Dexter Patterson aka Wisco Birder

Birds of the Great Lakes From the co-founder of Wisconsin's BIPOC Birding Club comes a fun and accessible guide to birding throughout the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes region is teemi...

It’s Publication Day!!!! 🥹 timberpress.com/titles/dexte... 🪶

I like that!

Two down. One more to go. This Milwaukee Brewers team is special. GO CREW!!!! ⚾️

A Nelson’s Sparrow perched upright among tall green and brown grass stems, lit by soft golden morning light. The bird’s buffy face, streaked breast, and small bill are clearly visible as it stands alert amid the autumn vegetation.

A Nelson’s Sparrow seen from behind at the edge of a muddy shoreline. The bird’s warm brown and olive back shows bold streaking as it holds a small insect in its bill, with water rippling beside it.

A Nelson’s Sparrow partially hidden among dense green and brown marsh vegetation. The bird peeks through stems and seed heads, its pale chest and subtle face markings catching the sunlight.

Just a couple of Nelson’s Sparrows being ridiculously cute 😍 Fall migration never disappoints! 📷👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

Magical place

It sure is! It brings me so much joy to bring people together via our feathered friends.

A man wearing a sun hat and blue shirt shows a young girl and several others a turtle inside a shaded outdoor education area.

Three birders observe cranes from a paved path; one woman walks ahead with binoculars, another stands nearby, and an older woman in a light blue sweater sits on a motorized scooter looking toward the field.

A group of people stand attentively outdoors under bright sunlight, watching birds in the distance. The man in the foreground wears a blue hat and shirt with “American Birdwatchers” on the sleeve, arms crossed, binoculars hanging from his neck.

🫶🏾

Two large gray and white cranes with red wattled faces stand among tall grasses near a pond under bright sunlight.

A tall gray crane with a red head and neck bends down to forage in bright green grass.

A Sarus Crane stands tall near a painted mural of wetlands behind a mesh fence, its long legs and red neck visible in the sunlight.

A young gray crane with pale feathers and a light-colored head bends down to forage in grassy wetland vegetation.

🪶

A striking black crane with a golden spiked crown of feathers, pink cheeks, and a white face stands alert in grassy habitat.

A graceful gray crane with white head and neck feathers and red eyes preens its plumage near a pond.

A white and gray crane with a red crown and black neck gazes curiously toward the camera, framed by green vegetation.

A Siberian crane with bright white plumage, red face, and long pink legs stands alert in tall grass, sunlight highlighting its features against a natural backdrop.

🪶

A diverse group of about fifteen smiling people stand together outdoors in bright sunlight, wearing casual clothes and binoculars, in front of a sculpture of a large crane. The background includes trees, blue sky, and a nature center building.

A tall white crane with a red crown and black facial markings stands in shallow water with ripples, sunlight reflecting off its feathers.

A young girl with braided hair and a lime-green butterfly shirt smiles while holding a large speckled model crane egg inside an educational exhibit area.

Several people with binoculars chat and explore an indoor-outdoor viewing area of the nature center, with one participant using a mobility scooter in the center foreground.

🧵It was a beautiful day for our annual BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin visit to the International Crane Foundation. This is seriously one of my favorite events of the year. Special thanks to everyone who joined us. Birding is for everyone, even YOU! 🫶🏾🪶

Oh yeah I love this! Perfect

I agree ☝️

Money talks. NFL is king on national networks. MLB has become increasingly regional.

Who wants to help me find the Nelson’s Sparrow? You Ready? Let’s Go!!! 📷👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

LOVE IT!!!!

Let me see your favorite bird stuffy! 😍🪶

A small, stocky songbird (American Goldfinch) with brown and yellow plumage perched on a lichen-covered branch against a clear blue sky.

A young red-tailed hawk with streaked underparts and sharp talons perched on a bare branch, looking alert against a vivid blue sky.

A small, slender bird (Red-eyed Vireo) with olive-green upperparts and pale underparts perched on a leafy branch, red eye, partially shaded by foliage.

A small downy woodpecker clinging to the side of a tree trunk with a curled insect in its beak, black-and-white plumage highlighted with a touch of red on its head.

So much action out there these days! I hope you're all finding time to get outside and enjoy fall migration. 📷👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

Promotional graphic for Birdability Week 2025, held October 20–26, with the theme “You Belong Here.” The event being highlighted is a virtual presentation titled “You Belong Here: Joy, Belonging & Community Through Birding with Dexter Patterson,” scheduled for October 25, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. ET. The design features blue and white starburst accents, a smiling portrait of Dexter Patterson, and a smaller circular photo of a group of bundled-up people smiling outdoors. A QR code and Birdability hand logo appear at the bottom with text noting this is a free program supported by sponsors.

Excited for @birdability.bsky.social Week! I’m honored to be one of this year’s featured speakers, and I’d love for you to join my FREE virtual keynote. Let’s come together to celebrate accessibility, inclusion, and the joy of birding. 🫶🏾🪶

Leave no trace! 🚮

A small hummingbird perched sideways on a thick green stem. Its feathers shimmer with iridescent green and bronze tones, and a bright patch of pollen rests on its forehead. The soft green background is blurred, highlighting the bird.

The same hummingbird perched on the stem, this time facing right with its long, slender black bill visible. Its metallic green back and wings glisten, while the blurred leaves frame the scene.

A hummingbird perched upright on a thin brown stem among dried flower pods and spiderwebs. Its throat and belly appear pale gray, and a yellow speck of pollen is visible on its forehead. The background is soft green with hints of foliage.

Took a trip to Olbrich Gardens, and my wife said she wanted to see a hummingbird. We ended up spotting three! I grabbed a few shots of one of them. Take a look at the pollen on its tiny head. 📷👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

Disney really isn’t reading the room. 🤦🏾‍♂️

While facing backlash for capitulating on free speech, they’re hiking prices Oct. 21:

• Ad-supported: $9.99 → $11.99
• Ad-free: $15.99 → $18.99

Profits over people. Wrong move, wrong time. Bye bye 👋🏾

Thank you so much! ☺️

A Snow Goose standing on short green grass, white feathers glowing against the background, pink legs visible, and a pink bill with a black “grin patch.”

A Snow Goose floating alone on calm gray-blue water, body upright and head held high, with its distinctive white plumage and black wingtips.

A flock of Canada Geese floating on calm water with a single Snow Goose, bright white with black wingtips, standing out among the darker geese.

A Snow Goose swimming on the water, profile view with its pink legs partially submerged, black wingtips tucked along its back. A Canada Goose is blurred in the foreground.

A few pics of the Snow Goose we found the other day. 🪿 I’ve seen them before, but usually way out in the scope. This time I was able to snap some closer shots—what a beautiful bird! ❄️🪿🫶🏾🪶 #WiscoBirder

🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾

Thank you 😊

Who wants to help me find the Snow Goose? You Ready? Let’s GO!!! 📷👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

A large, joyful group of about 25 people from the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin gathered on a wooden deck under a pavilion. Everyone is smiling at the camera, dressed for the outdoors with binoculars, hats, and casual hiking gear. The background shows trees and greenery, hinting at the nature trails beyond.

The same group of about 25 people posing playfully on the wooden deck. Many are holding binoculars to their eyes, pretending to be mid-birdwatch, while others are making silly faces and gestures. The lively energy captures the fun and community spirit of the outing.

Amazing weekend of birding + hiking! 🌿🐦 40 species at Cherokee Marsh w/ BIPOC Birding Club & 30 more at Aldo Leopold Nature Center w/ Underground Hiking Collective.

Fall migration is in full swing—warblers + pollinators everywhere! 🍂🦋🐝 🪶Nature is for everyone, even YOU! 🫶🏾

An adult Red-headed Woodpecker clings to the side of a dead tree trunk, its vivid red head glowing against the bright blue sky.

A juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker perched sideways on a bare branch. Its gray-brown body shows mottled plumage with faint red on the head and white wing patches, set against the blue sky.

An adult Red-headed Woodpecker perched upright on a bare branch, displaying a brilliant red head with bold black-and-white body contrast against the clear blue sky.

Three Red-headed Woodpeckers on separate bare branches of tall, dead trees. On the right, a striking adult with a full red head, and on the far right branches, juveniles with muted gray-brown plumage and hints of red.

Found this Red-headed Woodpecker family on a hike at the Cherokee Marsh South Unit. They're so beautiful and fun to watch! #WiscoBirder 📷👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

Thank you 😊