Sunday, Apr 20 No Walk
Next week Apr 27: Lion’s Den Gorge in Grafton 7:00am
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Milwaukee Birding News:
Earth Day is April 22. Clean up for people and birds! Know of local clean-ups? Leave details in the comments
Birds and people need clean waterways. We can all help by joining Milwaukee Riverkeeper Annual Spring Clean-Up Day April 26. There are many sites around the city.
Registration closes Friday, April 18. Sign-up today! https://milwaukeeriverkeeper.org/event/spring-cleanup/
Help a baby bird, grow a caterpillar. Butterflies and moths need native plants for egg laying. There is always room for more plants in our gardens. Most of the sales have pre-orders available – check links for more info.
Native Plant Sales around Milwaukee:
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District (MMSD) – SOLD OUT follow link to get on mailing list for fall sale
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Sunday June 8
Urban Ecology Center, Sunday May 25
Wehr Nature Center, May 31-June 1
Wild Birds Unlimited Mequon, Saturday June 14
Green Birding Challenge May 10 at Washington Park. To get a t-shirt, register by April 20: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/greenbirdingchallenge/event/greenbirdingchallenge2025/
The Brew City Birding Festival is a month away! From May 9 to May 18 there will be many bird hikes, bird fun, and learning about improving bird habitat. Events are still being added check the listings: https://www.visitmilwaukee.org/things-to-do/nature-outdoors/bird-city/brew-city-birding-festival/
Some events require advance registration!
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 numerous sick or dead birds on their website: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/wildlifehealth
For additional SE Wisconsin Bird Walks – scroll all the way down!
Last Week:
We had classic Wisconsin spring weather for our Sunday walk at Lakeshore State Park. After a warm, sunny Saturday we had overcast skies, cool air, and a very cold wind off the lake. The sixteen of us still enjoyed the bounty of birds! On the lagoon were Greater and a few Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal, Red-breasted Mergansers, Coots, Northern Shovelers and Mallards. Stephanie spotted a Savannah Sparrow (Andy caught a pic) foraging along the recently burned prairie. There a few Golden-crowned Kinglets and Song sparrows by the north pollinator garden.
The highlight of the day for me was the abundance of Tree Swallows. They were flying at us, above us and even at knee-level. There were pairs on every box and even more flying about. John caught one in a still moment!
Thanks Katie for the awesome muffins – recipe below
Andy of Signs of Life at Estabrook Park joined us – see his pictures and trip report too
Under Control: Burning Lakeshore State Park by Eddee Daniels of A Wealth of Nature blog
WI DNR Hike at Lakeshore State Park on the controlled burn is Saturday April 19 from 9:30-10:30am. Meet at the south entrance of the park. No reservations needed
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
Second Sundays 8:00-10:00am 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.
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/
Saturdays April 19 thru May 31 8:30am, Warbler Walks at Lake Park
Meet at bird feeders south of Warming Shed/Playground PIN
Free. All birders and all levels welcome. Walking on paved trails and grassy areas. No stairs. Bathrooms available
NOTE: Lake Drive is closed from Newberry Blvd to Kenwood. Latest Details
Access to Bistro parking lot and Locust Street off Lake Park Rd come in from the south on Lake Drive at Newberry Blvd.
Access to Lake Park Rd near the playground going south on Lincoln Memorial Drive
Check out Chirp Chat episodes by Xcaret Nuñez. It’s all about birding Milwaukee area on WUWM 89.7 last Wednesday of the month
Upcoming Area Bird Talks & walks Registration and fees:
Have a birding event to share? Let me know, email us on the Contact Page
April
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/
WSO George W Mead Wildlife Area Field Trip
Saturday, April 19
Registration: https://wsobirds.org/what-we-do/field-trips/eventdetail/22218/-/george-w-mead-wildlife-area
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/
UEC’s Green Spaces, Familiar Faces at Havenwoods State Park
Saturday, April 26
Join Rita Flores-Wiskowski on a bird walk around Havenwoods
Register with UEC https://30781a.blackbaudhosting.com/30781a/Green-Spaces-with-Familiar-Faces On registration page click on “Show Individual Events” (see pic) to sign up for this walk
Greater Prairie Chickens: A Trip to see Cupid’s Dance
Wednesday, April 29-30 with Urban Ecology Center
Details and registration: https://www.urbanecologycenter.org/calendar/event?id=2666
May
Bird Walk Lion’s Den Gorge with Ozaukee-Washington Birding Coalition
Friday, May 2 7:00am-Noon
No sign-up required. Meet Carl Schwartz and Joan Sommer in the parking lot
Wisconsin Society for Ornithology Trip to White River Marsh
Saturday, May 3
Registration: https://wsobirds.org/what-we-do/field-trips/eventdetail/22219/-/white-river-marsh
Milwaukee Bird Freaks at Wehr Nature Center
Sunday, May 4 8:30-10:00am
Details https://www.facebook.com/events/2461118480902188
Brew City Birding Festival – So many events
Check out festival website for all the offerings
Art of Birding with Chuck Stebelton
Sunday May 11 at Lynden Sculpture Garden
Register here: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/2025-05-11?mini=calendar%2F2025-05
WSO 83rd Birding Convention in La Crosse-Onalaska
May 15-18
Bird the Mississippi flyway during peak migration! Details and registration: https://wsobirds.org/what-we-do/annual-convention?id=1968
** 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.
- April 15-21st- bird some of our local parks and see if you can add a new species to their lists!
- Baran Park
- Barnard Park
- Franklin Savanna (may be wet; check for ticks)
- Kinnickinick Parkway (between 43rd and 60th – hotspot in eBird)
- Madison Park
- Menomonee River Parkway #5 (between Hampton and Capitol) and # 8 (North Ave to Harmonee)
- Mitchell Blvd Park
- Oak Creek Parkway #6, 9
- Pulaski- both Milwaukee and Cudahy
- Rawson Park
- Root River Parkway #1, 17 (no trails on 17)
- Southwood Glen- of you go on a school day, stop at the office to let them know. Even if you are not going around the school, they like to know in case someone reports people in the wooded area next door. They are very excited about us birding there.
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 