Have you viewed Lakeshore State Park from the water?

There’s lots to love about summer at Lakeshore State Park, but one of our favorites: It’s the season for paddle boats!

“For my money it’s the best view in the city,” said Timothy Ritter, owner of Lakeshore Paddle Sport Rentals. Tim and wife Val operate their business mid-May through mid-September, depending on the weather. “The water is so clean, and the breezes, and going by Summerfest … it’s just a really unique spot.”

Lakeshore Paddle Sport Rentals gives visitors a chance to experience the park from a different vantage point by paddling around the Maritime Water Basin and the Quiet Water Basin between Lakeshore State Park and the Summerfest grounds. Rent a paddleboat or hydrobike and you’ll have a non-polluting way to get around while getting exercise, too.

It’s a great activity for families, friends, or anyone who enjoys being on the water.

For my money it’s the best view in the city. The water is so clean, and the breezes, and going by Summerfest … it’s just a really unique spot.
Timothy Ritter

A few tips to keep in mind when renting from Lakeshore Paddle Sport Rentals:

If you’re a 2022 Park Pal or Prairie Patron, you’ll have a separate email* from us today that you can use to get discounted paddle boat and hydrobike rentals. Don’t lose that email – it’s good all summer! That same email also will give you information on claiming a discount at Milwaukee Kayak Company this summer.
Bring water or soft drinks to enjoy while you paddle. Each rental is for an hour, so you’ll appreciate having refreshments.
It’s a good idea to bring a hat and sunglasses. The paddle boats have canopies for shade, but on a sunny day there’s plenty of glare off the water.
A life vest is included with your rental.
Bring your (small) pet!

About that last piece of advice: Ritter said he has seen all kinds of pets join their humans on the water. “We’ve had dogs, cats, snakes, turtles,” Ritter said. “It’s such a fun thing to do.”

But to Ritter, the people are what make his job rewarding. “We have nothing but nice people and families as customers, it’s a joy.” Many are out-of-towners who ask his advice about things to do. “And they just gush, people just gush about Milwaukee and the downtown. It gets me right in the heart.”

*If you are a 2022 Prairie Pal or Prairie Patron and did not get the discount email, send a message to admin@friendslsp.org with your full name and approximate date of contribution and we’ll get the discount email out to you right away.

6 Things to Know About Bird-Watching

Bird-watching is one of the most popular activities at Lakeshore State Park, and it can be done in lots of different ways.

Whether you’ve got binoculars or an iPhone, you’re on your lunch break or making a special trip, it’s a rewarding and relaxing experience.

Blogger and birder Nathaniel Wegner shared some of his tips about birding at LSP, where a combination of lakeshore and prairie habitats create great bird-watching opportunities year-round. And check out Sunday Birders, Nathaniel’s blog about birding and exploring nature throughout Wisconsin.

1. Spring migration is a great time to view visiting species.

March through June is the peak of spring migration season, when you can spot species that are just passing through. This is when you can see unique shorebird species like the American Avocet (one of Nathaniel’s favorites) and Hudsonian and Marbled Godwits in addition to the more common Willets.

“Certain days each May can be amazing, especially with winds from the southwest, which push the birds towards the lake.”
Nathaniel Wegner

Birders have observed over 100 species in a single day during this time of year. Nathaniel’s tip: Always check the beach for the shorebirds and any terns that are migrating through.

2. Fall migration is, too!

Humans may pack up their beach towels when fall comes, but shorebirds come back again.. “This is also the time when rarities such as Whimbrel, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, and Nelson’s and LeConte’s Sparrows have shown up,” said Nathaniel.

jim edlhuber black-belled plover — A Black-belled Plover, one of many birds you can spot at Lakeshore State Park. Credit: Photo by Jim Edlhuber

In addition to the beach, don’t overlook the large grassy area in the middle of the park, said Nathaniel. “It’s a good spot to check in fall, as a few of the shorebird species have been seen there, and sometimes a Cackling Goose will show up, too.”

3. Check out the rain garden area in summer.

“Summer is the quietest season in terms of birding in Milwaukee, but the rain garden area could have species like Sora or a Green Heron lurking in the reeds.”

4. The lakeshore rocks see action in cold months.

Starting in late October through January, the rocks along the lake are a great place to look for late migrants, said Nathaniel. These include Snow Bunting, Horned Lark and American Pipit, which sometimes will even winter in the area. You might even find a Short-eared Owl.

5. Visit the lagoon in winter

In the winter months, the lagoon is the place to spot many species of diving ducks, especially Long-tailed Ducks and scoter species.

6. Give eBird a try!

Nathaniel recommends that anyone interested in birds try eBird, a website and app from the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology. “You can keep track of all the species you’ve seen, get rare bird alerts, see what species are usually seen at a specific park, and help science along the way.”

jim edlhuber green heron — A Green Heron, one of many birds you can spot at Lakeshore State Park. Credit: Photo by Jim Edlhuber

Park Update – June 2022

Summer is fast approaching, and our marina opened back up for the season on May 15^th. Overnight reservations for the Park’s 20 boat slips are accepted up to 11 months in advance . The marina season will be getting cut short this year, as they will be getting fully re-decked beginning in early August. We’ve also made an adjustment based on analysis of previous years’ use to our hourly use slips. This year, Slip 6 only will be made available for hourly, on a first-come/first-served basis each day except for Summerfest, Germanfest and Air/Water Show weekends when the marina is fully reserved.

Special Group Volunteer Project: Last year, we were able to work with a group of volunteers to complete a new coat of paint to half of the harbor railings down by the Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse. We are looking for a group to assist us again this year in finishing up the remaining railings. If you have a group that may be interested, reach out to Angela with any questions and to schedule a date to come out!

Thank you to all of the volunteers that have assisted us so far this season, with litter cleanups, invasive species removal, and prairie plantings! Truly, we could not complete our major projects without all of your help, and it is greatly appreciated!

Note that the main ‘island’ portion of the park will be closed due to firework discharges on the following dates this month associated with events at Henry Maier Festival Park: 6/4, 6/9, 6/11 and 6/23. From approximately 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm, the park will be closed to visitors between the pedestrian bridge and the back of Summerfest’s BMO stage to ensure visitor and staff safety until discharge and safety inspections are complete.

And lastly, I’m trying to keep this short because we have a large number of public events coming up in June! Our educator staff members are keeping themselves busy and offering a wide variety of events for everyone to enjoy, so check out the upcoming events and come learn something new! For more information on each event, visit the Friends Facebook page or search for ‘Lakeshore State Park’ on the DNR’s Event page.

Angela Vickio
Superintendent – Milwaukee State Parks Work Unit
414-750-1237
angela.vickio@wisconsin.gov

Upcoming Events
All events meet at the Park’s north entrance, just west of Discovery World, unless otherwise noted.

Saturday, June 4 – 9:30-10:30 Bird Hike
Saturday, June 11 – 1 to 2:30 Apps for Plant and Animal Identification
Monday, June 13: 9:30 to 11 a.m. – National Weed Your Garden Day Volunteer Park Weeding
Tuesday, June 14 – 6 to 7:30 Flag Day Veteran’s Hike
Wednesday, June 15 – 6-7pm Rainbow Scavenger Hunt
Wednesday, June 15 – 7-9pm Beach ‘Bonfire’ (Meets at Pebble Beach)
Thursday, June 16 – 6 to 7:30 Wild Edible Plants / Plantas silvestres comestibles (bilingual)
Friday, June 17 – 6-7:30 Pollinator Hike
Saturday, June 18 – 1 p.m. to 2:30 Fossil Hike / Caminata de fósiles (bilingual)
Sunday, June19 – 1 to 2:30 Father’s Day Fishing Clinic / Aprender a pescar con Papá para el Día del padre (bilingual) (Meets at South Entrance)
Tuesday, June 21 – 7 – 8:30 pm Summer Solstice Sunset Hike / Caminata al puesto del sol para el Solsticio de Verano (bilingual)
Sunday, June 26 – 1-2pm Prairie Phenology Hike
Sunday, June 26 – 7 – 8:30 pm Sunset Hike / Caminata al puesto del sol (bilingual)
Tuesday, June 28 – 6 to 7:30 – History of Lakeshore State Park Hike / Caminata histórica del parque estatal Lakeshore (bilingual)

THERE’S STILL TIME TO SEE MIGRATING BIRDS!

Spring migration, when many bird species visit town en route to their final destination, is a special time for birders. And Lakeshore State Park, with its mix of lakefront and prairie habitats, is a special place to take advantage of this opportunity.

Since June is the last month of spring migration season, we asked blogger and birder Nathaniel Wegner for some tips about taking advantage of it. Nathaniel, a home-schooled high school student who lives in Greendale, has been birding since 2017. He travels the state to explore parks and other natural environments and appreciates the unique experience each place offers.

“The number of species moving through our area is extremely fun to witness,” said Nathaniel. “The majority of Milwaukee’s shorebirds, warblers, and thrushes (and many sparrows and flycatchers) are migratory, so spring and fall are our only shot at seeing most of these species.”

At LSP, Nathaniel’s personal favorite during spring migration is the American Avocet. “Through the years, Lakeshore has been the best area in Milwaukee county to see this species,” he said. “It’s such a distinctive looking species in a class of birds that’s notorious for looking very similar, with its cinnamon colored head, black and white wings, and blue-grey legs.” You can usually find American Avocets on the beach along with other migrating shorebirds.

Nathaniel has been to many other parks with beaches, large grassy areas, rocks by the lake or rain gardens, but he considers LSP unique. “I think it’s the combination of all of these habitats (and in a relatively small area, in the middle of downtown) that gives it such bird diversity.”

You can learn more about birding at Nathaniel’s blog, Sunday Birders. And watch the Friends’ website for more tips from him about bird-watching at LSP.

Nathaniel Wegner Credit: Photo by Steve Wegner

Park Property Supervisor Update – May 2022

Thank you to all the volunteers that came out for the Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup at Lakeshore State Park! Your work helped prevent dozens of bags worth of litter and debris from making its way into our precious resource of Lake Michigan, and it was one of the nicest weather days we’ve had for the event in years!

As we move to warmer weather, park staff and volunteers are working to make sure our prairies are ready for spring. You may see some of the prairies mowed back, in an effort to encourage mulch formation after they’ve served their purpose of food and habitat for winter wildlife. This practice also allows us to identify and remove invasive plants that seek to establish and take over prior to our native warm weather grasses and forbs emerging.

Thanks to contributions to the Friends of Lakeshore State Park, we are continuing efforts to restore our second largest prairie to native grasses and forbs. Our order of 4,548 prairie plants are set to be delivered the week of May 23^rd. We are in need of all the help we can get (many hands make light work) for volunteer shifts 9-11:30am and 1-3:30pm daily on May 25^th, 26^th and 27^th. To sign up for a shift (or a few), visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/volunteer and follow the instructions for becoming a volunteer in our State Park System!

Migratory waterfowl are making their way back for summer, with recent sightings of a couple northern shovelers, American black ducks, and blue winged teal. American avocets are also on their way through, so keep your eyes open along the shoreline and quiet water basin at the park!

We’ve got a number of events coming up in May, including our first beach ‘bonfire’ of the season, hope to see you there! All events meet at the north entrance unless otherwise noted.

Saturday May 7^th, 9-10:30am Lakeshore History Hike
Sunday May 8^th, 1-2pm Walk with Mom
Saturday May 14^th, 9:30-10:30am Bird Hike
Wednesday May 18^th, 6-7pm Bubble Walk
Wednesday May 18^th, 7-9pm Beach ‘Bonfire’ (meet at pebble beach)
Saturday May 21^st, 10-11:30am Kids Fishing Clinic (meet at south entrance near BMO Harris stage)
Saturday May 28^th, 10-11 am Prairie Phenology Hike

Angela Vickio
Angela.Vickio@wisconsin.gov.

Looking for a group activity? Think about scheduling a Lakeshore State Park tour!

It’s a place to walk, run, picnic, fish, fly kites and more. But did you know Lakeshore State Park is also a classroom?

Each year, the park hosts dozens of group tours, walks and workshops on topics ranging from prairie ecology and native wildlife to Great Lakes history and the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly. Many are scheduled by teachers who bring science lessons to life as their students learn about animal tracking, fish identification and migratory bird patterns.

But anyone who’s curious can find a group activity just right for them. Think out-of-town wedding guests, book clubs, family reunions, church groups, drawing clubs — Lakeshore State Park offers enough variety to engage everyone.

“We welcome groups of all kinds. For those with limited mobility, for instance, we can keep walking to a minimum and stick to the paved trails. For kids, we can set up fishing clinics, fun hands-on activities and laboratory exercises. Other folks simply love to stroll the park and learn about prairie plant life.”
Park Superintendent Angela Vickio

Whenever possible, park staff will do their best to customize the experience. Educators will be interested to know that programs can be tailored to fit curriculum needs, and many follow Next Generation Science Standards.

Angela advises planning in advance to ensure you can schedule a time that’s available. Most visits take about two hours.

The cost for a field trip is $30 for groups of under 15 participants and $2 per person for groups larger than 15. Chaperones accompanying children’s groups are free. To schedule, simply call or email Angela at (414) 750-1237, Angela.Vickio@wisconsin.gov.

Learn more on our Education page or download our brochure.