Sunday July 14 Mequon Nature Preserve at 9:00am
Use your own judgement as to whether to come or not. Reports of a Henslow’s Sparrow in the meadow just west of the building have some of us itching to get there. We will start at the main lot by the building.
Recent eBird: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L345757
With the RNC, Harley Fest and the Air & Water show happening at the Lake front the next three weekends we are going to stay a little farther out.
Before all that remember the Villa Terrace Drone Show is tonight at 9pm view from the Lakefront. Before that check out tonight’s Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition meeting “Three Billion Birds Lost” by Dr Jackie Augustine and what to do about it (see below)
Follow-Up Items:
Flamingo Day Drive is the new honorary name of South Beach Road in Port Washington. I wonder why?
Plenty of openings on Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin Field Trips: https://www.wisconservation.org/field-trips/
For additional SE Wisconsin Bird Walks – scroll all the way down!
Last Week:
We enjoyed a beautiful sunny start to the walk at Gordon Park. A mulberry tree on the east side of the field attracted Cardinals and Orioles. A walk south along the paved trail and then through the woods led us to great plants and birds. We turned around at the Caesar Bridge after a great demonstration of Mipha, the Belgian Malinois, and Nick.
I can tell we are deep in summer when a list with Blue Gray Gnatcatchers, Baltimore Orioles, Gray Catbirds, Common Yellowthroats and swallows doesn’t seem new anymore, while not new, but still a birding delight. Pictures below of
eBird list: Menomonee River #7 and Gordon Park
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. Follow Wisconsin Metro Audubon on Facebook for their weekly park posts. Click on the triangle to see this week’s list.
Milwaukee Parks that need birding this week
- Back Bay Park
- Cudahy Park
- Cupertino Park
- Holt Park (enter from the east side, around 103rd)
- Juneau Park south (roughly divide the park in half)
- Kern Park
- Little Menomonee River Parkway #4 and 5-Ebird hotspots are called little Menomonee River pkwy N of Good Hope, west of Hwy 145. (4) and S of Mill Rd, N of Appleton (5)
- Lyons Park
- Maitland Park
- Oak Creek Pkwy #6, 10, 11, 12 (north and south- note that 12 does not have any trails so it’s off-roading a bit)
- Root River Parkway 1, 5, and these last 2 have no trails- 14 (called Root River woods in ebird), 18
- Sheridan Drive
- Uihlein Park
- Underwood Creek Pkwy #3
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
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/
Check out Chirp Chat episodes all about birding Milwaukee
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 second Wednesdays at Riveredge Nature Center, Lac Lawrann in West Bend, Mequon Nature Preserve or 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
Walks listed are FREE unless noted. Please register if requested
UWM Field Station at Cedarburg Bog . Click on class link for more information and to register:
- 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
JULY
Three Billion Birds Lost – And What to do About it
Wednesday, July 10 7:00pm at Mequon Nature Preserve
“Why American Bird Species are in Such Decline & What Needs to be Done” by Dr. Jackie Augustine, Audubon of Kansas executive director Hybrid live and Zoom program. Register for in-person and Zoom https://mequonnaturepreserve.org/get-involved/events
Behaviors of Birds
Sunday July 14 9:00-11:00am Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
$23-30
Go beyond simple bird identification and discover the unique avian behaviors and adaptations of birds found at Schlitz Audubon. Through a introductory presentation and guided hike, participants will learn how birds survive and thrive in our habitats through competition, reproduction, and parental care. More HERE
Butterfly Walk with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Sunday July 14, 10:00am-Noon at Wehr Nature Center
Join WI Master Naturalist Instructor and former Wehr Nature Center naturalist Pat Fojut on the trail of Butterflies and Dragonflies as we walk the prairie trails at Wehr Nature Center looking for insect activity in July. If you can’t make July 7, we will meet again on July 14. We will post results to wisconsinbutterflies.org. Come join us after Wehr Birders Or come for the butterflies at Wehr Nature Center. Meet at 10 am in front of the building. Parking for Friends of Wehr is free, $5 for anyone else
Bird Watching Walk
Saturday July 20 9:30-10:30 at Lakeshore State Park
Lakeshore State Park is home to over 70 species of native and migratory birds! Join us for a morning stroll to learn the basics of bird watching and see some of our feathered friends. Each bird hike is unique as migration causes our residents to change throughout the year. All ages and abilities are welcome, meet at the park’s north entrance near Discovery World. Binoculars recommended but not necessary.
Milwaukee Birders 