Sunday May 12 7:30am Shorewood Nature Preserve
3950 N Lake Drive Shorewood
We’ll take the fairly steep mulched path down to a lakeside terrace to walk the terrace loop. In addition to the birds we’ll see, we can admire the land restoration efforts by the dedicated Friends of Shorewood Nature Preserve, including Moya, Katie, Kathy and Helen. Eddee Daniel’s A Wealth of Nature blog did a nice story on the park: https://awealthofnature.org/parks/shorewood-nature-preserve/
From there we can head north to Donges Bay Gorge OWLT, Virmond Park, Bratt Woods and/or Lion’s Den
Memorial Day Weekend:
Horicon Marsh Boat Tour
Sunday, May 26 9:00-11:00 am cost $38
Buy your ticket here: https://horiconmarsh.com/tours.php at Blue Heron Landing tours. We can car pool over. Before and/or after boat tour we can check out a few other places in the Marsh. Details to follow. Please email Katie or Donna if you booked a seat on the boat tour. We will let you know pre- and post-boat ride birding spots.
Avoid window collisions with decals from Humane Society. The Wisconsin Humane Society received a generous donation from Jeff Rusinow to sell nine window clings for $3. Details and order link
Brew City Bird Fest with Urban Ecology Center
Starts this Friday. Many more programs to check out. All programs and registrations: Brew City Bird Fest
Last Week:
We took a great walk around Warnimont Park. We had to skip the Oak Creek Outlet as the gate to the beach was closed and locked. Right out of the Kelly Senior Center parking lot we had Blue-Headed Vireo, Black-capped Chickadees and a the first of many warblers. Warblers heard and spotted included: Golden-winged, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged, Black-and-White, Nashville, Northern Parula and Magnolia. We also saw a Great-Crested Flycatcher, catbirds, thrasher, Baltimore Orioles and more. We thought we got eyes on a Blue Grosbeak, but further study revealed it to be one of a few Indigo Buntings we saw that morning. The weather was beautiful! No complaints about a morning of May birding
eBird list Warnimont Park: https://ebird.org/checklist/S172205242
Pics by Jeff Bentoff:
Milwaukee parks that need birding this week
The county tracks every parkland and records to see if there are surveys recorded on eBird. Every year they identify priority parks by week. A park could be a priority because there are no surveys done in that week; or because there are surveys but they think there may be more species there than previously identified.
Based on the spreadsheet they create, Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society curates suggested locations based on accessibility to the property (some of the parkway locations are difficult to access) and availability on the ebird hotspots tool. Click on the triangle to see this week’s list.
Milwaukee Parks that need birding this week
- Alcott Park
- Barnard Park
- Chippewa Park
- Dineen Park
- Doyne Park
- Franklin Savanna (check for ticks afterwards)
- Madison Park
- Melody View Preserve
- Mitchell Blvd Park
- Oak Creek Pkwy #1 (called Oak Creek Parkway Trail in ebird)
- Pulaski – Cudahy
- Root River Pkwy #10
- Servite Park
- Southwood Glen
- Wyrick Park
- Zablocki Park
Please track your time spent! At the end of the year WMAS provides hours to the county. Find a park and a park map: https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Explore/Find-a-Park
Note- even if it’s already been birded this week, going another day (or a different time of day) helps. The parks department has a number of surveys it wants for each park, so birding more than once this week is very helpful!
Ongoing Bird Walks:
Sundays 8:00am Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Bird Walk (WMAS)
Wehr Nature Center 9701 W College Ave. No registration required.
Second Sundays 10:00-11:30am The Art of Birding with Chuck Stebelton at Lynden Sculpture Gardens will run April through August. Register for walks HERE by the Friday before
Tues 8:00am Menomonee Valley Urban Ecology Center (UEC), 3700 W Pierce St
Wed 8:00am Washington Park Urban Ecology Center (UEC) 4023 W Galena St
Thurs 8:00am Riverside Park Urban Ecology Center (UEC) 1500 E Park Place
Fridays 7:30am Riveredge Nature Center Migration Bird Walks in May
Fridays 8:00am Bird walks at Retzer Nature Center walks with Goss Bird Club
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/
Saturdays 7:00am Goss Bird Club bird around Waukesha County. See Field Trip Schedule – Next event Saturday at Monches Woods
Saturdays 8:30 Lake Park Warbler walks run April 20 through end of May
Check out Chirp Chat episodes all about birding Milwaukee
Migration Walks starting in May(details later):
Nearby Bird Clubs to checkout:
Benjamin F. Goss Bird Club meets at Retzer Nature Center.
Hoy Audubon Society meets in Racine
Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition meets at Riveredge Nature Center, Lac Lawrann in West Bend, Mequon Nature Preserve and Cedarburg Bog
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Bird Club second Wednesday at 6:30pm
Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (WMAS), third Wednesday at 7:00pm Wehr Nature Center
Upcoming:
Have a birding event to share? Let me know, share on the Contact Page
May
UWM Field Station at Cedarburg Bog starting in May. Click on class link for more information and to register:
- Introduction to Bird Song, Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm, May 02 – June 06, 2024
- Field Herpetology: Amphibians and Reptiles of Wisconsin, May 31-June 01, 2024
- Sedges of Wisconsin, June 07-08, 2024
- Experiences in Great Lakes Ethnobotany, June 28-29, 2024
- Frolic, Fetch & Sketch, July 26-27, 2024
- Got Algae? Algal Diversity of the Kettle Moraine, August 02-03, 2024
- Wetland Delineation, August 09-10, 2024
- Restoring Upland Plant Communities, August 23-24, 2024
- Understanding Bird Populations and How They Change,
Thursdays 6:00-7:30pm, September 12 – October 17, 2024
“Nocturnal Bird Call Identification” by Sam Corbo
Hybrid live and Zoom program at Mequon Nature Preserve
May 8 (Wednesday) at 7:00 pm
Sam will discuss his experiences recording nocturnal migration over his Shorewood home over the last three years (and counting). Incredible numbers of regular migrants have been joined by true rarities, including several Wisconsin review species, as well as some tantalizing mysteries that remain unidentified for now. He plans to not only share what has turned out to be quite an adventure, but also provide a tutorial for anyone interested in wading into the NFC (night flight call) world.
To register for in-person https://ticketstripe.com/NocturnalBirdCalls2024
To join Zoom meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcuf-ypqDIjHNzu3GaR0dN9_vbkw07hsMb4
Brew City Bird Fest
May 10-17, 2024 Urban Ecology Center and other sites around the city
Celebrate spring migration with Urban Ecology Center at the Brew City Birding Festival Friday May 10th to Friday May 17th. We’ll have bird themed lectures, field trips, and other events all week including bird art night on Wednesday, Wingspan game night Monday, Bird Trivia at Gathering Space on Thursday, and of course, the return of our popular Horicon Marsh field trip! [Note: All activities have a fee and require registration, see detailed list link below]
Kick it all off with our 12th Annual Green Birding Challenge on Saturday May 11th. Compete to see the most species without using fossil fuels or bring the family for some Fledgling Fun!
Featured Speaker: Tiffany Kersten on doing a Big Year and elevating women birders. She leads birding tours, completed a big year, trains for American Ninja Warrior and advocates for safety on the trail in birding. Should be a great talk!
Lots of details for the week’s events
Harriet Tubman Art and Birding with Nearby Nature
Saturday May 11, 10:00-Noon at Tubman Park Pavilion 4750 N 58th St Milwaukee
We’re celebrating Black Birding week early by installing birdhouses along Wahl Creek in Harriet Tubman park to support urban wildlife. Join us for a bird walk and a paint a free decorative birdhouse to take home, while supplies last.
Free and family friendly. More Details Here.
Birding Seminary Woods with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Saturday, May 11 8:00-10:00am
As part of World Migratory Bird Day, Bill Holton will be leading a walk at Seminary Woods on Saturday May 11th at 8 AM. We will meet in the parking lot behind the Archdiocese of Milwaukee at 3501 S Lake Dr. This has been a very popular resting spot for birds heading further north.
Big Sit for Global Big Day
Saturday May 11 7:00am start at Wehr Nature Center
It’s BIG! Over 51,000 birders + 201 countries = 7673 species last year in the world’s largest bird count and research project. Join naturalists at Wehr or bird anywhere for as short or long as you want and record your sightings in eBird. Accessible options available; contact carol.howard@milwaukeecountywi.gov or 414-425-8550.
The hike at Wehr will be rain or shine. Bring your own binoculars or borrow ours.
No fee or registration
Fox River Sanctuary (E.B. Shurts) with Benjamin F Goss Bird Club
Tuesday May 14 8:00am
Meet at the city of Waukesha’s E.B. Shurts building at 810 College Avenue for this urban migrant gem of an area. From moment to moment the brushy river’s edge houses surprises of migration with flying insectivores as well as warblers arriving in good numbers. Restrooms should be open.
Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Annual Convention
May 17-19 in Two Rivers
Talks on Gull Id, Scientific Illustration, Aquatic Insect Emergence and Birds, as well as a Keynote on Climate Change and Birds. Plus lots of birding opportunities!
Details and registration info here, https://wsobirds.org/what-we-do/annual-convention
Birding Forest Home Cemetery with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Saturday, May 25 8:00am
Join Rita Wiskowski for a walk through beautiful and historic Forest Home Cemetery as we look for migrating and resident birds. We will meet at 8 AM on Saturday May 25th outside the main office (near the corner of 27th & Layton Blvd). Extra binoculars will be available so this is the perfect event to bring those new birders in your life!
Milwaukee Birders 