viewing at Buena Vista Grasslands
April
Booking will be available through UW Stevens Point. Watch here for more info:
https://www3.uwsp.edu/wildlife/pchicken/Pages/viewing.aspx
Milwaukee Birders 