THE PARK NEXT DOOR
  • Home
    • Contact
    • Sign up for Updates
  • THE MAGAZINE
  • Celebrating 10 Years
  • Blog
  • Support The Park Next Door
  • Achievements / Press
  • Art for Your Walls & More
  • Special Features
    • What's New
    • For Love Of Lavender
    • Peony Perfection - 2025
    • Nature Is For Every Body
    • Wisconsin Astronomy Observatories
    • 30 Easy, Scenic Nature Walks
    • Gone Fishing
    • Birding Local
    • Sparkle In The Parks & More 2024
    • Fabulous In Fall
    • Hiking Safely During Hunting Season - 2024 Edition
    • Blooms Galore 2024: U-Pick Sunflowers, Cut Flowers and Lavender Fields
    • A Walk On The Beach
    • On The Bookshelf
    • There's A Camera In My Pocket
    • It's Garden Party Time
    • Exploring Door County
    • Tasting Door County
    • Local Waterfalls Are Calling
    • On The Side
    • Beauty On The Escarpment
    • Sacred Ground & Effigy Mounds Of Wisconsin
    • Legacies Of Nature
    • Escape To The Woods
    • Snapshots
    • Migration Song - The Magic of Bird Migration
    • Dog Days In The Park
    • Gift Ideas For The Nature Lover
    • Winter in Wisconsin
  • Let's Explore
    • Nature Trails >
      • 116th Street - Oak Leaf Trail - West Allis, WI
      • Bald Bluff Nature Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Belle Reynolds Nature Trail - Oakfield, WI
      • Black River Trails - Sheboygan, WI
      • Eagle Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Emma Carlin Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Glacial Drumlin State Trail - Lake Mills, WI
      • Ice Age Visitor Center Nature Trail - Campbellsport, WI
      • Kettle Moraine Low Prairie Natural Area - Eagle, WI
      • W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Milwaukee, WI
      • Kohl Park Hiking Trail - Milwaukee, WI
      • Paradise Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Rice Lake Nature Trail - Whitewater, WI
      • Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Seminary Woods - St. Francis, WI
      • Stony Ridge Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Stute Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Washington Avenue Nature Trail - Sheboygan, WI
      • White River State Trail - Elkhorn to Dover, WI
      • Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk - Delafield, WI
    • Local Parks >
      • Akakawaa Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Alt Bauer Park - Germantown, WI
      • Anclam Park - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • Astico County Park - Columbus, WI
      • Asylum Point Park & Lighthouse - Oshkosh, WI
      • Aurelian Springs Village Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Beckman Mill County Park - Beloit, WI
      • Big Hill Park - Beloit, WI
      • Biwer Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Bluhm Farm Park - Muskego, WI
      • Brown Deer Park - Brown Deer, WI
      • Calhoun Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Carlin-Weld Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Dorothy Carnes Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Carver-Roehl County Park - Clinton, WI
      • Case Eagle Park - Burlington, WI
      • Cave Point County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Cherney Maribel Caves County Park - Maribel, WI
      • Cliffside Park - Caledonia, WI
      • Copernicus Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Creekwood Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Cudahy Woods - Cudahy, WI
      • Dave's Falls County Park - Amberg, WI
      • Denoon Park - Muskego, WI
      • Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum - Brookfield, WI
      • Downtown Waupaca Parks - Waupaca, WI
      • Doyne Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Ellison Bay Bluff County Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Elm Grove Village Park - Elm Grove, WI
      • Endicott Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Estabrook Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Euclid Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Falk Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Firefighters Memorial Bluff - West Bend, WI
      • Frame Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Franklin Woods - Franklin, WI
      • Froemming Park - Franklin, WI
      • Frontier Park - Butler, WI
      • George K. Pinney County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI -
      • Glacier Hills County Park - Hubertus, WI
      • Goodman County Park, Strong Falls - Athelstane, WI Falls -
      • Grant Park - South Milwaukee
      • Greenfield Park - West Allis
      • Grobschmidt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hales Corners Park, Ben Hunt Prairie and Cabin, Seneca Hale Summer Kitchen, Cobb Park - Hales Corners, WI
      • Harnischfeger Park - Ixonia, WI
      • Hart Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hartbrook Park - Hartland, WI
      • Hartung Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hidden Lake Park - Brookfield, WI
      • High Grove Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Hika Bay Park - Cleveland, WI
      • Hobbs Woods Nature Area - Fond Du Lac, WI
      • Homestead Hollow County Park - Germantown, WI
      • Honey Creek Park - West Allis, WI
      • Hoyt Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Humboldt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Idle Isle Park - Muskego, WI
      • Indian Mounds County Park - Lake Koshkonong Effigy Mounds and Trail - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Indianhead Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Jackson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Jacobus Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Johnstone Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Kelly Lake Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Kiekhaefer Park - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Kinsey Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kocziuszko Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • H.C. Koepp Village Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • Konkel Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Korth Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Krueger Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kurth Park - Muskego, WI
      • Alan Kulwicki Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Ledge County Park - Horicon, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Grafton, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Lincoln Park - Glendale, WI
      • Lions Legend Park I & II - Franklin, WI
      • Lion's Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Lisbon Community Park - Hartland, WI
      • Lyons Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Magnolia Bluff County Park - Evansville, WI
      • Malone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Manchester Hill Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mangan Woods - Greendale, WI
      • Mary Knoll Park - Brookfield, WI
      • McCarty Park - West Allis, WI
      • Menominee River Park - Wausaukee, WI
      • Mitchell Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Monarch Trail / County Grounds Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Moorewood Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Moorland Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mound Zion Park - Brookfield, WI
      • John Muir Memorial County Park - Town of Buffalo, WI
      • Mukwonago Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Mush Ko Se Day Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Muskego Boardwalk Nature Trail - Muskego, WI
      • Muskego Park - Muskego, WI
      • Nashotah Park - Nashotah, WI
      • Natureland County Park - Whitewater, WI
      • New Berlin Historical Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Nitschke Mounds County Park - Burnett, WI
      • Nixon Park - Hartland, WI
      • North Point Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Oerding Park - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Petrifying Springs Park - Kenosha, WI
      • Picnic Point Park - Oshkosh, WI
      • Pleasant Valley Parks & Trails - Town of Cedarburg, WI
      • Pondview Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, WI
      • ProHealth Care Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Pulaski Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Regner Park - West Bend, WI
      • Richfield Historical Park - Richfield, WI
      • Ridge Run Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rivers Edge Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Riverside Park - Watertown, WI
      • Riverside Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rock River Heritage County Park - Janesville, WI
      • Rolling Meadows Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Rotary Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Sandy Knoll County Park - Town of Trenton, WI
      • Saveland Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schoen Laufen Park - Germantown, WI
      • Schoetz Park - Village of Hales Corners, WI
      • Schoolhouse Beach - Washington Island, WI
      • Scout Lake Park - Greendale, WI
      • Sheboygan Indian Mound Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Simmons Woods Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • South Shore Park - Bayview, WI
      • Spassland Park - Germantown, WI
      • Springs Park - Delavan, WI
      • Sunset Beach County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Swan Park - Beaver Dam, WI
      • Three Bridges Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Thunder Mountain Overlook Park - Crivitz, WI
      • Turtle Creek Parkway / Tiffany Bridge - Clinton, WI
      • Tyranena Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Valley View Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Veterans Memorial Park - Grafton, WI
      • Viking County Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Virmond Park - Mequon, WI
      • Warnimont Park - Cudahy, WI
      • Washington Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Weatherstone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Wequiock Falls Park - Green Bay, WI
      • Weston Antique Apple Orchard & Isabelle Weston Memorial Trail - New Berlin, WI
      • White River County Park - Walworth County
      • Whitnall Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wilson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI
      • Ken Windl Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wirth Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Xenobia Springs Park - Palmyra, WI
    • Nature Preserves >
      • Adam Birding Conservancy - Whitewater, WI
      • Badertscher Preserve - Muskego, WI
      • Joyce M. Baer & George J. Socha Conservancy - Marshall, WI
      • Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay, WI
      • Beulah Bluff Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Beulah Bog - East Troy, WI
      • Blue Heron Wildlife Sanctuary - Saukville, WI
      • Bratt Woods - Grafton, WI
      • Burlington School Forest - Burlington, WI
      • Calhoun Creek Prairie - New Berlin, WI
      • Cedarburg Bog - Saukville, WI
      • Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha, WI
      • Conservancy For Healing And Heritage - Franklin, WI
      • Robert O Cook Arboretum - Janesville, WI
      • Crooked Creek Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Crossroads At Big Creek - Sturgeon Bay
      • Deer Creek Sanctuary - New Berlin, WI
      • Delavan Memorial Arboretum - Delavan, WI
      • Donges Bay Gorge - Mequon, WI
      • Emerald Preserve - Oak Creek, WI
      • Engel Conservation Area - Muskego, WI
      • Faville Grove Sanctuary - Lake Mills, WI
      • Fellenz Woods - West Bend, WI
      • Flowing Well - Whitewater, WI
      • Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Forest Exploration Center - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Fox River Sanctuary - Waukesha, WI
      • John S. Garman Nature Preserve - Waterloo, WI
      • Garrison's Glen - Mequon, WI
      • Genesee Oak Opening and Fen - Mukwonago, North Prairie WI
      • Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods - Caledonia, WI
      • Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grasslyn Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Greenway Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grootemaat Nature Preserve - Greendale, WI
      • Hartland Marsh Preserve - Village of Hartland, WI
      • Hawthorn Glen - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum - Kenosha, WI
      • Heckrodt Wetland Reserve - Menasha, WI
      • Hermansen Woods - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Highland Woods - Mequon, WI
      • Hildebrand Nature Conservancy - Village of Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, WI
      • Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon, WI
      • Huiras Lake Natural Area - Fredonia, WI
      • Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - Williams Bay, WI
      • Kurtz Woods State Natural Area - Grafton, WI
      • Lac Lawrann Conservancy - West Bend, WI
      • Lakeshore Nature Preserve - Madison, WI
      • Ledge View Nature Center - Chilton, WI
      • Lion's Den Nature Preserve - Grafton, WI
      • Lois Jensen Nature Preserve - Delafield, WI
      • Lulu Lake Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • John Margis Jr. Wildlife Area - Burlington, WI
      • Maywood Environmental Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Jean McGraw Memorial Nature Preserve - Kenosha, WI
      • Mequon Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Mill House Native Plant Preserve - Village of Fontana, WI-
      • Moely Prairie - Prairie Du Sac, WI
      • Nature Hill Nature Center - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Ned Hollister Wetlands Conservancy - Delavan, WI
      • Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve - Eagle, WI
      • Nicholson Wildlife Refuge - Franksville, WI
      • Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area - Oakfield, WI
      • Oconomowoc River Conservancy Park - Merton, WI
      • Parry Spring - Dousman, WI
      • Pavcek Preserve - Hartford, WI
      • Petersen Island Woods Preserve - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy - Middleton, WI
      • Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Pope Farm Conservancy - Verona, WI
      • Price Park Conservancy - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pukaite Woods Nature Preserve / Mequon Rotary Park - Mequon, WI
      • Retzer Nature Center - Waukesha, WI
      • The Ridges Sanctuary - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • River Bend Nature Center - Racine, WI
      • Riveredge Nature Center - Saukville, WI
      • Helen Rohner Children's Fishing Park - Williams Bay, WI-
      • Saller Woods - Rochester, WI
      • Sanctuary Woods - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Sauk Creek Nature Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schmeekle Reserve - Stevens Point, WI
      • Seno Woodland Center - Burlington, WI
      • Spirit Lake Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Spruce Lake Bog - Campbellsport, WI
      • Stigler Nature Preserve - New Berlin, WI
      • Towering Woods Nature Area - Greenfield, WI
      • Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat - Mequon, WI
      • UW-Waukesha Field Station - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Van der Brohe Arboretum - Two Rivers, WI
      • Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area - Mukwonago, WI
      • Vernon Wildlife Area - Waterford, WI
      • Wadewitz Nature Camp - Village of Rochester, WI
      • Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve - Burlington, WI
      • Wehr Nature Center - Franklin, WI
      • Whitnall School Forest - Greenfield, WI
      • Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve - Two Rivers, WI
      • Zeloski Marsh - Cambridge, WI
    • State Parks >
      • Aztalan State Park - Aztalan, WI
      • Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area - Sauk City, WI
      • Big Foot Beach State Park - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Bong State Recreation Area - Kansasville, WI
      • C. D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area - Kewaunee, WI
      • Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area - New Glarus, WI
      • Copper Culture State Park - Oconto, WI
      • Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI
      • Harrington Beach State Park - Belgium, WI
      • Hartman Creek State Park - Waupaca, WI
      • Havenwoods State Forest - Milwaukee, WI
      • High Cliff State Park - Sherwood, WI
      • Kohler-Andrae State Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • La Budde State Natural Area - Ice Age Trail Segment - Plymouth, WI
      • Lake Kegonsa State Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Lakeshore State Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Lapham Peak State Park - Delafield, WI
      • Lizard Mound State Park - Farmington, WI
      • Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area - Campbellsport, WI
      • Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago, WI
      • Natural Bridge State Park - North Freedom, WI
      • Newport State Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek, WI
      • Pike Lake State Park - Hartford, WI
      • Point Beach State Forest - Two Rivers, WI
      • Potawatomi State Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
    • Sculpture Gardens, Conservancies & Observatories >
      • Bobrowitz Sculpture Garden - Colgate, WI
      • Boerner Botanical Gardens - Hales Corners, WI
      • Nick Engelbert's Grandview - Hollandale, WI
      • Franconia Sculpture Park - Shafer, MN
      • The Garden Door - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Greendale Children's Garden - Greendale, WI
      • Harmony Arboretum & Gardens - Peshtigo, WI
      • Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture - West Bend, WI
      • Margie's Garden - Hales Corners, WI
      • Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy - Milwaukee, WI
      • Modine-Benstead Observatory - Union Grove, WI
      • New Life Lavender & Cherry Farm - Baraboo, WI
      • Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI
      • M. Schettl Sales - Sculpture and Oddities
      • Rotary Botanical Gardens - Janesville, WI
      • Sisson's Peony Garden - Rosendale, WI
      • Stavkirke - Washington Island, WI
      • Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Stevens Point, WI
      • James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden - Town of Wilson, WI
      • West Of The Lake Gardens - Manitowoc, WI
      • Yerkes Observatory - Williams Bay, WI
    • Cemeteries >
      • Calvary Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Forest Home Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Highland Memorial Park Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • La Belle Cemetery - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Mount Olivet Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Berlin Center Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • Oak Hill Cemetery - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Riverside Cemetery - Oshkosh, WI
      • St. Adalbert Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
  • Gardening for Wildlife
    • The Eco-Friendly Lawn
    • Welcome to the Firefly Show
    • Birdbaths in the Habitat
  • Detours, Links & More
Picture
A Hooded Oriole enjoys the birdbath during a spring migration stop.

BIRDING LOCAL - Bird Watching In Your Local Parks & Your Own Backyard


Whether you're an experienced bird watcher, or new to this amazing experience, no doubt you are on the lookout for great spaces to go birding. 

The wonderful thing about admiring birds is that it can be done in a wide variety of habitats. Whether you live in urban or rural spaces, the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of birds is all around us.

Once considered a hobby for the older set, or the nature nerds among us, birding is becoming a very popular pastime. And one that all walks of life can enjoy. I find it thoroughly exciting to see birders of every age, sex, race, and ability enjoying this natural adventure. Face it, folks, bird watching is now hip. And that means good things for the birds of the world.

​The more people that engage in the enjoyment and conservation of birds and their habitat, the better.  It's one of those activities that offers instant gratification, too. 

Equipment required is minimal: a pair of binoculars comes in handy, or a camera with a zoom lens. A pocket bird identification guidebook, or a bird identification smartphone app, and a notebook, if you're keeping track of the species you see. 
Picture
Spring migration is a great time to explore the world of bird watching.

Where To Find The Birds In Wisconsin
Picture
A Common Yellowthroat warbler enjoying some time in a creek.
Of course, Wisconsin State Parks, trails and nature preserves are a great place to go bird watching, but don't count out your local neighborhood parks or your own backyard. 

During migration, birds fly thousands of miles from places like South America, to the United States and Canada, where they will breed, nest, and raise their young over the spring and summer. 

​En route to these destinations, you can find them feeding and resting in green spaces all across the state of Wisconsin.  If there's a park or yard with trees, bushes, a birdbath, and a river, creek, pond or wetland of some sort, they will find it.

When To Go Bird Watching
Spring is a great time to bird watch in Wisconsin.  There are many bird species (about 250) that make Wisconsin their year-round home, but during spring and fall migration, upwards of 400 birds have been recorded throughout the state. 

​Many of these birds pass right over our homes while we sleep at night, en route to their summer nesting destinations. 

​In fact, if you sit outside, late, on a quiet evening, you can actually hear the call of migrating birds overhead.  Even in the city.  Usually they'll be too high up to see them with the naked eye, but you can hear them. 

​There are even bird migration forecast maps that can tell you when birds are migrating, where they will be heading, and what types of birds are migrating. 

Of course, summer is nesting season, so be on the lookout for fledgling birds being fed by their parents. And fall migration is a hot bird watching time of year, too, as birds that winter in the southern United States, and even further south, head back in that direction.

Winter also has its highlights, with plenty of local resident birds out and about.

​For migration forecasts, check out: 
birdcast.info
Picture
A sample Birdcast report from April of 2022.

Invite The Birds To Your Backyard
Picture
A family of House Finches enjoying a simply made birdbath.
Chances are, no matter where you live, you see birds.  But if you want to attract more of them to your yard, you can do some simple things to make your yard more hospitable. Got trees or shrubs already? Great! 

​Add a simple bird bath.  Resident birds will enjoy the water source, as will the migrating birds passing through. You will be amazed at the different birds that will visit a birdbath.


​You can create a simple bird bath using a medium sized flower pot, putting the bottom flower pot tray in the top of the pot.  Fill it with water, and maybe a big rock for birds to land on, and you have a welcoming spot for thirsty birds.   

​A simple bird bath like this can fit nicely on a small patio or balcony, too.

Provide Some Shelter
Birds need shelter.  Trees and bushes are great. But another simple way to provide shelter for birds is to make a brush pile using fallen branches and sticks.  The birds will appreciate being able to find shelter under the sticks, sitting on top of the brush in the sun, and scrounging for bugs to eat beneath the brush as well. 

You can place your brush pile off to a corner of the yard, or next to a fence or garden border. We have ours next to a leaf compost bin, in a spot where we can easily see it from the window so we can watch the birds come and go. 

​Brush piles will provide shelter for birds in all seasons. They are great places to hide out from predators, a winter storm, or a heavy rain.  Keep an eye on your brush pile. You'll be amazed at the wildlife visiting there.
Picture
Brush piles provide great shelter for birds and other small wildlife.

Provide Good Things To Eat
Picture
Goldfinches are fond of eating the seeds from Purple Coneflowers.
Feed the birds with native plants, shrubs and trees.  We have a variety of native plants in our garden. One of the most popular, and easily maintained native plants is Coneflower. This plant returns year after year, and its pollen feeds butterflies and bees, and its seeds, later in the season, will feed a variety of birds.  Leave them in the garden over the winter as well, and birds will find them a great source of food during a time of year when natural food is more scarce. 

If you don't have a yard, but have space for a planter or two, plant natives and pollinator friendly plants in those. Every little bit can make a difference.  Sunflowers make a great potted plant, and offer food for the birds in the fall as growing season fades.


For native plants ideas, visit the National Wildlife Federation website Native Plantfinder.  

Should You Put Out A Bird Feeder?
Picture
A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak enjoys some black oil sunflower during her spring migration journey.
Picture
A Baltimore Oriole enjoys fresh orange slices on the spring migration trek.
Bird feeders can be a great way to supplement the natural foods in your garden, or provide food in a space that isn't conducive to gardening.  The most prevalent bird seed is black oil sunflower seeds. They are enjoyed by a wide variety of birds. And squirrels, and other critters, too, so be aware. 

We don't mind feeding the squirrels and chipmunks in our habitat, but we offer safflower seed feeders as well, since the squirrels don't seem to care for safflower.

During spring migration we often put out fresh orange slices, as they are a favorite of Baltimore Orioles. Other birds, such as Gray Catbirds, and House Finches enjoy them as well.

As our garden fills in with more native plants, berries, and other natural food sources for the birds that visit, we will probably decrease the amount of feeders we offer, except during stressful times of year when natural foods are scarce (winter, anyone?).  As mentioned above, leaving the spent plants and seed heads over the winter does provide a supply of natural foods for feathered diners.

Keep in mind that feeders require regular cleaning and maintenance, and, in the event of an avian virus outbreak, they should be cleaned more often, or even taken down for a time.  

For more tips on offering backyard birdfeeders, check out additional bird feeding tips here.

Avoid Pesticides and Rodenticides
Pesticides don't just kill weeds or unwanted bugs. They eventually kill all living creatures.  The bugs found in our gardens and yards are natural food sources for birds and other wildlife. 

Poisoning mice, rats, and other small critters, can also lead to the death of larger birds of prey (hawks, for example), and even your neighborhood pets, which could come upon dead critters and ingest the poisons.

​Bees, butterflies,  and other pollinators are also harmed by pesticides (even if it's just on your lawn), and that is detrimental to flowers, shrubs, and any produce grown in the garden. Not for nothing, they are bad for us, too. 
Picture
Butterflies and other pollinators enjoy native plants like Purple Coneflower.

Bird Watching Is Good For Your Health
Picture
A male Rose-breasted Grosbeak stops for a drink at the backyard birdbath.
Not only can bird watching benefit your physical health by getting you outdoors for some fresh air, sunshine, and physical activity, but it can offer positive benefits to your mental health and stress levels, too.  The act of supporting bird conservation is good for the planet, too.  It's a win-win. 

There are multitudes of studies on this very subject, and the proof is out there.  I, personally, have found bird watching to be, not only  a stress reliever for me, but a benefit to my physical and creative energies as well.

When life is overwhelming, spending  a few minutes watching the birds in my backyard, or along the walking trail at a local park can take me out of myself long enough to improve my outlook. 

​Bird watching is such a rewarding activity. It helps me to appreciate, and care about, the wildlife that surrounds me.  Birds are fascinating, beautiful creatures. I love that I can watch them, and hear their song, whether in my city backyard, neighborhood park, or in wider, wilder environments.  I'm humbled, and calmed, by their presence. Maybe you will be, too.

For more information on backyard birding, visit the 
Wisconsin DNR website.
For information on preserving birds and other wildlife, visit the National Wildlife Federation website.​
Picture

All photos, blog posts, and content are
copyright (c) 2014-2024 Kimberly Mackowski,
​unless otherwise noted.

  • Home
    • Contact
    • Sign up for Updates
  • THE MAGAZINE
  • Celebrating 10 Years
  • Blog
  • Support The Park Next Door
  • Achievements / Press
  • Art for Your Walls & More
  • Special Features
    • What's New
    • For Love Of Lavender
    • Peony Perfection - 2025
    • Nature Is For Every Body
    • Wisconsin Astronomy Observatories
    • 30 Easy, Scenic Nature Walks
    • Gone Fishing
    • Birding Local
    • Sparkle In The Parks & More 2024
    • Fabulous In Fall
    • Hiking Safely During Hunting Season - 2024 Edition
    • Blooms Galore 2024: U-Pick Sunflowers, Cut Flowers and Lavender Fields
    • A Walk On The Beach
    • On The Bookshelf
    • There's A Camera In My Pocket
    • It's Garden Party Time
    • Exploring Door County
    • Tasting Door County
    • Local Waterfalls Are Calling
    • On The Side
    • Beauty On The Escarpment
    • Sacred Ground & Effigy Mounds Of Wisconsin
    • Legacies Of Nature
    • Escape To The Woods
    • Snapshots
    • Migration Song - The Magic of Bird Migration
    • Dog Days In The Park
    • Gift Ideas For The Nature Lover
    • Winter in Wisconsin
  • Let's Explore
    • Nature Trails >
      • 116th Street - Oak Leaf Trail - West Allis, WI
      • Bald Bluff Nature Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Belle Reynolds Nature Trail - Oakfield, WI
      • Black River Trails - Sheboygan, WI
      • Eagle Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Emma Carlin Trail - Palmyra, WI
      • Glacial Drumlin State Trail - Lake Mills, WI
      • Ice Age Visitor Center Nature Trail - Campbellsport, WI
      • Kettle Moraine Low Prairie Natural Area - Eagle, WI
      • W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Milwaukee, WI
      • Kohl Park Hiking Trail - Milwaukee, WI
      • Paradise Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Rice Lake Nature Trail - Whitewater, WI
      • Scuppernong Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Seminary Woods - St. Francis, WI
      • Stony Ridge Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Stute Springs Nature Trail - Eagle, WI
      • Washington Avenue Nature Trail - Sheboygan, WI
      • White River State Trail - Elkhorn to Dover, WI
      • Wisconsin Veteran's Memorial Riverwalk - Delafield, WI
    • Local Parks >
      • Akakawaa Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Alt Bauer Park - Germantown, WI
      • Anclam Park - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • Astico County Park - Columbus, WI
      • Asylum Point Park & Lighthouse - Oshkosh, WI
      • Aurelian Springs Village Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Beckman Mill County Park - Beloit, WI
      • Big Hill Park - Beloit, WI
      • Biwer Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Bluhm Farm Park - Muskego, WI
      • Brown Deer Park - Brown Deer, WI
      • Calhoun Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Carlin-Weld Park - Palmyra, WI
      • Dorothy Carnes Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Carver-Roehl County Park - Clinton, WI
      • Case Eagle Park - Burlington, WI
      • Cave Point County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Cherney Maribel Caves County Park - Maribel, WI
      • Cliffside Park - Caledonia, WI
      • Copernicus Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Creekwood Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Cudahy Woods - Cudahy, WI
      • Dave's Falls County Park - Amberg, WI
      • Denoon Park - Muskego, WI
      • Dousman Stagecoach Inn Museum - Brookfield, WI
      • Downtown Waupaca Parks - Waupaca, WI
      • Doyne Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Ellison Bay Bluff County Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Elm Grove Village Park - Elm Grove, WI
      • Endicott Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Estabrook Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Euclid Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Falk Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Firefighters Memorial Bluff - West Bend, WI
      • Frame Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Franklin Woods - Franklin, WI
      • Froemming Park - Franklin, WI
      • Frontier Park - Butler, WI
      • George K. Pinney County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI -
      • Glacier Hills County Park - Hubertus, WI
      • Goodman County Park, Strong Falls - Athelstane, WI Falls -
      • Grant Park - South Milwaukee
      • Greenfield Park - West Allis
      • Grobschmidt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hales Corners Park, Ben Hunt Prairie and Cabin, Seneca Hale Summer Kitchen, Cobb Park - Hales Corners, WI
      • Harnischfeger Park - Ixonia, WI
      • Hart Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hartbrook Park - Hartland, WI
      • Hartung Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Hidden Lake Park - Brookfield, WI
      • High Grove Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Hika Bay Park - Cleveland, WI
      • Hobbs Woods Nature Area - Fond Du Lac, WI
      • Homestead Hollow County Park - Germantown, WI
      • Honey Creek Park - West Allis, WI
      • Hoyt Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Humboldt Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Idle Isle Park - Muskego, WI
      • Indian Mounds County Park - Lake Koshkonong Effigy Mounds and Trail - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Indianhead Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Jackson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Jacobus Park - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Johnstone Park - Oak Creek, WI
      • Kelly Lake Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Kiekhaefer Park - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Kinsey Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kocziuszko Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • H.C. Koepp Village Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • Konkel Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Korth Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Krueger Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Kurth Park - Muskego, WI
      • Alan Kulwicki Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Ledge County Park - Horicon, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Grafton, WI
      • Lime Kiln Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Lincoln Park - Glendale, WI
      • Lions Legend Park I & II - Franklin, WI
      • Lion's Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Lisbon Community Park - Hartland, WI
      • Lyons Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Magnolia Bluff County Park - Evansville, WI
      • Malone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Manchester Hill Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mangan Woods - Greendale, WI
      • Mary Knoll Park - Brookfield, WI
      • McCarty Park - West Allis, WI
      • Menominee River Park - Wausaukee, WI
      • Mitchell Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Monarch Trail / County Grounds Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Moorewood Park - Waukesha, WI
      • Moorland Park - Muskego, WI
      • Mound Zion Park - Brookfield, WI
      • John Muir Memorial County Park - Town of Buffalo, WI
      • Mukwonago Park - Mukwonago, WI
      • Mush Ko Se Day Park - Fort Atkinson, WI
      • Muskego Boardwalk Nature Trail - Muskego, WI
      • Muskego Park - Muskego, WI
      • Nashotah Park - Nashotah, WI
      • Natureland County Park - Whitewater, WI
      • New Berlin Historical Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Nitschke Mounds County Park - Burnett, WI
      • Nixon Park - Hartland, WI
      • North Point Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Oerding Park - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Petrifying Springs Park - Kenosha, WI
      • Picnic Point Park - Oshkosh, WI
      • Pleasant Valley Parks & Trails - Town of Cedarburg, WI
      • Pondview Park - Greenfield, WI
      • Prairie Springs Park - Pleasant Prairie, WI
      • ProHealth Care Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Pulaski Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Regner Park - West Bend, WI
      • Richfield Historical Park - Richfield, WI
      • Ridge Run Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rivers Edge Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Riverside Park - Watertown, WI
      • Riverside Park - West Bend, WI
      • Rock River Heritage County Park - Janesville, WI
      • Rolling Meadows Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Rotary Park - Menomonee Falls, WI
      • Sandy Knoll County Park - Town of Trenton, WI
      • Saveland Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schoen Laufen Park - Germantown, WI
      • Schoetz Park - Village of Hales Corners, WI
      • Schoolhouse Beach - Washington Island, WI
      • Scout Lake Park - Greendale, WI
      • Sheboygan Indian Mound Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Simmons Woods Park - Pewaukee, WI
      • South Shore Park - Bayview, WI
      • Spassland Park - Germantown, WI
      • Springs Park - Delavan, WI
      • Sunset Beach County Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Swan Park - Beaver Dam, WI
      • Three Bridges Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Thunder Mountain Overlook Park - Crivitz, WI
      • Turtle Creek Parkway / Tiffany Bridge - Clinton, WI
      • Tyranena Park - Lake Mills, WI
      • Valley View Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Veterans Memorial Park - Grafton, WI
      • Viking County Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Virmond Park - Mequon, WI
      • Warnimont Park - Cudahy, WI
      • Washington Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Weatherstone Park - New Berlin, WI
      • Wequiock Falls Park - Green Bay, WI
      • Weston Antique Apple Orchard & Isabelle Weston Memorial Trail - New Berlin, WI
      • White River County Park - Walworth County
      • Whitnall Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wilson Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Wind Point Lighthouse - Racine, WI
      • Ken Windl Park - Franklin, WI
      • Wirth Park - Brookfield, WI
      • Xenobia Springs Park - Palmyra, WI
    • Nature Preserves >
      • Adam Birding Conservancy - Whitewater, WI
      • Badertscher Preserve - Muskego, WI
      • Joyce M. Baer & George J. Socha Conservancy - Marshall, WI
      • Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay, WI
      • Beulah Bluff Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Beulah Bog - East Troy, WI
      • Blue Heron Wildlife Sanctuary - Saukville, WI
      • Bratt Woods - Grafton, WI
      • Burlington School Forest - Burlington, WI
      • Calhoun Creek Prairie - New Berlin, WI
      • Cedarburg Bog - Saukville, WI
      • Chiwaukee Prairie - Kenosha, WI
      • Conservancy For Healing And Heritage - Franklin, WI
      • Robert O Cook Arboretum - Janesville, WI
      • Crooked Creek Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Crossroads At Big Creek - Sturgeon Bay
      • Deer Creek Sanctuary - New Berlin, WI
      • Delavan Memorial Arboretum - Delavan, WI
      • Donges Bay Gorge - Mequon, WI
      • Emerald Preserve - Oak Creek, WI
      • Engel Conservation Area - Muskego, WI
      • Faville Grove Sanctuary - Lake Mills, WI
      • Fellenz Woods - West Bend, WI
      • Flowing Well - Whitewater, WI
      • Forest Beach Migratory Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Forest Exploration Center - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Fox River Sanctuary - Waukesha, WI
      • John S. Garman Nature Preserve - Waterloo, WI
      • Garrison's Glen - Mequon, WI
      • Genesee Oak Opening and Fen - Mukwonago, North Prairie WI
      • Gordon Tabor Memorial Woods - Caledonia, WI
      • Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grasslyn Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Greenway Arboretum - Fond du Lac, WI
      • Grootemaat Nature Preserve - Greendale, WI
      • Hartland Marsh Preserve - Village of Hartland, WI
      • Hawthorn Glen - Milwaukee, WI
      • Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum - Kenosha, WI
      • Heckrodt Wetland Reserve - Menasha, WI
      • Hermansen Woods - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Highland Woods - Mequon, WI
      • Hildebrand Nature Conservancy - Village of Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, WI
      • Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area - Horicon, WI
      • Huiras Lake Natural Area - Fredonia, WI
      • Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy - Williams Bay, WI
      • Kurtz Woods State Natural Area - Grafton, WI
      • Lac Lawrann Conservancy - West Bend, WI
      • Lakeshore Nature Preserve - Madison, WI
      • Ledge View Nature Center - Chilton, WI
      • Lion's Den Nature Preserve - Grafton, WI
      • Lois Jensen Nature Preserve - Delafield, WI
      • Lulu Lake Nature Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • John Margis Jr. Wildlife Area - Burlington, WI
      • Maywood Environmental Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • Jean McGraw Memorial Nature Preserve - Kenosha, WI
      • Mequon Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Mill House Native Plant Preserve - Village of Fontana, WI-
      • Moely Prairie - Prairie Du Sac, WI
      • Nature Hill Nature Center - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Ned Hollister Wetlands Conservancy - Delavan, WI
      • Newell and Ann Meyer Nature Preserve - Eagle, WI
      • Nicholson Wildlife Refuge - Franksville, WI
      • Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area - Oakfield, WI
      • Oconomowoc River Conservancy Park - Merton, WI
      • Parry Spring - Dousman, WI
      • Pavcek Preserve - Hartford, WI
      • Petersen Island Woods Preserve - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pheasant Branch Creek Conservancy - Middleton, WI
      • Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve - East Troy, WI
      • Pope Farm Conservancy - Verona, WI
      • Price Park Conservancy - Elkhorn, WI
      • Pukaite Woods Nature Preserve / Mequon Rotary Park - Mequon, WI
      • Retzer Nature Center - Waukesha, WI
      • The Ridges Sanctuary - Baileys Harbor, WI
      • River Bend Nature Center - Racine, WI
      • Riveredge Nature Center - Saukville, WI
      • Helen Rohner Children's Fishing Park - Williams Bay, WI-
      • Saller Woods - Rochester, WI
      • Sanctuary Woods - Wauwatosa, WI
      • Sauk Creek Nature Preserve - Port Washington, WI
      • Schlitz Audubon Nature Center - Milwaukee, WI
      • Schmeekle Reserve - Stevens Point, WI
      • Seno Woodland Center - Burlington, WI
      • Spirit Lake Nature Preserve - Mequon, WI
      • Spruce Lake Bog - Campbellsport, WI
      • Stigler Nature Preserve - New Berlin, WI
      • Towering Woods Nature Area - Greenfield, WI
      • Trinity Creek Wetland Habitat - Mequon, WI
      • UW-Waukesha Field Station - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Van der Brohe Arboretum - Two Rivers, WI
      • Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area - Mukwonago, WI
      • Vernon Wildlife Area - Waterford, WI
      • Wadewitz Nature Camp - Village of Rochester, WI
      • Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve - Burlington, WI
      • Wehr Nature Center - Franklin, WI
      • Whitnall School Forest - Greenfield, WI
      • Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve - Two Rivers, WI
      • Zeloski Marsh - Cambridge, WI
    • State Parks >
      • Aztalan State Park - Aztalan, WI
      • Baxter's Hollow State Natural Area - Sauk City, WI
      • Big Foot Beach State Park - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Bong State Recreation Area - Kansasville, WI
      • C. D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area - Kewaunee, WI
      • Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area - New Glarus, WI
      • Copper Culture State Park - Oconto, WI
      • Devil's Lake State Park - Baraboo, WI
      • Harrington Beach State Park - Belgium, WI
      • Hartman Creek State Park - Waupaca, WI
      • Havenwoods State Forest - Milwaukee, WI
      • High Cliff State Park - Sherwood, WI
      • Kohler-Andrae State Park - Sheboygan, WI
      • La Budde State Natural Area - Ice Age Trail Segment - Plymouth, WI
      • Lake Kegonsa State Park - Stoughton, WI
      • Lakeshore State Park - Milwaukee, WI
      • Lapham Peak State Park - Delafield, WI
      • Lizard Mound State Park - Farmington, WI
      • Mauthe Lake State Recreation Area - Campbellsport, WI
      • Mukwonago River Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago, WI
      • Natural Bridge State Park - North Freedom, WI
      • Newport State Park - Ellison Bay, WI
      • Peninsula State Park - Fish Creek, WI
      • Pike Lake State Park - Hartford, WI
      • Point Beach State Forest - Two Rivers, WI
      • Potawatomi State Park - Sturgeon Bay, WI
    • Sculpture Gardens, Conservancies & Observatories >
      • Bobrowitz Sculpture Garden - Colgate, WI
      • Boerner Botanical Gardens - Hales Corners, WI
      • Nick Engelbert's Grandview - Hollandale, WI
      • Franconia Sculpture Park - Shafer, MN
      • The Garden Door - Sturgeon Bay, WI
      • Greendale Children's Garden - Greendale, WI
      • Harmony Arboretum & Gardens - Peshtigo, WI
      • Labyrinth Garden Earth Sculpture - West Bend, WI
      • Margie's Garden - Hales Corners, WI
      • Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy - Milwaukee, WI
      • Modine-Benstead Observatory - Union Grove, WI
      • New Life Lavender & Cherry Farm - Baraboo, WI
      • Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Madison, WI
      • M. Schettl Sales - Sculpture and Oddities
      • Rotary Botanical Gardens - Janesville, WI
      • Sisson's Peony Garden - Rosendale, WI
      • Stavkirke - Washington Island, WI
      • Stevens Point Sculpture Park - Stevens Point, WI
      • James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden - Town of Wilson, WI
      • West Of The Lake Gardens - Manitowoc, WI
      • Yerkes Observatory - Williams Bay, WI
    • Cemeteries >
      • Calvary Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Forest Home Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • Highland Memorial Park Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • La Belle Cemetery - Oconomowoc, WI
      • Mount Olivet Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
      • New Berlin Center Cemetery - New Berlin, WI
      • Oak Hill Cemetery - Lake Geneva, WI
      • Riverside Cemetery - Oshkosh, WI
      • St. Adalbert Cemetery - Milwaukee, WI
  • Gardening for Wildlife
    • The Eco-Friendly Lawn
    • Welcome to the Firefly Show
    • Birdbaths in the Habitat
  • Detours, Links & More