I have put together a collection of some of the Wisconsin birding moments from the year 2023. The collection includes vagrants, special visitors, or just the beautiful birds that nest here or migrate through the state of Wisconsin. All images were taken in 2023. It was a very exciting year with the birds and also birding with some old birding friends and meeting some new ones, too. Finishing up this year with adding 4 more birds to my Wisconsin life list now standing at 375. Thanks to everyone who helped make this happen. When putting this post together, once again, it amazes me what birds were seen this year here in Wisconsin!
Trumpeter Swan on the Bark River Trail in Waukesha Co 1-9-2023
Mute Swan on the Fox River at Frame Park in Waukesha Co 1-15-2023
Long-eared Owl in Milwaukee Co 1-16-2023
Long-eared Owl in Milwaukee Co 1-16-2023
Barred Owl in Milwaukee Co 1-18-2023
American Tree Sparrow in Waukesha Co 1-29-2023
Mandarin Duck at South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee Co 2-10-2023
Mandarin Duck at South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee Co 2-10-2023
Mandarin Duck at South Shore Yacht Club in Milwaukee Co 2-10-2023
Wood Duck at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Co 2-20-2023
Wood Duck at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Co 2-20-2023
The pair of Redhead Ducks, male L female R on the Fox River in Waukesha Co 2-20-2023
Redhead Duck, male on the Fox River in Waukesha Co 2-20-2023
Redhead Duck female on the Fox River in Waukesha Co 2-20-2023
Sandhill Crane finding things to eat in Waukesha County 2-28-2023
Sandhill Crane in Waukesha County 2-28-2023
Sandhill Crane in the South Kettle Moraine in Waukesha Co 3-1-2023
Sandhill Cranes painting in Delafield in Waukesha Co Wisconsin on 3-5-2023
Sandhill Cranes (2) painting themselves in Delafield in Waukesha Co Wisconsin on 3-5-2023
Sandhill Crane in Delafield Waukesha C poking in the mud, they find things to eat 3-5-2023
Killdeer at the Milwaukee Lakefront, a cloacal kiss 3-8-2023
Killdeer at the Milwaukee Lakefront 3-8-2023
Great Horned Owl, owlet on the nest waiting in Waukesha Co 3-20-2023
Great Horned owlet in Milwaukee Co 3-21-2023
Great Horned owlets in Milwaukee Co 3-21-2023
Great Blue Heron at the nest in Waukesha Co 3-24-2023
Great Blue Heron on the nest in Waukesha Co 3-24-2023
Eastern Screech Owl gray morph, precious, this owl in Milwaukee Co 3-27-2023
Eastern Screech Owl gray morph, blends in so well in Milwaukee Co 3-27-2023
Red-headed Woodpecker in Marquette Co 3-31-23
Horned Grebe at the Fox River in Waukesha 4-5-2023
Northern Mockingbird, looking and listening for something to eat at Grant Park Milwaukee Co 4-18-2023
Northern Mockingbird at Grant Park Milwaukee Co 4-18-2023
Northern Mockingbird with a tasty worm at Grant Park Milwaukee Co 4-18-2023
Ross’s Goose at Veterans Park in Milwaukee Co 4-20-2023
Ross’s Goose at Veterans Park in Milwaukee Co 4-20-2023
Bonaparte’s Gull at Grant Park in Milwaukee Co 4-25-2023
Flame-colored Tanager at Sheridan Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin on 4-30-2023
Flame-colored Tanager at Sheridan Park in Milwaukee Wisconsin, hopping around in Sumac just below the bluff eating gnats 4-30-23
Willets at South Shore Park in Bayview in Milwaukee Co 4-30-2023
Willet getting something here to eat at South Shore Park in Bayview in Milwaukee Co 4-30-2023
Willet at South Shore Park in Bayview in Milwaukee Co 4-30-2023
Black-throated Blue Warbler, male at Wehr Nature Center Milwaukee Co 5-7-2023
Black-and-white Warbler, male at Wehr Nature Center Milwaukee Co 5-7-2023
Black-throated Green Warbler, male at Wehr Nature Center Milwaukee Co 5-12-2023
White-crowned Sparrow in Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Tree Swallow Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Downy Woodpecker, female Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Ruby-throated Hummingbird getting nectar at an apple tree Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Eastern Towhee, male Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Yellow-rumped Warbler Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Chipping Sparrow Marquette Co 5-10-2023
White-throated Sparrow Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Downy Woodpecker, male Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Baltimore Oriole, male in Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Baltimore Oriole, male singing in Marquette Co 5-10-2023
House Wren singing in Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Brown Thrasher in Marquette Co 5-10-2023
Northern Cardinal, male in Marquette Co 5-10-2023
The Scarlet Tanager, male singing at the Fox River Sanctuary in Waukesha Co 5-13-2023
Scarlet Tanager male at the Fox River Sanctuary in Waukesha Co 5-13-2023
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, male in Marquette Co 5-18-2023
Indigo Bunting, male in Marquette Co 5-19-2023
Baltimore Oriole, immature male in Milwaukee Co 5-19-2023
Red-winged Blackbird, male calling at the Fox River in Waukesha 5-20-2023
Sandhill Crane Colt in Waukesha Co 5-20-2023
Baltimore Oriole, female in Marquette Co 5-21-2023
Bobolink calling and waiting for a female at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha Co 5-22-23
Bobolink, calling and waiting for a male at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha Co 5-22-23
Ruddy Duck at the Fox River in Waukesha 5-22-2023
Ruddy Turnstone looking for bugs at Bender Park in Milwaukee Co 5-22-2023
Ruddy Turnstone, male at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-25-2023
One of the 4 Ruddy Turnstones, male at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-25-2023
One of the Dunlins, in breeding plumage at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-29-2023
Dunlin, nonbreediing adult plumage at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-29-2023
A Semipalmated Plover, at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-29-2023
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, female in Milwaukee Co 6-5-2023
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, female in Milwaukee Co 6-5-2023
Limpkin at Case Eagle Park in Racine Co 7-21-2023
Limpkin, going down for something here at Case Eagle Park in Racine Co 7-21-2023
Limpkin calling at Case Eagle Park in Racine Co 7-21-2023
Roseate Spoonbill hanging out with a Great Egret and Great Blue Heron at Ken Euers Wetland in Brown Co 7-29-2023
Lesser Yellowlegs, looking for something to eat at Mill Pond in South Milwaukee 8-12-2023
Lesser Yellowlegs, going for something to eat at Mill Pond in South Milwaukee 8-12-2023
Lesser Yellowlegs, preening at Mill Pond in South Milwaukee 8-12-2023
American Flamingos, 2 adults and 1 juvenile at South Beach at Port Washington in Ozaukee Co 9-22-2023
The 5 of them, American Flamingos at South Beach at Port Washington in Ozaukee Co 9-22-2023
American Flamingo adult at South Beach at Port Washington in Ozaukee Co 9-22-2023
Black-crowned Night Heron at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Co 9-22-2023
Wood Duck, male in Milwaukee Co 10-9-2023
Wood Duck, female in Milwaukee Co 10-9-2023
Wood Duck, female with a crabapple in Milwaukee Co 10-9-2023
Wood Duck, male with a crabapple in Milwaukee Co 10-9-2023
Horned Grebe at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 10-20-2023
Snow Bunting at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 11-2-2023
Snow Bunting at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 11-2-2023
Long-tailed Duck at South Milwaukee Yacht Club in Milwaukee Co 11-4-2023
Long-tailed Duck at South Milwaukee Yacht Club in Milwaukee Co 11-4-2023
Hooded Merganser at the Fox River in Waukesha 11-10-2023
Red-tailed Hawk, juvenile at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co in 11-13-2023
White-breasted Nuthatch in Marquette Co 11-16-2023
Red-winged Blackbird at Lakeshore State Park 11-16-2023
Red Crossbill, male in Marquette Co 11-18-2023
Red Crossbills, males in Marquette Co 11-18-2023
Iceland Gull 2nd cycle on the Fox River at Frame Park in Waukesha 11-20-2023
Ancient Murrelet at George Pinney County Park in Door Co 11-21-2023
Ancient Murrelet at George Pinney County Park in Door Co 11-21-2023
Great Horned Owl resting in a White Pine in Waukesha Co 11-25-2023
Eastern Screech Owl, grey morph in Milwaukee Co 11-27-2023
House Finch, male enjoying a crab apple at the Fox River in Waukesha 12-14-2023
House Finch, female enjoying a crab apple at the Fox River in Waukesha 12-14-2023
American White Pelican on the rocks at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 12-16-2023
American White Pelican at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 12-16-2023
Barred Owl seen on a walk in Marquette Co 12-27-2023
Barred Owl in Milwaukee Co 12-29-2023
Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!
Outstanding collection of images, Jim!
Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing
Lovely photos Jim!
Fun looking through these, Jim. Happy New Year!
Limpkin, spoonbill, and flamingos? Florida is sending you messengers… time to become a snowbird.
Amazing work! Amazing finds!! What a fantastic year! Hope this year will be just as good if not better. Though any day is good that we have the priviledge of being in nature! Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Such a beautiful recap of 2023. Thank you!
What a beautiful collection of photos. It can be used as a guide to identifying these wonderful species.
Thanks for your continued sharing.
Nice review of 2023. Beautiful photos. Thank you!!!
A great recap of 2023 and all the birds you captured and shared. Thanks for sharing them Jim.
Love, Love, Love all the pictures!!
Thanks for sharing, Jim! Happy New Year!
I love your year end review photos. Nicely done. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Thanks Jim, always LOVE to see your years best. Awesome!