SATURDAY, Jan 18, 2025: Killsnake State Wildlife Area
3:30pm – 5:30pm
Chilton, WI Meet along Lemke Road
(No planned Sunday morning outing – join WMAS at Wehr!)
Be mindful that Lemke is a through road – pull over and exit vehicle with caution
Sunset is at 4:30ish. We’ll have some daylight and dusk time for birding. From the DNR website: “The property is approximately 7,000 acres and consists of a variety of open prairie grasslands, both upland and a large wetland-grassland complex, bottomland hardwood forest, a small area of cedar swamp, tamarack and bog, areas of upland forest with new areas of northern hardwood forest being planted and planned.”

Likely birds are Rough-legged Hawks, Harrier, and Short-eared Owls.

There is no hiking on this trip. We will be car birding and standing along a road. Will be cold and possibly icy. Dress appropriately and use your best judgement on attending.
Recent eBird: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L685348

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Milwaukee Birding News:

Too cold for a bird walk? Most of our nature centers have bird feeders outside their buildings. For the price of admission or parking, one can bird while sipping coffee in a warm building.

The Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program is looking for citizen support. The Stewardship Program that has protected Lion’s Den Gorge and given funds to the Oak Leaf and Hank Aaron State Trails among other properties in the state has more to do. Learn more about the program and send a virtual postcard to Wisconsin lawmakers expressing your gratitude and support for Knowles-Nelson.

For additional SE Wisconsin Bird Walks – scroll all the way down!

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Last Week:

Our first monthly walk at Lakeshore State Park was Scaup-tacular! On the lake were a thousand Greater Scaup, many Red-breasted Mergansers, several Common Goldeneye, and one Bufflehead. In the lagoon were more Mallards, Mergansers, and a few funny Coots who took a shortcut across the ice.

eBird List: https://ebird.org/checklist/S208132593

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 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.
Pick a park, bird, eBird it and note time spent there.

• Dretzka Park
• Honey Creek Pkwy 2,3,5
• Madison Park
• McCarty Park
• Milwaukee River Pkwy 1
• Pulaski Park (Milwaukee)
• Root River Pkwy 4,8,13,14, 18 (some don’t have roads/trails and 14 is ebird hotspot Root River Woods)
• Saint Martins Park

Based on the spreadsheet MKE Parks 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.

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

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
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 January 10 and 24 at Kelly Senior Center in Warnimont Park,
6100 S Lake Dr, Cudahy
Meet-up by the Senior Center. A mix of paved and grassy trails. Mostly flat. Parking also available at Warnimont Dog Park immediately south of Kelly Senior Center

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

january

Forest Home Cemetery with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Saturday, Jan 18 $$
Pre-registration & advance payment required
Experience the serene beauty of winter while exploring the diverse birdlife of Forest Home Cemetery & Arboretum. Bundle up and join Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society bird guides for a leisurely 1.5- to 2-mile walk through the historic cemetery and arboretum this January. Details HERE
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1126316957339?aff=oddtdtcreator

Walk and Bird Little Menomonee Parkway with WMAS
Saturday, Jan 25
Milwaukee Park’s Brian Russart will lead a hike through the parkway and discuss the revitalization efforts by Milwaukee County Parks. Time and location details HERE

Feather Friends Hike
Sunday, January 26
Hartland Marsh
Celebrate National Environmental Education Day with a Feathered Friends Hike!
Join the owners of Wild Birds Unlimited-Brookfield and Wild Birds Unlimited-Delafield with the Waukesha County Land Conservancy for a special guided hike to celebrate the Feathered Fundraiser! Throughout the month of January, a percentage of the proceeds from the Wild Birds Unlimited stores will be donated to support the protection and care of vital bird habitats, ensuring a brighter future for our feathered friends.
Details: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CpGNitYAE/

Wisconsin Academy: Birds and Beyond: Birds and Climate Science
Sunday, January 26 Free
Beaver Creek Reserve near Eau Claire, Pre-registration required
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

February

Get Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count
Thursday, Feb 6 Free
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
A virtual program of the images and sounds of local birds to help you identify some expected species in our area and discuss techniques to encourage birds to visit our backyard.
Details: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/get-ready-for-the-great-backyard-bird-count-2/

Riveredge Bird Club Field Trip
Saturday, February 15
A lake front field trip for gulls, ducks, and more!
Details: https://riveredgenaturecenter.org/event/bird-club-field-trip-in-ozaukee-sheboygan-washington-counties/

** Follow Bird City Milwaukee on Facebook!