Sunday, Oct 5 Start in Rotary Park at 8:00am
Park near the Pavillion
A walk around the ponds and to the woods. There is a connector path from the Pukaite Woods in the north end of Rotary Park through to Spirit Lake.
eBird Site: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L7933449

Spirit Lake
4513 Bonniwell Rd Mequon
Walking through this OWLT (Ozaukee Washington Land Trust ) property and around the lake, we often find herons, woodpeckers, and songbirds.
History of Spirit Lake: https://treasuresofoz.org/treasures/item/23-nature-preserves/85-spirit-lake

eBird site: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L9690923
Trails: Grass, dirt and gravel. Most are level, some small dips around the water
Restrooms: None
Park Map: https://www.restoringlands.org/_files/ugd/949e20_b194fa116f5340dbaa2814a701c1d46b.pdf

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Milwaukee Birding News

What’s Going on North of Coast Guard Impoundment? https://www.wuwm.com/milwaukee-contaminated-sediment-storage-tour

Proposed ban on balloon releases in Milwaukee. Bad for the birds, the environment, and powerline contacts mean costly WE Energies repairs. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/25/wisconsin-lawmakers-consider-limiting-banning-mylar-balloon-releases/86331148007/

Finch Irruption Report is Out. Could be a good year for Redpolls and Pine Siskins. https://finchnetwork.org/winter-finch-forecast-2025-2026

2025 Waterfowl Population Report. https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09/waterfowl-population-status-report-2025.pdf

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

Gardening for Birds with Steve Betchkal presented by Wisconsin Metro Audubon
Saturday, Oct 11 at Wehr Nature Center
Details: https://wisconsinmetroaudubonsociety.org/programs/

The Art of Birding Lynden Sculpture Garden with Chuck Stebelton
Sunday, Oct 12
A beautiful location with birds!
Details and registration: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/birding-2025

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/

Buy Tickets Now: Extreme Raptor Day at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center on Nov 8

** Follow Bird City Milwaukee on Facebook! for event announcements

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 !

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 October 1-7

• Alcott Park- last time on the list!
• Armour Park- last time!
• Barnard Park – last time! (If you go on a school day try to go before or after school dropoff. The drive gets busy. You can park in the drive, not in the school lot
• Chippewa Park- last time!
• Franklin Savanna
• Johnstone Park
• Kern Park
• Kinnickinic Parkway
• Madison Park
• Menomonee River Pkwy 2,3,8
• Milwaukee River Pkwy 1- last time!
• Mitchell Blvd Park
• Oak Creek Pkwy 3 , 4, 6, 9
• Pulaski (Cudahy)
• Rawson Park
• Riverton Meadows
• Root River Pkwy 1, 16 , 18 (no trail for 16 or 18)
• Zablocki- last time!

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

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

• And a brief tip for Mukwonago Park- last week 46 species were identified and that didn’t include the whole park (they have a lot of trails). Warblers and vireos may be found at the first picnic area as you enter the park, check the treeline and the shrubs by the picnic tables! If you don’t have a park pass, you may be able to park on Beulah Rd just west of the park, south of LO on the shoulder and walk kitty corner to the grassy field which is part of the park and trails take you to the lake area and into the rest of the park.
• WAUKESHA PARKS
• -Share your ebird list with their ebird account: WaukeshaCountyBirding
• Berg Property – free – address S102W33451 CTH LO should get you there or very close.
• Fox Brook Park (pass or daily fee)
• Menomonee Park (pass or daily fee)
• Minooka Park (pass or daily fee)
• Mukwonago Park (pass or daily permit fee required- note they have camping!)
• Muskego Park (pass or daily fee)
• New Berlin Recreation Trail – bike path from Greenfield Park to Waukesha! Free