Tag: citizen science

OWBC meeting – Mystery of Migration with Bill Volkert – FREE

September 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition Mystery of Migration with Bill Volkert at Mequon Nature Preserve & on Zoom

One of the most fascinating aspects of the lives of birds is their ability to migrate thousands of miles as they follow the changing seasons. This presentation will explore the annual migration of birds, their seasonal phenology, and explore recent studies that reveal more information and instill greater wonder over the phenomenon of bird migration. Birds not only come and go with the seasons, but they do so in the same order every year. This program will provide an insight into why birds migrate and the orderly succession of species that arrive in Wisconsin each spring.

Ages 18+

In person registration:
Meet at Mequon Nature Preserve (address below).

Register Here

Virtual registration:

Register Here


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September 10, 2025 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Mequon Nature Preserve

8200 W. County Line Road
Mequon, WI 53097 United States

OWBC: Good News for 2 Endangered Birds (VIRTUAL)

August 13 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition: Good News for 2 Endangered Birds (VIRTUAL ONLY EVENT)

Davin Lopez from the Wisconsin DNR will be talking about the Kirtland’s Warbler and Whooping Crane restoration efforts that he leads in Wisconsin. Since both species breed in our state, the DNR plays a significant role in conservation efforts that support their populations by protecting and restoring their habitats.

Ages 18+ | No pre-registration required.

This is a fully virtual program! Click the link below to join.

Join on Zoom


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    Ages 18+ | Free
    No pre-registration required

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August 13, 2025 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Riveredge Nature Center

4458 County Hwy Y
Saukville, WI United States + Google Map
(262) 375-2715

OWBC Field Trip: Breeding Season at Horicon Marsh

August 9 @ 6:00 am – 1:00 pm

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition Field Trip: Breeding Season at Horicon Marsh

Cutright Bird Club coordinator Carl Schwartz and others will be leading this trip to witness the breeding season and early shorebird migration at Horicon Marsh. Special focus will be on finding any recent eBird rarities as well as sorting through an assortment of recently fledged ducks, rails, herons, bitterns, pelicans, and terns, as well as shorebirds already returning from Arctic breeding grounds. We will be on the lookout for resident Whooping Crane and Black-necked Stilt fledges. We will canvass as many local hotspots as time and weather allow, e.g., Old Marsh Road, Main Dike Road, Ledge Road, the Auto Loop Road, Highway 49, Marsh Haven. Some hiking is likely so wear appropriate footwear and clothing; also bring a water bottle, energy snacks and sunscreen. This trip is sponsored by the Noel J. Cutright Bird Club.

Ages 18+ | Park and meet at 6:00 am at the Park & Ride lot at the intersection of Highway 33 and Interstate 41, just east of Allenton (address below).

Email trip leader at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com if you plan to join.

Email Carl to RSVP


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    Ages 18+ | Free
    Email trip leader at cschwartz3@wi.rr.com if you plan to join

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August 9, 2025 @ 6:00 am – 1:00 pm

Park & Ride at 33 and 41

6689 County Rd W
Allenton, Wisconsin 53002 United States

Butterfly and Dragonfly Count

June 28 @ 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Butterfly and Dragonfly Count

Contribute to 30+ years of research on the abundance of butterflies and dragonflies at Riveredge by helping with these counts! You will have the opportunity to to shadow and learn to identify important indicator species in the field alongside conservation professionals. Participate for all or part of the day. Wear walking shoes and pack a bag lunch if you’re staying for the day.

8:30 am – 9:30 am – Review
9:30 am – 3:00 pm – Count in the Field

Ages 18+
This event is free for everyone!
Pre-registration is not required, but highly recommended so you can be notified of any changes due to weather.

Register Here

June 28, 2025 @ 8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Riveredge Nature Center

4458 County Hwy Y
Saukville, WI United States + Google Map
(262) 375-2715

OWBC: A Quilting Field Trip Through the Natural World

June 11 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition: A Quilting Field Trip Through the Natural World In-Person and Virtual

Anita Carpenter, a retired pharmacist, has been enthralled with the natural world since childhood. She even returned to UW-Oshkosh to obtain a master’s degree in biology – just for the fun of it. For 30 years, she co-led the UWO Biology Department’s spring break camping field trips. She is a naturalist, nature writer for 40+ years, avid birder and butterflier but is really interested in anything that piques her curiosity. In retirement she volunteers with the UWO grounds crew, monitoring bird houses, documenting nesting, surveying insects, caring for the natural areas and weeding, weeding and more weeding. And in her spare time, she has been an avid quilter for 20 years. These are not your grandmother’s quilts. From the beginning, Anita was inspired to create original, nature-themed, scientifically-correct quilts. Each requires an in-depth look, for they include hidden, often camouflaged, organisms appropriate to the quilt’s theme.

Ages 18+ | Pre-registration required for those joining in-person.
If attending in-person, please meet at Mequon Nature Preserve (address below). If joining virtually, use the link below to view the presentation.

In-Person Registration  Join on Zoom


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    Ages 18+ | Free
    Registration required to attend in-person

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June 11, 2025 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Mequon Nature Preserve

8200 W. County Line Road
Mequon, WI 53097 United States

OWBC Field Trip: Birding in the N. Kettle Moraine

June 5 @ 6:00 am – 1:00 pm

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition Field Trip: Birding in the Northern Kettle Moraine Forest with Jeff Baughman

Veteran expert birder Jeff Baughman is intimately acquainted with all the rarities and specialty birds of the Northern Kettle Moraine. He also knows the Northern Kettle Moraine “like the back of his hand!” We will explore a number of Kettle Moraine hotspots like Mauthe Lake, Jersey Flats, Haushalter Lane, Spruce Lake Bog. We will be in search of multiple warbler species, flycatchers, raptors, sparrows, and waterbirds. Signature resident species such as Northern Waterthrush, Hooded, Pine, and Cerulean Warblers will be especially targeted along with Acadian and Alder Flycatchers, Henslow’s Sparrow, and Northern Waterthrush. Totals of 85 to 95 species have been observed in the past on this outing. Bring lunch, snacks, and water. Carpooling will be encouraged. This outing is sponsored by the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog, Lake Michigan Bird Observatory and the Noel J. Cutright Bird Club.

Ages 18+ | Pre-registration is required through the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog.
Meet at the Jersey Flats Prairie (address below).

Friends of the Cedarburg Bog Website

June 5, 2025 @ 6:00 am – 1:00 pm

Jersey Flats Prairie

639 County Rd SS
Campbellsport, Wisconsin 53010 United States

Riveredge Bioblitz

July 12 @ 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Riveredge Bioblitz

Riveredge welcomes all to our first annual Bioblitz at the new Riveredge Sandhill Property! (Sandhill is located @  4630 St.Finbars Road, Saukville, WI 53080  – park on the East side of St. Finbars Road.)

The Bioblitz is a free event where participants actively contribute to the historic monitoring and inventory of plants, birds, insects, fish and more within a fixed acreage of land and water. We’ll use photo documentation and data collection with the easy-to-use iNaturalist app. (If you’re new to iNaturalist, we’ll show you how to use it.) See below for a guide to the day–come for all or just drop in for your favorite activity.

GUIDE TO THE DAY

Anytime 8:00 am – 3:00 pm | Registration and App Orientation (Downloading iNaturalist on your phone is the first step to contributing to this citizen science community effort. We will be on-hand to give you a short tutorial to the app if you haven’t used it before! If you would like your observations to count towards this BioBlitz, you will join the Riveredge Bioblitz through the iNaturalist application on your smart device.) Our Registration and App Orientation Table will be located on the trailhead into Sandhill and open from 8:00am to 3:00pm.

Anytime 8:00 am – 3:00 pm | Bioblitz! (Once registered, simply use the app to help you identify and record everything from grass, flowers, insects, trees, birds and mammals!  Your contributions will be added to our total species list, help to inform management, and track change over time. 

8:00 am – 12:00 pm | Songbird Capture and Banding Research Observation (Mist-nets and a banding table will be set up with an ability to approach and engage researchers recording data and banding wild songbirds. The Riveredge Research Manager Jana Gedymin will lead this effort.  Jana is a Master Bander certified through the Institute for Bird Populations)

9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm | Tour Woody Plant Identification and Community Orchard Demonstration Area (Matt Smith, research and conservation director, will lead groups on a tour of wild native woody plants and the native agroforestry plantings Riveredge has established with the Savanna Institute and Great Lakes Protection Fund.  Matt has been a restoration ecologist for the last 24 years and is well-versed in teaching native species identification and ecology.  Tours will be 30 minutes long and run on the hour at 9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm

8:30am, 9:30am, 11:30 am, 1:30pm | Tour Birding by Sight and Song (Nathaniel Reinartz, conservation manager, will lead groups on an educational hike to discover the area’s songbirds by sight and song.  Nathaniel is a professional atlaser and bioacoustic technician that annually monitors birds in their habitats, conducts Wisconsin breeding bird atlas field surveys, and speciates birds through audio recordings and spectrograph analysis.  Nathaniel also leads the Friday morning bird walks at Riveredge.  If you don’t have binoculars we have enough to lend for the tour 🙂  Tours will be 45 minutes long and run at: 8:30am, 9:30am, 11:30 am, 1:30pm  

8:00 am – 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Interactive Youth Activity Table (Riveredge Environmental Educators will host fun nature-based activities t<hroughout the day in the shade)

 

All ages welcome | Children must be accompanied by an adult
This event is free for everyone!
Pre-registration is not required, but highly recommended so you can be notified of any changes due to weather.

Register Here

View or print the instructions for the iNaturalist app ahead of time by clicking the green button below!

Instruction Sheet for Getting Started with iNaturalist

July 12, 2025 @ 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

STUDENT RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM November 15, 2025

Student Research Symposium 2025

Saturday, November 15 2025 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Accepting abstracts for poster and oral presentations through October 24!

We are excited to showcase new academic talent! Uncover insights into the natural world and support the next generation of scholars by attending the Student Research Symposium on November 15th. Undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities in our region will present their research with posters and oral presentations. The day includes a keynote from a distinguished speaker and a catered lunch. Come for all or part of the day.

There will be cash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Plus, all student presenters will receive a FREE Riveredge Membership just for participating!

Student Presenter: Free! Abstracts submission deadline extended to October 24th.
Current Student Non-presenter: Free
Supporter by November 10: $5
Supporter after November 10: $7
Children under 12: Free (must be accompanied by an adult)
All registrations include a catered lunch! Please indicate dietary restrictions/allergies on the registration form.

Student Presenters – Submit Your Abstract Here by Oct 24th
Supporters & Presenters – Register Here
High School Groups – Register Here
a college student giving a presentation in a Riveredge classroom

Call for Student Presenters!

How to submit your abstract:

We invite college students to submit an abstract of a current or recent year’s research project to present in oral or poster form at our Student Research Symposium. Submissions are welcome in the categories of biology, environmental science, chemistry, geology, and other sciences. The abstract submission deadline has been extended to October 24th! There will be cash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Plus, all presenters will receive a FREE Riveredge Membership just for participating!

Submit Your Abstract Here by Oct 24
Register Here After Submitting Your Abstract

Please see below for important presentation information.

Presentation Information for Student Presenters

Poster Presentation

  • Posters should be a maximum size of 44″ X 36″
  • We will have a tripod easel and poster board set up for you. Posters will be attached to the display boards using binder clips that will be provided.
  • Poster set-up will be 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 15th, 2025 (the morning of the event).
  • Alternativity, students are welcome to drop off their posters to Riveredge Nature Center weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. before November, 15th.
  • Presenters should be available to discuss their posters at the event during the poster session (time TBD)


Oral Presentation

  • Presentations are scheduled for a 15 minute block (10-12 minute presentation with an additional 3-5 minutes for a question-and-answer period).
  • Sessions will be moderated and the time limit enforced.
  • Computers attached to digital projectors will be equipped with USB ports for flash drives. It is best to have multiple copies of your presentation saved in the cloud and on physical media. All rooms will be equipped with a computer, projector, and screen.
  • If additional equipment, including audio, is needed, please indicate this when you submit your abstract.


Keynote Speaker

Marissa Jablonski, PhD
Executive Director, Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin

Dr. Marissa Jablonski is the executive director of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. She is an accomplished water engineer, environmental advisor, and plastics-reduction expert who has worked in more than 45 countries on Earth. Her way of understanding and engaging in complex interactions between human beings and environmental systems, combined with her skills in storytelling and systems processes, make her a much sought after consultant and public speaker.

Marissa lives her life as part of a global community. She is a founding member and mentor to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, and advises on the design and implementation of projects in Guatemala. She also serves as International Coordinator of a Guatemalan-led NGO that builds infrastructure with indigenous communities’ to meet the needs of five groups involved in each project.

Marissa Jablonski headshot

After earning a PhD in Environmental Engineering and serving as an instructor of Peacebuilding, Engineering, and Physics at numerous institutions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin she moved to Washington, DC to work in policy. During her time as a 2017-19 AAAS Science Technology and Policy Fellow at USAID, she was both a Public Diplomacy Fellow in the Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad and also an Environmental Advisor to the Office of Food For Peace. During this time, she was also asked by the US Embassy of Thailand and the Phuket Hotels Association to serve as an Embassy Science Fellow to design and lead a 5-point model to help reduce their single-use plastics by more than 6 million in 2018.

Marissa is an advocate for minorities and women in STEM fields and served as coordinator of NSF’s FORTE program during 2009-2015. During that time, she also designed an internationally recognized project that engaged with informal dye industries in rural India to affordably clean their wastewater. Marissa’s innovative outlook on research, business, and life has won her many awards and praise from groups that include the National Science Foundation, Philanthropic Education Organization, Mondialogo, and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.

Proudly sponsored by

UWM School of Freshwater Sciences Logo

Dennis Miller

North Shore Academy of Gymnastics

Southeastern Wisconsin Trout Unlimited

questions?

We’re happy to help! Give Riveredge’s Research Manager, Jana Gedymin, a call at 262-375-2715 or email her at jgedymin@riveredge.us.

Email Jana
a college student with a white cane smiles at the camera while standing next to their research poster
3 Riveredge staff stand with 8 students holding certificates and smiling at the camera
a college students showing a guest their research poster in the Riveredge Visitor Center

November 15, 2025 @ 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Riveredge Nature Center

4458 County Hwy Y
Saukville, WI United States + Google Map
(262) 375-2715

OWBC: Kettle Moraine to Wyalusing State Parks Field Trip

May 15 – 16

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition: Birding from Southern Kettle Moraine to Wyalusing State Parks Field Trip

This program is full. Please see the event calendar for other OWBC programs and field trips.

Start Thursday in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest and make your way across the state to Wyalusing State Park at the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Overnight lodgings in Prairie du Chien, group dinner at the Black Angus followed by a foray for Eastern Whip-poor-wills and Common Nighthawks. Friday morning dawn trip to Wyalusing for rare warblers and then follow the Mississippi north to La Crosse where participants can attend the WSO convention (separate registration required) or head home.


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May 15, 2025 – May 16, 2025

OWBC: Birding in the Cedarburg Bog by Canoe/ Kayak

May 9 @ 6:30 am – 9:00 am

Ozaukee Washington Bird Coalition: Birding in the Cedarburg Bog by Canoe or Kayak

Mud Lake in the Cedarburg Bog is the largest and least visited lake in Ozaukee County. It furthermore is one of the top birding areas in the county. During this outing, we will explore Mud Lake and its surroundings in search of a true wilderness experience only 20 miles north of a major urban metropolis. We will be looking for late migrants and avian residents uncommon to rare in southeastern Wisconsin, e.g., two bittern species, Alder and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, rails, and waterbirds of every ilk. We will do about 1.5 miles of paddling. This program is being presented by the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog in partnership with the Ozaukee Washington Birding Coalition.

Canoes will be provided at a $10 rental fee payable at the time of the outing. A limited number of personal kayaks and canoes will be allowed, but only with advance permission. If you have questions or need permission to bring your personal kayak or canoe, contact John O’Donnell at johnodonnell132@gmail.com.

Ages 18+ | Pre-registration is required through the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog.
Meet at the UWM Field Station in Saukville (address below).

Friends of the Cedarburg Bog Website

May 9, 2025 @ 6:30 am – 9:00 am

UWM-Field Station

3095 Blue Goose Road
Saukville, WI 53080 United States
262-675-6844
View Venue Website

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