I have put together a collection of some of the Wisconsin birding moments from the year 2025. 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 2025. It was a very exciting year with the birds and also birding with some old birding friends and meeting some new ones, too. One of the highlights of the year for me came early with finding 6 different Northern Saw-whet Owls on my own at different locations. I found them using no calls or technology of any sort, just looking in areas that fit their habitat. Finishing up this year with adding 4 more birds to my Wisconsin life list now standing at 388. New for 2025, Wood Stork, Black-billed Magpie, Short-billed Gull and the Kelp Gull. There are a lot of owl photos to start but that was just the way it was. 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!
The Long-eared Owl in Wisconsin 1-3-2025
Northern Saw-whet Owl #1 for the day in SE Wisconsin 1-6-2025
Northern Saw-whet Owl #2 for the day in SE Wisconsin 1-6-2025
Eastern Screech Owl in Milwaukee Co 1-9-2025
The Long-eared Owl with snow in Wisconsin 1-10-2025
Northern Saw-whet Owl in SE Wisconsin 1-20-2025
The Eastern Screech Owl perched in the pine 1-24-2025
Eastern Screech Owl in Milwaukee Co 1-26-2025
Eastern Screech Owl, red morph 2-11-2025
Horned Lark Paradise Valley WA in Waukesha Co 2-14-2025
Horned Lark Paradise Valley WA in Waukesha Co 2-14-2025
Northern Saw-whet Owl in SE Wisconsin 2-18-2025
Great Horned Owl sitting on eggs in Waukesha Co 2-11-2025
Great Horned Owl in the nest in Milwaukee Co 3-6-2025
Great Blue Herons in SE Wisconsin 3-7-2025
Sandhill Cranes heading north in Waukesha Co 3-9-2025
Northern Saw-whet Owl #1 for the day in SE Wisconsin 3-11-2025
Northern Saw-whet Owl #2 for the day in SE Wisconsin 3-11-2025
Sandhill Crane in Waukesha Co with some painting on the feathers 3-12-2025
Sandhill Crane in Waukesha Co 3-12-2025
Eastern Bluebird, male in SE Wisconsin 3-12-2025
Eastern Bluebird, female in SE Wisconsin 3-12-2025
Eastern Bluebird, male making a soft landing in SE Wisconsin 3-12-2025
Great Horned Owl owlets (2) on the nest in SE Wisconsin 3-18-2025
Great Horned Owl owlets (2) on the nest in Milwaukee Co Wisconsin 3-29-2025
Killdeer in Milwaukee Co 4-3-2025
Killdeer preening in Milwaukee Co 4-3-2025
Great Horned Owl owlets in Milwaukee Co 4-4-2025
Common Grackle, FOY in Waukesha Co 4-6-2025
Eared Grebe at Lake Park on the Milwaukee Lakefront 4-11-2025
Killdeer on the nest in Waukesha Co 4-14-2025
Wilson’s Snipe at Pennsylvania Avenue at Oak Creek in Milwaukee Co 4-16-2025
Willets (3) at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 4-27-2025
Willet at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 4-27-2025
Great Horned Owl, owlet in Milwaukee Co 4-28-2025
Canada Goose gosling at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 4-29-2025
White-eyed Vireo at Scout Lake in Greendale Wisconsin 5-2-2025
White-eyed Vireo at Scout Lake in Greendale Wisconsin 5-2-2025
Townsend’s Solitaire in Wauwatosa in Milwaukee Co 5-3-2025
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers building a nest in Waukesha Co 5-6-2025
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher with lichen in the bill working it into the started nest 5-6-2025
American Avocet at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-7-2025
American Avocets 5 of them at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-7-2025
Killdeer chick just out of the nest in Waukesha Co 5-7-202
Yellow-rumped Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Black-and-white Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Black-throated Blue Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Blackburnian Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Northern Parula, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Palm Warbler in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Cape May Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Blackpoll Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Bay-breasted Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Magnolia Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Golden-winged Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Tennessee Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Prothonotary Warbler, male in Milwaukee Co 5-13th-15th-2025
Philadelphia Vireo at Lake Park in Milwaukee Co 5-14-2025
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, male at Lake Park in Milwaukee Co 5-13-2025
Rose-breasted Grosbeak, female at Lake Park in Milwaukee Co 5-13-2025
Baltimore Oriole, female at Lake Park in Milwaukee Co 5-14-2025
Franklin’s Gull at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-17-2025
Scarlet Tanager at Lake Park in Milwaukee County 5-17-2025
Eastern Kingbird at Lake Park in Milwaukee County 5-17-2025
Eastern Kingbird at Lake Park in Milwaukee County 5-17-2025
Wild Turkey eggs in the nest in Marquette Co Wisconsin 5-19-2025
Wild Turkey eggs in the nest in Marquette Co Wisconsin 5-19-2025
Yellow-billed Cuckoo at the Milwaukee County Grounds in Milwaukee Co 5-22-2025
Snow Goose at Veterans Park in Milwaukee Co 5-22-2025
Ruddy Turnstone at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-23-2025
Ruddy Turnstone at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 5-23-2025
Black-billed Cuckoo at the Milwaukee County Grounds in Milwaukee Co 5-26-2025
Barred Owl in Marquette County Wisconsin 5-27-2025
The Great Horned Owl in Waukesha Co 5-29-2025
Northern Flicker at a natural nest cavity in Waukesha Co 6-1-2025
Bobolink, male at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha Co 6-5- 2025
Bobolink, female at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha Co 6-5- 2025
The 3 Red-shouldered Hawk chicks in Waukesha Co 6-6-2025
This is one of the two Red-shouldered Hawk adults flying up high over the area near the nest calling in Waukesha Co 6-6-2025
Both the Kelp and American Herring Gull producing a hybrid chick on the nest…the chick is looking at us in Milwaukee Co 6-14-2025
Kelp Gull flying near the nest on Jones Island in Milwaukee Co 6-14-2025
Great Blue Herons at a rookery with many nests in southeast Wisconsin 6-10-2025
Common Loons, an adult showing the chicks how to crawl up onto the bog in Sawyer Co 6-27-2025
Great Egret at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Black Tern at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Black Tern at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Black-necked Stilt, adult at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Black-necked Stilt chicks at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Black-necked Stilt chick at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Black-necked Stilt chick adult in flight at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Yellow-headed Blackbird, female at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Least Bittern at Horicon Marsh in Dodge Co 7-1-2025
Ruddy Duck, male at Greenfield Park Milwaukee Co 7-3-2025
Northern Flickers feeding nestlings in a natural nest cavity in Waukesha Co 7-5-2025
Northern Flickers feeding nestlings in a natural nest cavity in Waukesha Co 7-5-2025
Black-crowned Night-Herons at Humboldt Park Milwaukee Co 7-13-2025
Great Egret at Echo Park in Burlington in Racine Co 7-20-2025
Great Egret at Echo Park in Burlington in Racine Co 7-20-2025
Sandhill Cranes near Muskego in Waukesha Co 7-20-2025
Common Grackle with the crayfish at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 7-22-2025
Common Grackle with the crayfish part feeding young at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 7-22-2025
Piping Plover at Lake Michigan on the Milwaukee lakefront 7-28-2025
Piping Plover at Lake Michigan on the Milwaukee lakefront 7-28-2025
Short-billed Gull at Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door Co Wisconsin 7-30-2025
Short-billed Gull stretching at Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door Co Wisconsin 7-30-2025
Laughing Gull at Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door Co Wisconsin 7-30-2025
American White Pelican at the pebble beach at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 7-31-2025
American White Pelican on the lagoon at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 7-31-2025
Green Heron at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 8-5-2025
Great Egrets at Wilson Park in Milwaukee Co 8-7-2025
Wood Stork at Mud Lake State Wildlife Area in Dodge Co Wisconsin 8-11-2025
Wood Stork at Mud Lake State Wildlife Area in Dodge Co Wisconsin 8-11-2025
Wood Stork preening at Mud Lake State Wildlife Area in Dodge Co Wisconsin 8-11-2025
Eastern Kingbird in Waukesha Co 8-20-2025
Great Blue Heron catching a frog at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 8-21-2025
Ruddy Turnstone at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 8-29-2025
Semipalmated Sandpiper at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 8-29-2025
Semipalmated Plover at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 8-29-2025
Ruddy Turnstone flipping over a piece of something looking for things to eat at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 8-29-2025
Red-necked Phalarope at McKinley Marina in Milwaukee Co 9-1-2025
American Golden-Plover at McKinley Beach in Milwaukee Co 9- 2-2025
Green Heron at Greenfield Park in Milwaukee Co 9-2-2025
8 Sanderlings Sanderlings at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee Co 9-9-2025
Sanderling, something in the bill at Bradford Beach in Milwaukee Co 9-9-2025
Black-crowned Night-Heron, juvenile at Humboldt Park Milwaukee Co
Black-billed Magpie at the Superior Landfill in Douglas County Wisconsin 9-12-2025
Yellow-rumped Warblers eating Cedar Berries in the South Kettle Moraine in Waukesha Co 10-5-2025
Yellow-rumped Warblers eating Cedar Berries in the South Kettle Moraine in Waukesha Co 10-5-2025
Wood Duck, male in Milwaukee Co 10-8-2025
Wood Duck, young male in Milwaukee Co 10-8-2025
American Bittern at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin 10-20-2025
American Bittern at Humboldt Park in Milwaukee County Wisconsin 10-20-2025
Snow Bunting at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co 10-29-2025
Snow Bunting with a seed in the bill at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee Co on 10-29-2025
Blue Jay in Marquette Co 11-4-2025
Eastern Screech Owl in Milwaukee Co on 12-4-2025
Sandhill Cranes, an adult left, colt right Delafield in Waukesha Co on 12-7-2025
Sandhill Crane in Delafield in Waukesha Co on 12-7-2025
Long-eared Owl in Wisconsin on 12-8-2025
Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon type at Grant Park in Milwaukee Co on 12-11-2025
Beautiful photos!
These are wonderful, Jim! I couldn’t say which one was my favorite.
Well just about every bird that lives or comes to the great state of Wisconsin. Well done.
Thank you for sharing, these are beautiful, without exception!
I love you do this. Stunning captures.
Great stuff as always Jim. Thanks for posting
Thanks for the review of your best of 2025. How do you know where to look for the owls that you have pictured?
An awesome recap of the year with fabulous pictures. Thanks for sharing your fine work.
Great photo. Amazing owl photos.
Thanks
Thank you so much, such beautiful photos . I appreciate you doing this every year.. Another very successful year for you! You must be getting close to 400 species, you saw in Wisconsin.