Sunday, Feb 9, 8:30-10:00am
Lakeshore State Park
Meet at the south entrance (red arrow), parking on the highlighted road near the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse. In 2025, we will be birding Lakeshore State Park on the second Sunday of every month. Ducks will be in Lake Michigan, and the pier area has open water for ducks as well. There are still a few hardy birds in the grasslands, along the rocks and shrubs, that we hope to see.

Trails: Walking on paved surfaces, maybe some uneven, grassy paths but can avoid those.
Facilities: Porta-potties and restrooms at Discovery World after 9:00am
Will be cold and possibly icy. Dress appropriately and use your best judgment on attending.
eBird: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L386716

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Milwaukee Birding News:

The Second February Bird Trivia
Thursday, Feb 20 from 5:30-8:30pm, Trivia starts at 6
Wantable Cafe 123 E Walker St
Come and socialize – put a face to all those eBird lists! Come with a team of up to 6 people. Or join a team that night.
Start studying: Which bird migrates farther: Blackpoll or Black-throated Blue?

** Trivia and socializing free ** Drinks for purchase **

Registration on Eventbrite appreciated for set-up but not required

Tickets on sale now

From the program notes:
The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters invites you to an inspiring evening with Christian Cooper, celebrated naturalist, Emmy-winning host of “Extraordinary Birder” and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir “Better Living Through Birding.” Cooper will share insights from his forthcoming book for young naturalists, “The Urban Owls: How Flaco and Friends Made the City Their Home,” which explores the fascinating lives of urban-dwelling owls.  

This event will explore how birds create connections—between people, communities and the natural world. Cooper will share his personal journey, his passion for birding, and reflections on the transformative power of nature in fostering inclusivity and understanding. Following his talk, Cooper will join Angela Russell, the Black Oxygen podcast and Chief Diversity Officer at TruStage, for an engaging conversation and audience Q&A. The evening will be emceed by Wisconsin Academy Executive Director Erika Monroe-Kane.

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

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Last Week:

Sunday’s bird walk at Mequon Nature Preserve had the usuals and a couple surprises. A light snow covered the trails and frosted the seedheads. Our first surprise was an American Kestrel at the top of a tree in the Johnson’s Woods on the southeast part of the property. After passing the tower, we had our second surprise: practicing dog sledders. They were fun to watch race by. We had a second Kestrel sighting as it floated into a nearby tree while walking east to Paul’s Pond. On our return to the parking lot, we heard and then saw seven American Tree Sparrows. Full list: https://ebird.org/checklist/S211683717

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.

• AC Hanson Park
• Armour Park
• Barnard Park
• Chippewa Park
• Dineen Park
• Gordon Park
• Johnstone Park
• Menomonee River Pkwy 1 (this is called Harbinger Woods in eBird. Parking may need to be at or near one of the businesses at the west side, we will do some scouting as this is a new location for our list)
• Milwaukee River Pkwy 1
• Zablocki Park
• Record your surveys in eBird and note the time spent in comments!
  
  The above parks are the priorities, but if you are still itching to get outside, here are a few more that could use surveys:
• Alcott
• Menomonee River Pkwy 7
• Root River 18 (no trail, walking edge of farm field)
• Servite Park
• Southwood Glen Park (if you go on a school day and will be near the school itself, please check in at the office)

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 which can be muddy.
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 path which can be muddy

NEW** Second and fourth Fridays 8:30am for February 14 and 28 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 that go through woods, fields and along the bluff for lake views. 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

Second Sundays 8:30-10:00am Birding at Lakeshore State Park. Meet at the south park entrance. Walking on paved surfaces, maybe some uneven, grassy paths but can avoid those. All ages and abilities welcome.

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

February

Duck Watch at Winter Break Milwaukee
Saturday, February 8 12:00-2:00pm
Bradford Beach south end
A drop-in duck watch will be one of the many outdoor activities offered at Winter Break MKE. Come for a minute or few, learn to use a scope and check out the ducks that spend winter on balmy Lake Michigan. More on Winter Break MKE

Women and Girls in Science-Milwaukee
Sunday, February 9
Kosciuszko Community Center
Birding is Citizen Science! This is a family event about female STEAM pioneers and their contributions to our world! Advance registration required. Details HERE

Learn About the eBird Review Process with Tim Hahn
Schlitz Audubon Bird Club
Wednesday, February 12 Free
For this month’s Audubon Bird Club, we’ll have Tim Hahn presenting about the review process used in eBird. It will be an interesting talk to see what happens after the data gets submitted. Here is the link for more information and to register.

Ozaukee-Washington Bird Coalition: The Cedarburg Bog – Formation, Hydrology, Ecology, and Uniqueness
Wednesday, February 12 7:00-9:00pm
Virtual presentation
Presented by Jim Reinartz, president of the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog and former UWM Field Station director. Glaciation of the Cedarburg Bog and UWM Field Station area created pronounced topographic relief in the Bog’s basin and adjacent uplands comparable to that in the Kettle Moraine. The large size and slope of the wetland that developed in the low-lying basin results in a complex pattern of water movement responsible for a mosaic of nearly every major wetland plant community found in Wisconsin.  Details HERE
To join meeting via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89696644280?pwd=JFqzsrLtQgT5yORF8BhJZY60mUrA2y.1
Meeting ID: 896 9664 4280
Passcode: 268894

Bird Walk with Winter Break Milwaukee
Saturday, February 15 1:00-2:00pm
Havenwoods State Park
Take a bird walk at Havenwoods and learn some of our winter birds, Beginner- and family-friendly, free. More at Winter Break MKE

Riveredge Bird Club Field Trip
Saturday, February 15 7:00am Coal Dock Park Port Washington
A lake front field trip starting at Coal Dock Park for gulls, ducks, and more!
Details: https://riveredgenaturecenter.org/event/bird-club-field-trip-in-ozaukee-sheboygan-washington-counties/

Waukesha County – Excellent Nearby Birding, a talk by Tim Hahn
Wednesday, Feb 19 at Wehr Nature Center with WMAS
Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (WMAS) meets the third Wednesday evening of the month. Consider going and joining the bird club, Details HERE

** Follow Bird City Milwaukee on Facebook!