A snow bunting perching atop a boulder. Photo by Rita Flores Wiskowski.

Veterans Park is a great place to check out during the fall months. There is bound to be something of note in the lagoon, Marina, and/or Lake Michigan. November is often the time to find snowy owls, interesting ducks and geese, late migrants, exciting gull species and more! Routes we might take include around the lagoon and about a half mile north along the lakefront to McKinley Beach, which gets snow buntings every year about this time. Here's hoping they show up for us.

Parking

Please note that the address 1750 N Lincoln Memorial Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53202 will direct you to the entirety of the park, rather than our meeting place of the Marina Parking Lot at Veterans Park (43.04948599072413, -87.88660770891948).

What to Expect

The weather could be warm and balmy...but be prepared for cool, blustery conditions by the lake, so dressing in layers is recommended. We’ll be birding on paved walking paths as well as grassy areas. There probably won’t be restrooms open in the parks, but Colectivo Coffee is across the road between Veterans Park and McKinley Beach, and has restrooms, good food, and great coffee.

Species List

• 50 Canada Geese

• 2 Mallards

• 2 Red-breasted Merganser

• 1 Pied-billed Grebe

• 34 American Coots

• 25 Ring-billed Gulls – including one that walked along with us for a few minutes and posed for some close-up photos

• 25 Herring Gulls

• 1 Turkey Vulture

• 1 European Starling

• 1 House Sparrow

• 4 Snow Buntings

• 2 American Tree Sparrows