Optional early start: 8:00am meet at Wind Point (pin) for a look at a Purple Sandpiper. We will be at the Grant Park feeder by 9:00am
Sunday, Jan 4 9:00am: Start at Grant Park birdfeeder lot.
This will not be a focused walk. Rather, this will be let’s go find some birds we know are out there and stop to look for ducks along the way. Starting in Grant Park with the Evening Grosbeak and Oregon Junco that have been hanging out at the feeder. From there, we will check out other parts of Grant Park for a possible Screech Owl. After that we will drive north along the shore, stopping frequently to look for ducks.
This will be a lot of in car birding, though we will hike in Grant Park on the Seven Bridges Trail. Bring your yak tracks and boots!
Join us! Walks are free and open to all levels of birders
Nearly every morning, there is a
FREE Bird Walk in Milwaukee
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Milwaukee Birding News
Master Naturalist Training Registration Now Open. Dates and location of trainings: https://wimasternaturalist.org/
Birds in Art at the Yawkey Woodson Museum in Wausau closes January 4. A fabulous annual exhibit of painted, photographed, printed, sculpted, collaged, drawn, and pasteled birds. This is its 50th year! A good stop on a long holiday road trip.
Milwaukee has Redpolls and an Evening Grosbeak. The Finch Forecast team would not be surprised. Read how the Winter Finch season is playing out so far. Still waiting on a large group of Pine Siskins…
Do you use window decals to prevent bird collision? Whether you do or not, Lauren wants to hear from you:
My name is Lauren and I’m a high school student at USM. I work at Wild Birds Unlimited in Mequon. For my independent science research project at school, I’m doing a study on how certain information affects a person’s willingness to use anti bird collision window decals. For a more accurate statistical analysis, I need as many responses to my survey as possible. The survey is completely anonymous and takes about 10 minutes to fill out. Any responses would be greatly appreciated and really help my research! The link I’m giving redirects to one of two surveys, one is a control group. Here is the link: https://nimble.li/l9eg5ovm . If that link doesn’t work or show up, please click one of these two links instead: https://forms.gle/qVuRnDxW8A6wSF4r6 or https://forms.gle/Qudf9GbWP6aooFem9. Again, thank you to anyone who participates!
– Lauren Abele
Last Week
No walk last week
Upcoming Bird Talks & walks:
Have a birding event to share? email us on the Contact Page
JANUARY
Milwaukee Lakefront Birding
Sunday, Jan 11 with WSO: Wisconsin Society for Ornithology
Details and registration: https://wsobirds.org/birding-events/eventdetail/22242/-/milwaukee-lakefront-birding
Guided Bird Hike: Observing Winter Survival Strategies
Sunday, Jan 11 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Details and Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/guided-bird-hike-observing-winter-survival-strategies/
Uncovering Bird Behavior
Saturday, Jan 17 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Details and Registration: https://www.schlitzaudubon.org/event/uncovering-bird-behavior/
Bald Eagle Watching Days
Saturday-Sunday Jan 17-18 in Prairie du Sac
Road trip and check out the details: https://ferrybluffeaglecouncil.org/
NORTH TO ALASKA
Wednesday Jan. 14, 7:00pm in person @ Riveredge Nature Center and via Zoom
Karen Etter Hale, who chairs the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Partnership, spent the summer of 2025 traveling north to Alaska with her husband in their camper van. This night, she offers us a photo tour of the wildlife and majestic landscapes from Lake Mills to Anchorage and back again. Zoom info will be provided in subsequent emails.
Owling at Paradise Valley
Sunday, Jan 18
BIPOC Birding Club of Madison and Milwaukee event
Details: https://www.bipocbirdingclub.org/events/2026-owling-joint-event
How to work with eBird and Merlin by Tim Hahn
Sunday, January 18
Join the Benjamin Goss Bird Club at Retzer Nature Center. Details: https://gossbirdclub.org/events
** 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.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY PARKS : January 1-7
Alcott
Armour
Baran
Chippewa
Dineen
Honey Creek Pkwy 2, 4
Johnstone
Menomonee River Pkwy 7
Mitchell Blvd Park
Pulaski (Cudahy)
Servite
Southwood Glen Park (next to a school- if going on a school day let the office know you are there to bird)
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
JANUARY bird surveys needed at these locations- all are ebird hotspots
- Note that seniors (60+) can purchase annual park passes for only $20!
- Berg Property – free – address S102W33451 CTH LO should get you there or very close.
- Minooka Park (pass or daily fee)
- Mukwonago Park (pass or daily fee)
- Muskego Park (pass or daily fee)
- Ryan Park (pass or daily fee)
- Ashippun Lake (free)
- New Berlin Trail (free)
Milwaukee Birders 