Last Week

Chilly April is getting old, at least the sun was out and the trails were dry! Nineteen birders joined us to search for Meadowlarks and Palm Warblers last Sunday. No luck on the Palms, but plenty of Meadowlarks were singing. Highlights: Sora, Blue-winged Teal, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Field Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, and Wood Duck. As always for this time of year Tree Swallows, Eastern Bluebirds, Red-winfed Blackbirds, and Savanah Sparrows. Check out all 34 species on eBird list. Thanks to Katie for listing and David Baxter for grabbing some bird photos!
eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S328164379

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

April

Bird Walk at Forest Exploration Center
Wednesday, April 29, 5:30pm
Led by Colleen Resendiz. Meet at the parking lot, 1800 Forest Exploration Rd. It’s off Swan Blvd where the roundabout is.

Bird Migration Talk by Andy Dressel
Wednesday, April 29, 5:30-6:30
At Shorewood Village Community Room

MAY

Spring Bird Walks at Riveredge Nature Center
Fridays May 1 – May 29
Details HERE

Birding for Spring Migration
Sunday, May 3, 8:00am at Warnimont Park
Join Ben Slowey and Sarah Long on a bird walk start at the parking lot at the dog park. Details HERE

3-DAY FIELD TRIP: Southern Kettle Moraine to Wyalusing State Park
May 6-8  (Wednesday to Friday) with Ozaukee-Washington Birding Coalition

This trip is earlier on the calendar than in past years, but eBird recorded 20 warbler species at Wyalusing State Park by this date in 2025, and seeing the birds will be easier with the trees not yet fully leafed out.

On Wednesday, we will start the day in the Southern Kettle Moraine (exact meeting spot TBD), then make our way across to Prairie du Chien, have dinner at the Black Angus and overnight. We will make stops along the way to search for birds like Lark Sparrow, Upland Sandpiper, Louisiana Waterthrush. It’s an overnight Wednesday in Prairie du Chien. Thursday will see a pre-dawn start to bird Wyalusing for such specialties as Prothonotary, Kentucky, Yellow-throated and Cerulean Warblers. Later in the day birding east to overnight Thursday in Sauk City. Options late Thursday and Friday include Spring Green Preserve, Gov. Dodge State Park, Honey Creek Preserve and hotspots in Dane and Columbia counties. 
Registration and details: Contact Gisela Zelenka-Drysdale, trip coordinator, giselazd@yahoo.com 
 You will make your own motel reservations. There are several motels on the south end of Prairie du Chien, including: AmericInn (located next to the Black Angus), Quality Inn and Microtel; in Sauk City, the Holiday Inn Express is convenient.

Webinar: Birding at Lakeshore State Park
Thursday, May 7, 7:00-8:0 pm
The Friends of Lakeshore State Park, in collaboration with Milwaukee Birders and Audubon Great Lakes, are excited to host a Zoom about birding at the Lakeshore State Park!
Stephanie Beilke, Senior Manager of Conservation Science at Audubon Great Lakes, will show why the park is important for birds and the types of birds you may expect to see at the park at different seasons. She will also provide information about our monthly bird walks at the park, and present research data on a previous study about tree swallows found at the park, as well as touching some of Audubon Great Lake’s work in Wisconsin and on Lake Michigan.

Please register for the Zoom presentation here: https://audubon.zoom.us/meeting/register/ppzNNNNTTmmIVsv4xrd0Iw

30s & Birdies
Thursday, May 7 at UEC-Riverside
Looking for young birders? Details HERE

World Migratory Bird Day Celebration at Havenwoods
Saturday, May 9 from 8:00-12:00
Bird ID talk, Bird Walks, Tree Giveaway from Lake Michigan Bird Observatory, Bird Crafts and more! Details HERE

World Migratory Bird Day Celebration at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Saturday, May 9 from 10:00-2:00
Details HERE

World Migratory Bird Day Celebration at Urban Ecology Center
Saturday, May 9
Details and registration HERE

Seminary Woods Bird Walk with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Saturday, May 9
Details HERE

RIVEREDGE BIRDATHON/BANDATHON
Saturday, May 9
Anyone can help with the count that day, but if you want to participate in our birding teams, show up by 6:30 a.m. in the main parking lot at Riveredge where we will divvy up the property and set off. Want to show up at 4 a.m. for owling and the dawn chorus? Email Carl Schwartz at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com

The Riveredge Bandathon will be led by Research Manager Jana Gedymin on that same day. If you want to participate, contact her at jgedymin@riveredge.us
Details HERE

FIELD TRIP: Lion’s Den Gorge with Cutright Bird Club
Sunday May 10, 7:00am
Led by members of the Noel J. Cutright Bird Club, this field trip concentrates on the Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve, a 73-acre public park located adjacent to Lake Michigan south of Port Washington. The address is 511 High Bluff Dr., Grafton. The preserve, to whose preservation the bird club was one of the first donors, offers a variety of habitats in a major migration corridor.
No signup required.
Trip Leaders: Joan Sommer and Carl Schwartz; you can contact Carl at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272

The Art of Birding at Lynden Sculpture Gardens with Chuck Stebelton
Sunday, May 10
Details and registration HERE

Guided Bird Hike at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Sunday, May 10
Details and registration HERE

Field Trip: Horicon Marsh with UEC
Monday, May 11
Details and registration HERE

Birding by Boat at Urban Ecology Center (UEC)
Tuesday, May 12
Details and Registration HERE

Field Adventure: Horicon Marsh with Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Wednesday, May 13
Details and registration HERE

Birds and Brews at Humboldt Park
Thursday, May 14 5:30pm
Meet at pond across from pavillion

Birding by Boat at Urban Ecology Center (UEC)
Friday, May 15
Details and Registration HERE

Planting for the Birds Seminar at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Saturday, May 16
Details and registration HERE

FIELD TRIP: Land Trust Preserves
Saturday, May 23, 6:30 a.m.
This tour to three of the amazing Restoring Lands (formerly OWLT) preserves begins at the Kurtz Woods State Natural Area off Dahlia Lane between Saukville and Grafton), then visits Bratt Woods and finishes the morning at Donges Bay Gorge Natural Area.
No signup required.
Trip Leader: Carl Schwartz; you can contact him at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com or 414-416-3272

Birds and Brews at Whitnall Park
Thursday, May 21 5:30pm
Exact location TBD. Want to bird Root River #7

Birding at Forest Home Cemetery with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Saturday, May 23
Details HERE

An Introduction to the Birds of Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Saturdays, May 23-June 16
Details and registration HERE

Birds and Brews at Estabrook Park
Thursday, May 28 5:30pm
Meet at north end of Beer Garden

Bird Banding Basics Workshop at Riveredge Nature Center
Friday and Saturday, May 29-30
Details and registration HERE

** 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 : thru April 30

• Currie Park
• Dineen Park
• Dretzka Park
• Franklin Savanna (if you haven’t been and need access help contact Colleen at 414-379-6741)
• Grootemat Nature Preserve
• Kern Park
• Little Menomonee River Pkwy 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
• Menomonee River Parkway 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
• Milwaukee River Pkwy 1, 3, 5
• Oak Creek Pkwy 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 (north and south) 13, 14 (for 12- no trails and for 13, there is no trail, and be VERY careful of property lines as private property is to both sides)
• Root River Pkwy 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 18 (no trails for 15, 16, 18)

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

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

• Berg Property – free – address S102W33451 CTH LO should get you there or very close. It’s just west of Mukwonago so you could do them both in one trip! Needs 6 shared surveys
• Fox Bend Park- fee or pass- looking for 6 shared surveys
• Monches County Park- fee or pass- looking for 4 shared surveys
• Mukwonago Park (pass or daily fee) – looking for 6 shared surveys
• Nagawaukee Park- daily fee or pass – needs 3 shared surveys
• Ashippun Lake – Waukesha County- (free)- looking for 1 shared survey
• School Section Lake- requires LAKE (not a park pass) daily or season pass- needs 5 shared surveys
• New Berlin Trail (free)- 6 shared surveys needed