Sunday, Sept 21 at 8:00am. Lion’s Den
511 High Bluff Drive, Grafton
Set on top of a bluff above Lake Michigan, this Ozaukee County park is an awesome stop over for migrating birds. From the bluffs, ducks can be seen in Lake Michigan. The adjoining Ulao waterfowl area has ducks and shorebirds too. Numerous wetlands, trees and shrubs attract a good variety of birds. 

Website: https://www.ozaukeecounty.gov/662/Lions-Den-Gorge-Nature-Preserve
eBird: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L303312
Trails: Crushed stone, boardwalks, and mulch. Steps to beach. Gravel trails and boardwalks accessible.
Restrooms: Available at shelter near parking lot
Park Map: https://www.ozaukeecounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11617/Lions-Den-Gorge-Nature-Preserve-Mapp

Join us! Walks are free and open to all levels of birders

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:

Fall Native Plant Sales
Saturday Sept 20 from 9-1pm Urban Ecology Center, Menomonee Valley 3700 W Pierce

Listers. Two guys, completely new to birding, take on a Big Year. Great photography, interviews, and birds. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zl-wAqplQAo?si=8ceSpg98t_6Jc2KQ

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

Second Saturdays 8:30-10:30 Havenwoods
6141 N Hopkins St, Milwaukee
Join Milwaukee Birders at Havenwoods. State park sticker NOT needed. Meet in front of the building (Restrooms available). Binoculars available to borrow. Flat trails go along gravel, wood, grass and mulched paths. Walk wind through grassland, woods, along shrubby borders and to a pond. Really nice variety of birds. https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/havenwoods

Third Saturdays, 8:00-9:15 Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
1111 E Brown Deer Rd, Bayside
Loop through woods, grasslands and around Mystery Lake for a variety of habitats. Free, registration required 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

List of Milwaukee area BIRD CLUBS !

Upcoming Area Bird Talks & walks Registration and fees:

Have a birding event to share? email us on the Contact Page

September

“Kill Your Lawn: Crime Pays but Botany Doesn’t” at Wehr Nature Center
Thursday, Sept 18 from 7:30-9:30
$20 donation requested
Joey Santore will present on lawn-killing, horticultural atrocities, and modern horticulture’s disconnection from biological and ecological reality.
FYI: this program is for adults only. Adult humor is part of Joey’s educational style, for a sample see any of his social media channels including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.  As Joey describes himself, “A Low-Brow, Crass Approach to Plant Ecology & Evolution as muttered by a Misanthropic Chicago Italian.” 
Details and Registration: HERE

Jaegerfest in Superior, Wisconsin
Friday-Sunday Sept 19-21 with Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
Free and drop-in. Three days of lots of scopes and very experienced birders at Wisconsin Point looking for migrating gulls, terns and jaegers! The area around the beach is great habitat for migrating songbirds and raptors as well.
Details HERE

Flight Day at Discovery World
Sunday, Sept 21 from 10:00-3:00pm
Flight aerodynamics, engineering, and the OG flyers – Birds with Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO)!
Details: https://discoveryworld.org/calendar-of-events/flight-day/

Urban Bird Hike Afternoon at Lakeshore State Park
Sunday, Sept 21 4:00-5:00pm
Free! All ages and abilities are welcome.
Meet at the south entrance park sign.
Details: Event details

Hitchcock’s The Birds
Friday, September 26 at 7:00pm
Free Friday Night Flicks at Lake Park Concert Stage

Understanding Threats to Birds with Dr Peter Marra
Tuesday, Sept 30 from 7:00-8:30pm at Mequon Nature Preserve
Free. Join us for a powerful and thought-provoking talk with ornithologist and author Dr. Peter Marra as he explores the major threats facing birds today including one of the most significan yet often overlooked: domestic cats. Discover the key factors behind bird population declines and, most importantly, practical steps we can each take to help safegaurd their future.
Sponsored Friends of Cedarburg Bog, Lake Michigan Bird Observatory, Mequon Nature Preserve, Noel Cutright Bird Club, and Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
Details and registration: https://ticketstripe.com/ThreatstoBirds

October

The Raptors of Wisconsin
Saturday, Oct 4-25 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Learn about the raptors from the raptor training team and see the raptors!
Details and Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/raptors-of-wisconsin/

The “Big Sit” with the Noel J Cutright Bird Club
Sunday, Oct 5 or Oct. 12 (Sunday), starting at 6:30 a.m.
At Forest Beach Migratory Preserve
4970 Country Club Rd., Port Washington

The Noel J. Cutright Bird Club, in cooperation with the Lake Michigan Bird Observatory and OWBC, will host its annual “Big Sit!” at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve, five miles north of Port Washington, on Sunday, Oct. 5. The count will begin at 6:30 a.m. on the Bill Cowart Memorial Hawk Watch Platform on the northeast corner of the preserve. Join us for a half-hour, or a half-day! And there will be donuts for the early birders. Questions: contact Carl Schwartz @ cschwartz3@wi.rr.com

“Creating a Network To Build Bird Habitat” by Joanna Demas
Wednesday, Oct 8 at 7:00pm Mequon Nature Preserve
In-person and virtual.
Joanna oversees the Neighborhood Habitat Improvement Project (NHIP), a key initiative focused on improving residential habitat for birds and other wildlife in the Lake Michigan Basin, enhancing suburban stream water quality, and advancing scientific understanding of urbanization’s impact on birds. The program also seeks to build a network of engaged and knowledgeable community scientists. Join us to discover how you can get involved in NHIP and how the Observatory’s new partnership with Bird City Wisconsin will amplify its conservation impact.
Details and Registration: https://ticketstripe.com/Creatinganetworktobuildbirdhabitat

Birding the Baraboo Hills
Tuesday, Oct 14 at Urban Ecology Center
Details and Registration: https://www.urbanecologycenter.org/calendar/event?id=3079

Adult Owl Prowl
Tuesday, Oct 14 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Details and Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/adult-owl-prowl-4/

Creating a Backyard Bird Habitat
Wednesday, Oct 15 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Details and Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/creating-a-backyard-bird-habitat-understanding-optics/

** 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 priority park, go bird, eBird it and note time spent there.

For September 14-21

• Caesar Park (last time for 2025)
• Currie Park
• Franklin Savanna
• Kinnickinic Parkway
• Madison Park
• Menomonee River Pkwy 5
• Oak Creek Pkwy 6, 9
• Rawson Park
• Root River Pkwy 1, 17 (last time for 17)

Based on the needs spreadsheet from MKE Parks, 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

Wisconsin Metro Audubon is also birding for Waukesha Parks…

Bird where you can and share your ebird list with their ebird account: WaukeshaCountyBirding

SEPTEMBER bird surveys needed at these locations- all are ebird hotspots

• Berg Property – free – address S102W33451 CTH LO should get you there or very close.
• Menomonee Park (pass or daily fee)
• Monches County Park (pass or daily fee)
• Naga-Waukee Park (pass or daily permit fee required)
• New Berlin Recreation Trail – bike path from Greenfield Park to Waukesha! Free
• Mukwonago Park (pass or daily permit fee required- note they have camping!)
• Muskego Park (pass or daily permit- note they have camping!)
• Ryan Park