Nov 14, Saturday, 8:30-10:30 Havenwoods State Forest
Meet at the building
Nov 15 Sunday, 8:30am
Coal Dock Park/Port Washington Avian Sanctuary
146 S Wisconsin St, Port Washington
Meet on south side of circle parking drive. First check is for ducks on the outflow canal from the power plant. Second, we look for the Peregrines that nest atop the powerplant. A walk around the bird sanctuary can turn up some sparrows and warblers. We’ll peek at South Shore Beach for the Flamingos 😁. Back in Coal Dock a walk along the rocks and shoreline looking for gulls, terns, more duck. The grass near the rocks can have a few birds too. And finally back along the promenade checking for more ducks. We almost always end with a quick drive up to the marina to look for more ducks and gulls.
eBird site: Coal Dock https://ebird.org/hotspot/L3235256
Pt Washington Bird Sanctuary https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2059749
Trails: Wide dirt paths around the Avian Sanctuary. Sidewalks, boardwalks, and grass in Coal Dock. Most areas are accessible through here. There is a small viewing platform accessible by a boardwalk for looking over the lake.
Restrooms: None. Nearest public restroom is at the marina. Downtown has a number of bakeries and coffee shops.
Park Map:
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
Nearly every morning, there is a
FREE Bird Walk in Milwaukee
Milwaukee Birding News
Lake Park Duck Watch. Starting this month, second Saturdays 11:00am. Meet on sidewalk at very north end of Bradford Beach about halfway up the hill on Lincoln Memeorial Drive
Owl Viewing Ethics. The International Owl Center has a guide with owl pics on how to enjoy and respect owls in the wild. The International Owl Center is just 4 hours away in Houston, Minnesota
- Maintain distance
- No playbacks or drones
- Use a car as a blind and stay in it.
- Watch the owl for signs of distress.
Last Week
Thirty five birders met up to see what was swimming and flying at Lakeshore State Park. Before we even started an American Kestrel was spotted a top the antenna at the south end. Two kestrels flew around the grassy areas of the park throughout the morning. In the lagoon, were Ring-billed Gulls, a few Herring Gulls, a Coot, and Mallards. Highlight birds were American Tree Sparrows providing first fall looks for some us.
eBird List : https://ebird.org/checklist/S409051444 Check out John’s list. He gives a great account of where we went and what we saw, Thanks John!
Pic Dave Baxter
Pic John Kaspar
Upcoming Bird Talks & walks:
Have a birding event to share? email us on the Contact Page
November
Hike (and bird) the Root River Woods with Milwaukee County Park’s Brian Russart
Wednesday, Nov 11
Details HERE
Audubon Great Lakes- Conserving Coastal Wetlands for Birds & People
Wednesday, Nov 11 at Mequon Nature Preserve
Details HERE, free and registration requested
BIPOC Bird Club Bird Walk at Veteran’s Park
Saturday, Nov 14
Meet at 9:00am at McKinley Marina parking
Bird Walk at Pewaukee Lake with Goss Bird Club
Saturday, Nov 14
Meet Time Hahn at 8:00 am at the Brewer’s Two Cafe at 203 Wisconsin Ave in Pewaukee, across from Lakefront Park. Expected birds are ducks, geese, loons, grebes, etc. Lesser Scaup, Redheads and Canvasbacks have already begun to gather in good numbers.
Owl Prowl with Feminist Bird Club of Milwaukee
Saturday, Nov 14, 4:30-6:00 pm Seminary Woods
Details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/owl-prowl-at-seminary-woods-tickets-2004487029665?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true
Bird Festival in Elm Grove
Saturday, Nov 14 from Noon-2:00
Birding information and Schlitz Raptors. Event is free, but registration is required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-2026-birding-festival-tickets-2003246042840?aff=oddtdtcreator
Great Midwest Crane Fest 2026
Sat-Sun, Nov 14-15 Baraboo, WI
Details HERE
The Most Overlooked Birds in North America web presentation
Tuesday, Nov 17
Spoiler alert: It’s female birds. Learn why that’s a problem.
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Kw7mrz4tRd2hwsjVy4B0UQ#/registration
Specialty Banding of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Wisconsin and Central America by Mickey O’Connor
Wednesday, Nov 18 at Wehr Nature Center
Presented by Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society, details HERE
Expresscapes Free Personal Garden Design with Lake Michigan Bird Observatory
Wednesday, Nov 18 at UEC-Washington Park
Spots are limited, and registration is required. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/EXPRESSFL26
December
Christmas Bird Counts are coming!
Birding at Lake Park with Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Wednesday, Dec 2
Registration and details HERE
Winter Resident Birds of Wisconsin
Wednesday, Dec 9 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Registration and details HERE
Birds of the Lakeshore
Sunday, Dec 13 at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Registration and details HERE
** Follow Bird City Milwaukee on Facebook!
Check out Milwaukee Birders on Facebook and Instagram 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. During the year, some parks are priorities for birding. We can help MKE Parks! Pick a priority park from the list below, go bird, eBird it and note time spent there.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY PARKS : Nov 8-14
- Little Menomonee River Pkwy 2 (no trail, it’s a bit of roughing it!)
- Milwaukee River Pkwy 5
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.For Parkways, the number corresponds to the eBird hotspot. Hotspots usually go from major road to major road although there are a few exceptions.
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!
November bird surveys needed at these locations- all are ebird hotspots
- Ashippun Lake – Waukesha County- (free)
- Ashippun River Greenway (free, no trail)
- Berg Property (off LO west a little bit from Mukwonago Park)- free
- Fox Bend Park-(access through cul de sac at end of King Pkwy- currently the easiest way to the trail, or St Martins Woods SNA or Big Bend Park but don’t count bird in BBP)- free
- Fox Bend South free (small parking area on gravel; don’t block the gate) On Forest Home Ave, 42.86084° N, 88.23814° W. Start on the farm access road heading in direction of river. You can access a fair amount of it via this road, plus a dirt trail. Backtracking a bit or a bit of bushwhacking depending on what you feel like doing. This property is quite large and we haven’t been to all of it yet. Free
- Fox River Park (needs 2 more surveys!) (daily pass or annual sticker- but there are places to park near the condos in the east side and a short trail to get into the park free)
- Menomonee Park (daily or annual pass)
- Minooka Park (daily or annual pass)
- Monches County park (daily or annual pass)
- Mukwonago Park (daily or annual pass)
- Nashotah Park (daily or annual pass)
- Pewaukee River Greenway (free)
- Ryan Park- (daily or annual pass)
- School Section Lake (requires lake pass)
- Spring Brook Greenway (free)
- New Berlin Recreation Trail (free- bike from edge of Greenfield Park into Waukesha!)