Northwoods Bird and Wildlife Festival - 19th Annual

Festival Guide coming soon!

Please note that each event is limited to a certain number of participants, so don't hesitate to register ahead of time to assure your spot! 

Schedule of Events: 

Friday, May 10

7-8:30am – Northwoods Flora, Birds and Buds at MECCA Trails (separate registration required, found here)

• Join Discovery Center Naturalists Licia and Aidan as we explore the wonderful trails of MECCA near the Little Turtle Flowage for signs of spring - including early bird arrivals and spring flowers and plants!

10-2pm – Early Registration

2-5pm – Tour of the Northwoods Wildlife Center

• Since 1979, the Northwoods Wildlife Center has been rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife, while educating the public about how to be better neighbors to whom we share our environment with. We’ll take a guided tour of the facility while learning about how the center cares for wildlife and meet some of their animal ambassadors. 

5-6pm – Welcome reception w/ appetizers/desserts

• Join us in kicking off the 19th Annual Northwoods Bird and Wildlife Festival with light appetizers, desserts, and a cash bar before the evening presentation in the NLDC Main Lodge.

6-7pm – Presentation: John Bates, Bird Species of the Northwoods

• We return again and again to particular places because of their beauty, and ultimately what we feel as their spirit. While each of us experiences a place differently, there are certain species that seem to speak to all of us, and which in many ways define the spirit of a place. Through beautiful photography, short readings, and occasional birdsong, this talk will celebrate an array of northern bird species that often evoke our strongest connections and our deepest love.

Saturday, May 11

5-8am – Breakfast & Registration

Note: before signing up for a field trip or excursion, make sure the time frame does not overlap with another activity!

5:30am – Bird banding with Bruce @ NLDC

• Stop by the bird banding tent to see Bruce Bacon demonstrate techniques for live bird banding. See birds up close and learn about how banding research is important for survival, productivity, and distribution of birds. You may even have an opportunity to release a bird once it’s been banded!

5:30am – Sunrise warbler walks

• These short hikes are a great way to catch some early birds! View and listen for bird activity around NLDC trails at the busy hours of the morning. Routes will be assigned by color at registration. 

6-8am – Field Trip – NLDC staff – Van Vliet Hemlocks 

• This old-growth forest encompasses 400 acres, 4 ½ miles of trails, and more than 1 ½ miles of shoreline in “Wisconsin’s Last Wilderness,” Presque Isle, Wisconsin. The site showcases unique ecology and Northwoods wildlife and represents a rare remnant of the northern hardwood-hemlock forest. This site offers opportunities for viewing hermit thrush, black and white warblers, black throated green warblers, and many more!

6-11am – Field Trip – Zach Wilson - Iron County Hotspots

• This field trip led by Zach Wilson will head deep into the wilds of north central Iron County to visit an amazing diversity of forest types from old growth hemlock hardwoods to tamarack keg swamps to early succession aspen stands. Zach will lead you on the hunt for gray jays, spruce grouse, northern goshawk, and more!

7:30-11am – Field Trip – John Bates –Powell Marsh 

• Head out to Powell Marsh with lifetime birder John Bates to explore one of the best spots for a variety of species from waterfowl to shorebirds to sparrows. You'll have time to explore some of the less traveled parts of the marsh as you search for birds and wildlife.  Large, open peatland habitat is rare in northern Wisconsin making Powell Marsh a regionally important wetland because of its large size and open character. The wetland system currently seen at Powell Marsh was maintained by wildfires for thousands of years.

7:30-11am – Field Trip – NLDC staff –Lumberjack Trail

• The Lumberjack Trail system includes several wilderness trails of grass and dirt gently winding through towering red pines, stands of hemlocks, and maples along the edge of the Manitowish River, Fishtrap Lake and White Sand Lake. Many aquatic wildlife thrive in both waterways, such as river otters, muskrats, trumpeter swans, ducks of various species, and blue herons. 

9-11am – Field Trip – NLDC staff – North Trout Interpretive Trail & Cathedral Point

• This trail meanders around a mature black spruce tamarack bog as well as along Trout Lake, offering a beautiful view and a good chance of seeing a wide variety of birds and other species. 

11-11:45am – Lunch @ NLDC

• Sit down with your fellow birders and talk about your festival excursions over a well-earned lunch. Cost is included in registration fee. 

12-1pm – Keynote presentation: REGI: Wings and Wonders Program

• Leave your binoculars in the car! Have you ever met an owl face to face? What about a hawk? A falcon? Meet some of Wisconsin's common, but rarely encountered birds. Discover and see up close what makes a raptor unique, hear their stories and learn what you can do to ensure they remain a significant part of the ecosystem. 

1:30pm-2:30pm – Concurrent Sessions 

1. Owls of Wisconsin with Fox Carvis

• Join educator Fox Carvis from the Treehaven field station in Tomahawk to discover the different owl species found in our state. From the familiar great horned owl to the elusive snowy owl, you will learn what adaptations make an owl an owl, how to identify each species by sight and by sound, and what you can do to help owl populations thrive! ​​​​​​​

2. Macro invertebrates and critter catching  – NLDC Staff

• During this session, we’ll head down to Statehouse lake to look for aquatic macroinvertebrates in the water, point out key identification features, and discuss how these insects are vital to our ecosystems. Be ready to get your hands dirty!

3. Land restoration and Wildlife Impacts with Jamie

2:45pm-3:45pm – Concurrent Sessions 

4. Waterfowl Identification and Adaptations with Aidan

• In this session, you will learn identifying characteristics of all the North American ducks, geese and swan species that are common in northern Wisconsin. We’ll discuss basic wing ID, differentiating calls, and identifying birds by sight. 

5. Bat program with Licia

6. The Mystery of Rare Birds with Frank Schroyer

• Recently, the State of Wisconsin has seen numerous sightings of strange or uncommon bird species, like American Flamingos on Lake Michigan and a Painted Redstart west of Madison. So, what causes these birds to show up so far out of their normal range? Join Frank S. of Northwoods Land Trust to dive deeper into the occurrence of rare species far from their home range, and find out what research says about how and why this happens. You will also receive a crash course in how to find some of these out of place species!

4pm – Grand bird tally & raffle drawing

• Gather back in the main lodge for the raffle drawing and to find out the total species number encountered during the festival!

Space is limited for certain events, so be sure to register ahead of time. Breakfast on Saturday is included in registration, and lunch is included if you register before 5/3/24. 

Remember to bring your binoculars, your favorite field guide, and check the weather!

Thank you to our sponsors! 

Please read our program registration and cancellation policy here.  (V)