Mar 16: Blue Hole and West side of Milwaukee River

Sunday, Mar 16, 8:30am Blue Hole area of Milwaukee River
Meet at the very north end of the UWM Park and Ride on north side of Capital at Humboldt We will walk along the west side of the Milwaukee River across from Estabrook. Eddee Daniel has a great photo essay on the Blue Hole on his A Wealth of Nature blog
The weather is looking iffy for Sunday-use your best judgement on attending

Dirt and rock trails. Short, steep embankment down to the trail
No facilities

Seasonal bird walks and field trips are picking up Scroll down to see March birding opportunities. Have one you want shared? Send me an email, donnaozomiller@gmail.com

Subscribe! Each week you’ll receive an email with where we’ll be birding next. Posts may go to your “Social” folder if using gmail.

Milwaukee Birding News:

Birds love insects that love native plants. Fortunately, fundraiser plant sales are coming. See full Wisconsin list at SOS Save Our Songbirds
Milwaukee area
Wild Ones/Johnson’s Nursery collaborative native plant sale in June at the nursery, W180N6275 Marcy Rd, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051. All active Wild Ones members receive 40% off Wisconsin native plants in containers at Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls during June. The sale benefits three Milwaukee-area chapters of Wild Ones: Menomonee River, Milwaukee North, and Milwaukee Southwest/Wehr.
Elm Grove Beautification Committee offers four sales: spring ephemerals; shrubs; and native trees and other native plants from Johnson’s Nursery, all available for online ordering. An in-person sale for perennial native plants is set for June 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Rain Garden Plant Sale. Plants must be pre-ordered by April 3 and will be available for pick up on Saturday, June 7, 2025 at MMSD’s Headquarters.
Friends of Wehr Native Plant Fundraiser, Wehr Nature Center, May 31 and June 1, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 9701 W College Ave, Franklin. Pre-order form available and due April 23.
Urban Ecology Center Native Plant Sale, Sunday, May 25, 2025, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. location TBD.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Native Plant Sale, June 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, 1111 E. Brown Deer Road, Milwaukee. Pre-order option available.
and Lake Michigan Bird Observatory Native Tree Giveaway Day on April 26

Like promoting birding? We are looking for a list of birders to email when requests come for help leading a park/community bird walk, hosting a table about birding at community fairs or helping out at birding events. Email Donna, donnaozomiller@gmail.com or Katie, kfisher8689@gmail.com

Report dead birds to WI DNR. As we know Avian flu is spreading through duck flocks and other species. Help DNR track the virus by reporting.
From WI DNR website:

Help monitor the health of Wisconsin’s wildlife by reporting your sightings of sick or dead wildlife to the DNR. To report a sick or dead wild bird, please use this survey form: Sick or Dead Bird Reporting Form. You can also contact the Wildlife Switchboard to report a sick or dead wild mammal or wild bird by emailing DNRWildlifeSwitchboard@wisconsin.gov or calling 608-267-0866. You will need to leave a message for the switchboard staff. In your message, please include:

the number of animals

the species (such as a raccoon or Canada goose)

if they were sick or dead

the specific location where you saw them, including the county

your contact information

Observations of five or more sick or dead wild birds or three or more sick or dead wild mammals in one area are of particular interest. The DNR keeps track of all reports of sick and dead wildlife, but staff will determine on a case-by-case basis whether samples need to be collected for each event.

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

Last Week:

We had an excellent show of birders last week to walk Lakeshore State Park. It is clear the ducks are moving north. There were several Red-breasted Mergansers, a few Common Goldeneye and Greater Scaup on Lake Michigan, but the large rafts of just a month ago were no where to be found. We chased a Song Sparrow up the rocks bordering the lake. Most of the Redheads and other ducks that had been by Discovery World and in the lagoon took off as a couple boats moved through. Flyovers by Canada Geese, Great Blue Heron and American Crows with nesting materials were signs that spring is coming.

eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S217468992

Pics: Dave Wenstrup

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 8:00am (Mar 2 starts spring-summer 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

Fridays 8:30am Warnimont Park,
6100 S Lake Dr, Cudahy
Meet-up by the Kelly Senior Center parking lot. 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 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.

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

MArch

Spring Birding Workshop at Retzer Nature Center
Saturday, March 15
A day of birding, gardening for birds and bird ID tips for $20. Details HERE

Rita Flores-Wiskowski: More Birders Means More Conservation
Tuesday, March 18 sponsored by Ozaukee-Washington Birding Coalition
In-person and Zoom, details HERE

WIngs Bird Collision Monitoring Training
Tuesday, Mar 18 at Urban Ecology Center
An important Citizen Science program documenting bird-window collisions during migration
Details HERE

Birds of Spring by Chuck Hanger presented by Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Wednesday, Mar 19 at Wehr Nature Center
Time and details: https://wisconsinmetroaudubonsociety.org/programs/

Birding Exploration: Migration
Sunday, March 30 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Details https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/migration-birding-exploration/

Follow** Bird City Milwaukee on Facebook!

Milwaukee parks that need birding this week

The county needs eBird records throughout the year for every park and natural area. Every week there are priority parks needing eBird lists. 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.

We can help MKE Parks! Pick a park, go bird, eBird it and note time spent there.

FOR MARCH 9-15
Alcott Park
Armour Park
Kosciuszko Park
Mitchell Blvd Park
Pulaski (Milwaukee)
Riverton Meadows
Wyrick Park
Zablocki Park
Root River Parkway – hunger task force farm- see access info below
Hunger Task Force Farm: Ideal times to visit are weekdays when you can pull into their lot (there is a visitor building with parking and bathrooms and the gate is open when they are there, just check in with the office so someone knows you are there, if nobody is in it’s ok to walk the trails). If you think youll be going super early in the morning or on a weekend, contact Colleen at Wisconsinon Metro Audubon for instructions. Call or text 414-379-6741.
There are some developed trails through the woods behind the buildings and a mowed trail around the prairie behind the pond & orchard. Note- there are wetlands so rubber boots are recommended!

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