Last Week

Last week was awesome. It started cold with clear, blue skies. A few of us met at Wind Point (click on locations for eBird list) at 8:00am to search for a Purple Sandpiper. We walked a bit on the rock and ice-glazed beach, soon spotting the bird at the end of the jetty on an icy rock. Andy of Signs of Life in Estabrook Park captured some good pics of the little visitor.
It was a short drive north up the shore to the Grant Park feeders to wait for an Evening Grosbeak and Oregon variety Dark-eyed Junco that have been hanging out. We had a great turnout of 24 birders in the lot, though no grosbeak. It may have been us or the two perched Cooper’s Hawks that kept them away. After a while, we decided we weren’t going to outwait the Coops and headed to Seven Bridges to look for a Screech Owl. No luck. But by using phone-a-friend, John located a beautiful red morph in the woods south of the Will-o-way lot.
Although it was clear and sunny, it was also cold and the trails icy. The number of birders was decreasing. We headed to the Texas Ave Overlook for a peek at some ducks. Another fun stop with a Mute Swan, plus Greater Scaup, Canada Geese, Buffleheads, Common Mergansers, Red-breasted Mergansers and more. Our final stop was the Coast Guard/Ferry Terminal. here we found a pair of Longtail Ducks, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, a Common Goldeneye, a couple of Greater Scaup. Thanks to all who came out! And thanks to John for getting us down to Wind Point and keeping six detailed eBird lists.

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

JANUARY

Nocturnal Neighbors: An Owl Outing with UEC
Friday, Jan 9
Details and registration: https://30781a.blackbaudhosting.com/30781a/Nocturnal-Neighbors-An-Owl-Outing-with-the-UEC

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