Saturday, May 9 8:00-10:30
Havenwoods State Forest 6141 N Hopkins St
Bird Walk and Introduction to Milwaukee Summer Birds
Havenwoods SF is celebrating World Migratory Bird Day on May 9.
Come learn more about birds and migration! Free
8-10:30 a.m.: Bird Talk & Walk with the Milwaukee Birders
8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Bird Crafts and Displays
10 a.m. – noon: Native Tree Giveaway with Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
11 a.m. – noon: Bird Walk for Kids
This event will be held rain or shine.
Sunday, May 10 8:00-10:00
Sheridan Park 4800 S Lake Dr
We usually spend the second Sunday at Lakeshore State Park. That is not going to work this week – there is a Marathon staging thereabouts. We will avoid the runners and look for the warblers at Sheridan Park. A fantastic park with a pond, evergreens, a great shrub border, bluffs, and a path to the lake.
It’s Mother’s Day – bring your Mom, then take her out to brunch
Nearly every morning, there is a
FREE Bird Walk in Milwaukee
Join us! Walks are always free and always fun . 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
New to birding and not sure if a bird walk is right for you? It is! Bird walks are for all levels of birders. You don’t need to know any birds to start birding. And there’s s no faster way to learn birds than to have someone standing beside you pointing out why the bird we’re looking at is Blackburnian Warbler. Our walks are relaxed, and we always see and learn something new.
Birds and Brews PM. Join us for an hour-long bird walk before returning to the beer garden.
Birds and Brews AM. Too early for beer. We’ll have a bird walk and finish up at a coffee shop. May 19 will be the first one. Details to follow.
World Migratory Bird Day is an international celebration of the wonder of bird migration. In addition to all the birding, the events include ways we can all make the world safer for birds (and ourselves) See a list of local May 9 events below.
May is Here! Migration Madness! Birding every day! Check out all the bird walks, talks, field trips, and social events below.
Check our list of free weekly bird walks in the Milwaukee-area
Last Week
Lion’s Den never disappoints with beautiful Lake Michigan overlooks, stands of Birch trees, a pond, and a wetland. The Marsh Marigold and Yellow-rump Warblers provided color for the day, as well as the Towhee in the parking lot and the 30 Blue Jays that flew over head. Not as colorful, but certainly acrobatic were the Bonaparte’s Gulls. A fan fave, and cool fact: they nest in trees. Near the end of the walk, we realized it was a good migration day for hawks, as we watched several hawks riding the winds north. Thanks, John for the eBird list. Click on his list and read his notes. It’s the full story of the walk.
eBird: https://ebird.org/checklist/S332386518
Upcoming Bird Talks & walks:
Have a birding event to share? email us on the Contact Page
MAY
Spring Bird Walks at Riveredge Nature Center
Fridays May 1 – May 29
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
Seminary Woods Bird Walk with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Saturday, May 9
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
** 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
Birds and Brews AM with Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society
Tuesday May 19, 8:00-10:00am
Start with birding on Oak Creek Parkway #10, details 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
Meet at the beer garden. We will start by birding 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 : May1-31
- 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. A Waukesha County Park pass is needed for a number of these locations. To purchase passes visit:
https://wiwaukeshacountyweb.myvscloud.com/…/splash.html#
Note that seniors (60+) can purchase annual park passes for only $20!
March bird surveys needed at these locations- all are ebird hotspots
- Fox Bend Park- free- looking for 5 shared surveys (enter via Big Bend Park or St Martins Woods SNA)
- Fox Brook Park- daily fee or pass- needs 1 shared survey
- Mukwonago Park (pass or daily fee) – looking for 1 shared survey
- Ashippun Lake – Waukesha County- (free)- looking for 4 shared surveys
- Ashippun River Greenway- free- needs 6 shared surveys
- Pewaukee River Greenway- free- 3 surveys needed
- Nagawaukee Boat Launch- boat pass or daily fee- needs 2 shared surveys