Saturday evening, Mar 29, 6:00 PM Harrington Beach State Park
Meet at the Ansay Welcome Center near the beach, parking lot A on map below. We will walk the trails and along the water. In the past, we have had kinglets on the beach. The American Woodcock show will start around 7:15pm. We will move up to Puckett’s Pond (spot B on map) and the campground area to observe their fabulous sky dance.
Get your State Park Pass: DNR Milwaukee Service Center Office, 1027 West ST. Paul Ave or Online
Weather Warning: There is a chance of rain Saturday night. We will post here if we won’t be going. Use you best judgement in deciding whether to come
eBird: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L157680
Dirt, grass and rock trails through beach, woods and fields
Restrooms available – vault toilets
All birding levels welcome!
American Woodcocks peenting and strutting are a sure sign of spring. If you can’t make our trip try one of these:
Mequon Nature Preserve on April 16, Registration
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center on April 9, Registration
Wehr Nature Center on March 29, Registration by Thursday Mar 27
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Milwaukee Birding News:
Ever wanted a good look into the wetland near the Coast Guard Station? Tuesday, April 22 is your time to tell somebody! Zoom registration HERE
From website:
“The Center for Water Policy is hosting an Earth Day webinar featuring James Wasley, Professor at UW-Milwaukee and 2024-2025 Water Policy Scholar. He will present his research on the possible future uses of the Dredged Material Disposal Facility at the Port of Milwaukee. This facility is part of a broader network of dredge-spoil sites across the Great Lakes. He will also discuss these newly created lakefront lands in a basin-wide context and include examples of closure and conversion to future public uses in other parts of the Great Lakes.”
Get your Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation Field Trip book yet?
WI NRF hosts over 100 fabulous field trips around the state focusing on butterflies or geology or plants or BIRDS. Registration fees go right back into conservation efforts around the state. Learn more, have fun and do good for Wisconsin. Join today – field trips registration opens
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:
A 30 species day! Spring is coming. The walk around Bender Park was a good one.
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
Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society Bird Walk (WMAS)
Wehr Nature Center 9701 W College Ave. Mix of mulched, wooded, grass and boardwalk paths. Follow WMAS on Facebook for additional walk announcements
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. Portapotty
Tuesdays 8:00am Menomonee Valley
Urban Ecology Center (UEC),
3700 W Pierce St
Mostly paved trails. Restrooms available
Wednesdays 8:00am Washington Park
Urban Ecology Center (UEC)
4023 W Galena St
Mostly grass and paved paths. Restrooms available
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. Restrooms available
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. Seasonal bathrooms
Spring Bird Walks Friday mornings through May
Riveredge Nature Center at 7:30am
Registration and details: https://riveredgenaturecenter.org/event/spring-bird-walk/
Second Sundays 8:30-10:00am Birding at Lakeshore State Park. Meet at the south park entrance. See Friends of LSSP for details. Walking on paved surfaces, maybe some uneven, grassy paths but can avoid those. Portapotty and Discovery World restrooms after 9:00. 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
Columbia/Dane County field trip in search of early migrants
Saturday, March 29 7:00am Ozaukee-Washington Birding Coalition
Tour ponds and flooded fields in this very productive area. A wide variety of water birds, shorebirds, migrant passerines and others are possible (i.e.: swans, Greater White-fronted & Ross’s Geese, pipits, longspurs, sparrows, etc.).Carpooling at 7 a.m. from park & ride lot at Highway 33 and I-41.
No signup required.
Trip Leader: Carl Schwartz; you can contact him at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272
Woodcocks, Wood Frogs, and Wine
Saturday, March 29 at Wehr Nature Center
Title says it all – adults only. Register by Thursday: https://www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/woodcocks-wood-frogs-and-wine/
Birding Exploration: Migration
Sunday, March 30 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Details https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/migration-birding-exploration/
April
Greater Prairie Chickens: A Trip to see Cupid’s Dance
Wednesday, April 2-3 with Urban Ecology Center
Details and registration: https://www.urbanecologycenter.org/calendar/event?id=2666
Discussion with Chirp Chat’s Xcaret Nuñez
Wednesday, April 9 at Riveredge Nature Center
Join in person or by zoom as Chirp Chat producer, Xcaret Nuñez, will share with us some of her favorite interviews with Wisconsin birders. Topics they’ve explored include why bird names matter, the Mississippi Flyway, spark birds and so much more. Details HERE
Pike Lake/ Hartford Area Field Trip (Washington County)
Saturday, April 12, 7:00am to noon Ozaukee-Washington Birding Coalition
Led by members of the Noel J. Cutright Bird Club. Caravan/carpooling after meeting up at the Jackson Park & Ride (on CR-P, just north of Hwy. 60) at 7 a.m. We usually check out Big Cedar Lake, Wildlife Drive and some flooded fields before exploring the northeast corner of Pike Lake.
No signup required.
Trip Leader: Carl Schwartz; you can contact him at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272
Birding Exploration: Spring Migration
Sunday, April 13 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Guided bird hike. Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/birding-exploration-spring-migration/
Woodcock Wander through the Mequon Nature Preserve
Wednesday, April 16 evening
Join local bird expert and Wild Birds Unlimited-Mequon owner, Dan Panetti, on a stroll in search of the American Woodcock — a secretive species most easily found when engaged in wild aerial courtship displays. Although woodcock technically are a “shorebird,’ they typically are found in woodlands, forest openings, and ephemeral ponds. The diverse habitats of the Mequon Nature Preserve make this an ideal location for observing them. This program has room for 30 participants. Registration: https://ticketstripe.com/woodcockwander2025
The Nature Conservancy Supporting Nature in Milwaukee
Wednesday, April 16 by Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Join WMAS 7:00pm at Wehr Nature Center
Smith will share with WMAS the early directions of TNC’s Milwaukee Program, which include supporting neighborhood-based efforts to replenish Milwaukee’s tree canopy, accelerating natural and engineered stormwater management solutions for water quality and flood resilience, and naturalizing Milwaukee’s under-used land parcels.
Birding Beyond the Bird Feeder: Bird ID
Saturday, April 19 at Wehr Nature Center
The migrants are coming! Learn basic bird identification using behavior, field marks, shape, and more, then test your new skills on a hike. Details and registration: https://www.wehrnaturecenter.com/event/birding-beyond-the-feeder-bird-id/
Audubon Bird Hike: Early Spring Migrants
Saturday, April 19 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Guided bird walk. Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/audubon-bird-hike-early-spring-migrants/
Lion’s Den Gorge Field Trip: Spring Birding on the Bluff
April 23 with Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Field trip with Schlitz educators. Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/lions-den-gorge-spring-birding-on-the-bluff/
** 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 22-31
- All caught up for a minute
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
Milwaukee Birders 