Dec 15, 2024 8:00am Meet at the west end of Chapel Drive near Camelot Park(Pin) at the blue arrow. We will bird rain or shine. Use your own judgement when deciding to join.
We will be doing a route for the Christmas Bird Count in the southern Milwaukee circle. Depending on how many birders we have we may split up for Camelot Park and Oak Creek #6.
The Oak Creek #6 paved trail is two miles round trip from Pennsylvania Ave going through a wooded area and along a quarry. Camelot Park has a large open area with playing fields and grass walking trails. It is bordered by woods and a train track. eBird
We will drive to the next location at Oak Creek Parkway Pond and then on to Oak Creek Parkway Trail. The pond is primarily car or near-car birding. The Oak Creek Parkway Trail is a dirt path running along the creek – there is a bit of a slope up and down from the creek. Pond eBird and Trail eBird
Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is one of the longest-running citizen science efforts in the United States. It began as a replacement for Christmas bird hunt competitions. Instead of bagging birds, birders tally everything seen and heard within an assigned area. One hundred years of December data has been used to study bird population decline and species shifts. Be a part of a fun and significant bird count event!
Subscribe! Each week you’ll receive an email with where we’ll be birding next.
Milwaukee Birding News:
Friday Bird Walk ** Join John this Friday, Dec 13, on a bird walk through Warnimont Park. Meet at 8:30 am at the Kelly Senior Center at 6100 S Lake Dr Cudahy.
Wondering about plans for Veteran’s Park Lagoon? Get the scoop in this WUWM story by Susan Bence
2025 Wisconsin State Parks Stickers. Now on sale, buy HERE. Also available at DNR Regional Service Center on 1027 W St Paul Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53233 open weekdays from 8:30am-4:00pm
2025 Bird Calendars. Looking for a calendar for 2025? Consider one featuring Wisconsin birds:
Aldo Leopold Wisconsin Phenology Calendar
Lake Michigan Bird Observatory Calendar
Nicole Seward Nature Photography – needs to be pre-ordered now
Schlitz Audubon Raptor Calendar
Have a 2025 nature or bird calendar to add to this list? Put it in the comments
Christmas Bird Count routes are being assigned:
Saturday, Dec 14
Northern Milwaukee County, reach out to Norma, robnz54@gmail.com, for a route
County Grounds in Wauwatosa. The 4th Annual Milwaukee County Grounds Christmas Bird Count is on Saturday, December 14th, 2024. Pre-dawn shift listening for owls from 6:00-8:00am and then a 9:00-11:00am walking count. Details and registration link: https://tosahistory13.wixsite.com/tosa/signup
Urban Ecology Center – all sites. Details and registration HERE
BIPOC Milwaukee CBC with Nearby Nature at Hopkin’s Hollow 9:00-11:00 am Birders of all abilities welcome. Binoculars available to borrow. Details HERE
Sunday, Dec 15
Southern Milwaukee County, contact Carol Howard, carol.howard@milwaukeecountywi.gov, for a route on Sunday, Dec 15
For additional SE Wisconsin Bird Walks – scroll all the way down!
Last Week:
We almost didn’t see the Western Meadowlark. After a thorough viewing of the lake and the lagoon from every possible angle, we were doing the eBird list when Jeff said “Somebody saw it. Here. A few minutes ago.” We walked back over to the path between the grass and rocks, stopping at the picnic table. We waited. And watched. Got excited by an American Tree Sparrow flying out of the grass. Finally, up it flew. Landing on a rock, turning all the way around. Beautiful yellow malar stripe and breast with a black V. We enjoyed it for several minutes before it flew south to the next patch of long grass.
Before that our highlights had been the variety of ducks in the lagoon. Floating and diving were Buffleheads, Common Goldeneyes, Redheads. Mallards, Canada Geese, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls and a Gadwall. We really love Lakeshore State Park for it’s variety of birds in all seasons. Next year this park will be a monthly stop for us. See all of Andy’s pictures from the day at Signs of Life at Estabrook Park
Pic: Andrew Dressel
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 (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.
Milwaukee Parks that need birding this week (Click on the triangle if you don’t see this week’s list)
- Alcott
- Armour
- Back Bay
- Barnard
- Bender (Fitzsimmons Rd)
- Chippewa
- Dineen
- Johnstone
- Juneau (North- roughly divide Juneau in half and add North in the checklist comments)
- Kosciuszko
- Menomonee River Pkwy 7,8
- Mitchell Blvd Park
- Pulaski (Cudahy)
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 FREE Bird Walks:
Sundays 8:30am Milwaukee Birders
Location varies – see this week’s location above.
Free walks – open to all levels of birders
Sundays 9:00am (Note winter time)
Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Bird Walk (WMAS)
Wehr Nature Center 9701 W College Ave. Mix of mulched, wooded, grass and boardwalk paths
NEW** Mondays 8:00am Estabrook Park
4600 Estabrook Parkway
With Andy of Signs of Life in Estabrook Park, meet in the north parking lot. Mulched and dirt paths, stairs to river path
Tuesdays 8:00am Menomonee Valley
Urban Ecology Center (UEC),
3700 W Pierce St
Mostly paved trails
Wednesdays 8:00am Washington Park
Urban Ecology Center (UEC)
4023 W Galena St
Mostly grass and paved paths
Thursdays 8:00am Riverside Park
Urban Ecology Center (UEC)
1500 E Park Place
Mulched and dirt paths. Stairs to river
NEW** Second and fourth Fridays 8:30am for December 13 and 27 at Kelly Senior Center in Warnimont Park
6100 S Lake Dr, Cudahy
A mix of paved and grassy trails. Mostly flat.
**Except for December: It will be first Saturday, Dec 7**
Second Saturdays 11:00 am Lake Park Duck Watch
Meet on the east side of Lincoln Memorial Drive between Bradford Beach and Linwood Water Treatment Plant
Third Saturdays 8:00am Schlitz Audubon Nature Center 1111 E Brown Deer Rd, Registration requested https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/calendar/
Check out Chirp Chat episodes by Xcaret Nuñez. It’s all about birding Milwaukee area on WUWM 89.7 last Wednesday of the month
See a list of nearby bird clubs
Upcoming Area Bird Talks & walks:
Have a birding event to share? Let me know, email us on the Contact Page
Walks listed are FREE unless noted. Please register if requested
December
Waterbirds of the Cedarburg Bog with John O’Donnell
Thursday, December 12, 1:00-2:00
Riveredge Nature Center
The Cedarburg Bog Important Bird Area (IBA) is a mosaic of dry and wet habitats. In this presentation, the primary focus will be on resident and migratory bird species using the wet habitats of the bog, e.g., cedar swamp, hardwood swamp, conifer bog, string bog, sedge meadow, willow/alder/dogwood swamp, and six glacial relict lakes surrounded by emergent vegetation. Much of the Bog has boreal features that attract species not typically breeding anywhere else in southern Wisconsin. Special attention will be given to these species as well as to recent arrival species looking for a new home.
Part of the FREE Science Thursday Lecture series. Please register HERE
Owl Prowl for Adults
Friday, December 13, 7:00-9:00 pm $7-12
Wehr Nature Center
Join a naturalist for an evening out with the owls. An interactive program will highlight the habits and adaptations of our nocturnal neighbors. Then we will walk the trails listening and looking for great-horned and Eastern screech owls.
Fee: $12 per person; $10 for Milwaukee County residents; $7 for Friends of Wehr (FOW) members; $5 parking fee applies for non-FOW members.
Online registration is required two days prior to the program. https://www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/owl-prowl-for-adults-wehr/
january
Ozaukee-Washington Bird Coalition: New Year’s Field Trip & Lunch
Sunday, January 1, 7:30am-1:30pm
Start at Coal Dock Park
The Noel J. Cutright Bird Club is inviting all members of Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition organizations to participate in their annual “Every Bird Is a New Bird” Field Trip to launch your 2025 list! We will begin at 7:30 a.m. at Coal Dock Park in Port Washington and end at noon with lunch (sub sandwiches, chips, cookies and beverages) in the Riveredge Nature Center barn. RSVP by Dec 28. Details HERE
Owl Prowl for Adults at Grant Park
Friday, January 3, 7:00-9:00pm, $7.00-12.00
Grant Park Clubhouse 100 Hawthorne Ave with Wehr Nature Center
Join a naturalist for an evening out with the owls. An interactive program will highlight the habits and adaptations of our nocturnal neighbors. Then we will walk the trails listening and looking for great-horned and eastern screech owls. Registration HERE
Owl Prowl for Families at Wehr Nature Center
Saturday, January 4, 5:30-7:30pm, $7.00-12.00
Wehr Nature Center 9701 W. College Ave, Franklin
Join a naturalist for an evening out with the owls. An interactive program will highlight the habits and adaptations of our nocturnal neighbors. Then we will walk the trails listening and looking for great-horned and eastern screech owls. Registration https://www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/owl-prowl-for-families/
Ozaukee-Washington Bird Coalition: Year-Round Movements of Rough-legged Hawks
Wednesday, January 8, 7:00-9:00pm
Virtual
The OWBC is partnering with the Southern WI Bird Alliance to offer this program. From 2021-2022, nine GPS transmitters were attached to wintering Rough-legged Hawks in Wisconsin. Many of these transmitters are still functioning and have provided multiple years of full annual cycle movements. Details HERE
Identifying Winter Ducks
Saturday, January 12, 9:00-10:30am, $17-23.00
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
During winter, Lake Michigan’s shorelines are abundant with waterfowl of all shapes and sizes. Many of these are ducks from far north in Canada who descend deep into the “south” to spend winter here. In this program, you will learn which ducks are here, plus other visiting birds, and understand their unique attributes for winter survival. Details and registration HERE
Wisconsin Academy: Birds and Beyond: Birds and Climate Science
Sunday, January 26 1:00-3:00pm Free
Beaver Creek Reserve near Eau Claire
Join Davin Lopez, an endangered species biologist with the Department of Natural Resources since 2005, to learn what birds can teach us about the impacts of climate change. Davin will discuss overall climate change trends in Wisconsin, along with how these trends are impacting birds, ecosystems, and people. In-person and virtual options, Details and Registration HERE
Milwaukee Birders 