Sunday April 6: Kletzsch Park

Sunday, Apr 6, 8:00am Kletzsch Park
Meet at circle drive parking at 6560 N Milwaukee River Parkway, Glendale
In the wooded areas we have had woodpeckers and owls. Along the river we have a chance of seeing ducks and definitely Canada Geese.
eBird: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L276635

Dirt, grass, and rock trails through woods and along the Milwaukee River

All birding levels welcome!

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Milwaukee Birding News:

Getting excited about warblers? Check out this cool graphic from the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum in St Paul

Looking for some inside birding on a cold April day? Check out these Milwaukee nest cams on the VISIT Milwaukee Bird City page

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 braved the beach at Harrington State Park. It was cold and windy. Too much so for the kinglets we have seen in past years. Though at the south end of the beach there were four Eastern Bluebirds and two Phoebes! We made our way back to the parking lot on the trail through the woods as the rain started to come down harder. We drove up to Puckett Pond’s parking area.
We huddled under the shelter and waited. The peents started and then flights around 7:20pm. The rain kept us from staying too long. It was worth the cold, rain and wind!

eBird: Beach and Trail: https://ebird.org/checklist/S221693881 Puckett’s Pond: https://ebird.org/checklist/S221694245

Ongoing FREE Bird Walks:

Sundays 8:00am 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 Registration and fees:

Have a birding event to share? Let me know, email us on the Contact Page

April

Greater Prairie Chickens: A Trip to see Cupid’s Dance
Wednesday, ~~April 2-3~~ with Urban Ecology Center
RESCHEDULED for Apr 29-30
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 April 1-7
Baran Park
Barnard Park (note- no parking on school days so park along the entry road, easiest to do when the school buses aren’t entering!)
Franklin Savanna
Menomonee River Parkway #5- between Hampton and Capitol
Oak Creek Parkway #6, 9
Rawson Park
Root River Parkway #1, 17

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