Dexter Patterson aka Wisco Birder

A smiling man wearing a red Wisconsin hat and a red and white Badgers jacket stands on the Kohl Center basketball court holding up a W hand sign. Players are practicing on the court behind him and the arena seating is visible.

A smiling man in a red Wisconsin hat and Badgers jacket points up at a large banner featuring UW basketball player Gift Ochenna. He is standing inside the practice gym with red and white walls and a row of black chairs behind him.

A man wearing a red Wisconsin Badgers shirt and hat smiles and holds up a W hand sign in the stands at the Kohl Center. The arena is packed with fans wearing red and a large “Flex Cam” graphic is displayed on the scoreboard behind him.

The Kohl Center scoreboard shows the Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team lined up after a win over Marquette. Final score reads 96 to 76. Fans fill the arena seated below the scoreboard, and the American and Wisconsin flags hang above.

Huge thank you to UW Athletics for welcoming me as a Guest Coach this weekend. It meant a lot knowing student athletes nominate the instructors. Grateful for the experience and the hospitality from Shayla. On, Wisconsin! ❤️🤍

Thank you. It was a lovely evening.

A brightly lit outdoor sign for Garden Wall Bookshop stands in the snow at night. The sign features a colorful illustration of a bluebird flying over pink coneflowers with a warm orange sun behind it. A small “OPEN” flag hangs to the left, and snow covers the ground around the base of the sign.

A close view of Dexter Patterson and Andrea Debbink speaking at the front of the bookstore. Colorful artwork and pottery line the shelves behind them. Dexter is gesturing with his hand while speaking to the audience.

A close-up of the book Birds of the Great Lakes by Dexter Patterson displayed upright on a wooden shelf. The dark green cover features simple nature-themed icons and a stylized heron illustration.

A hand holds a small illustrated book titled Bird Watching: Press Pause and Admire the Avian World. The cover art shows birds flying over a winding marsh at sunrise with a silhouette of a person looking through binoculars.

Had an amazing time at Garden Wall Bookshop in Verona. One of the cutest indie shops I’ve ever visited. Suzi and Jack were incredible hosts, and my conversation with local author Andrea Debbink was a joy. The room was full of bird love, good energy, and we completely sold out of books. 🗣️📖✍🏾🫶🏾🪶

Hey @wiscobirder.bsky.social

You’re #1 in my Spotify Wrapped! LETS GOO

Let’s GO!!!!!

A smiling man wearing a black suit jacket, red shirt, and patterned tie stands indoors and holds up a peace sign with his right hand. He has short hair, glasses, and a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee. Behind him are green curtains, a framed bird illustration on the wall, and a potted plant.

Ready for my first The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters Board Meeting. This Bird Nerd cleans up nicely! 🫶🏾

Historic snow fall in Madison was no match for Tyrannosaurus Dex 🦖❄️😂

I chased them down the road lol

😂😂😂😂😂

Breaking news: First snowfall hits Madison. Locals report sightings of a large, friendly dinosaur yelling “Let’s GO!” #TyrannosaurusDex 🦖🌨️👀

👀👀👀👀

😂😂😂😂😂😂

Such a fun game! Need Eagles to beat Bears tomorrow. 🙌🏾

Jordan Love was cooking in Detroit on Turkey Day! #GoPackGo 🧑🏾‍🍳🦃🏈🙌🏾

Thank you 😊

Who wants to help me find Birds of the Great Lakes at Barnes & Noble? You Ready? Let’s GO!!!! 📖👐🏾🫶🏾🪶

A person outdoors smiling and taking a selfie along a grassy trail. They are wearing a green jacket, gray hooded sweatshirt, gray knit beanie, and black gloves, with a camera strap around their neck. The background shows a wide open natural area with dry grasses, patches of burned ground, leafless trees, and a dramatic sky filled with rippled white clouds against bright blue.

A wide landscape view of a grassy trail stretching forward through an open field. The surrounding prairie grasses are brown and dormant, with dark burned patches on both sides of the trail. The sky is filled with a striking layer of textured, rippled clouds transitioning into bright blue near the horizon.

A landscape scene showing rolling prairie with green and brown grasses and a line of leafless and late-autumn trees in the distance. The sky is covered in dense, wavy white clouds with hints of blue showing through.

There’s a lot of healing and JOY waiting for you in nature. 🫶🏾

And you spotted the first Pileated Woodpecker!!!!!

We saw a pair today! Got one in the scope for the group that was perched in a tree.

A large group of bundled up birders walks along a dirt trail at Picnic Point. Bare trees line the path under a cloudy gray sky. People of different ages carry binoculars and cameras as they smile and chat while hiking.

A group of birders stands spaced along the sandy lakeshore looking out over the water through binoculars. The sky is full of thick gray clouds and the landscape is quiet and still.

A line of birders stands shoulder to shoulder in the woods looking up through binoculars and telephoto lenses. Fallen leaves cover the ground and the trees are mostly bare.

A selfie of Dexter smiling in the foreground with his spotting scope strapped to his back. Behind him a large group of birders is looking up into the trees with binoculars and cameras.

Such a great morning at Picnic Point with an awesome flock of Bird Nerds. We had brand new birders join us and ended the hike with 29 species including a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers that showed off for everyone. Beautiful morning with even better people. Birding is for everyone, even YOU! 🫶🏾🪶

Dexter stands at the front of a full event room holding a copy of Birds of the Great Lakes. Rows of attendees smile behind him. Two chairs and a small wooden table with a microphone and water pitcher sit in the foreground.

Dexter sits in an armchair on stage holding a microphone while speaking with a woman seated across from him. She is smiling and holding a microphone. A small table with the book and a water pitcher is between them.

A long line of attendees waits inside the Schlitz Audubon building for the book signing. Dexter sits at a wooden table near a large stone fireplace, signing books.

A table display with neatly stacked copies of Birds of the Great Lakes arranged in rows. Next to the books is a sign featuring a smiling photo of Dexter Patterson and details about purchasing the book. A set of bright yellow flyers is fanned out beside the display. Wooden beams and a gift shop area are visible in the background.

Another incredible night on the book tour. Milwaukee packed the house at Schlitz Audubon. Big love to Lindsay for the great conversation, Boswell Books for the sales support, and all the Bird Nerds who showed up to support my book Birds of the Great Lakes. 🗣️📖✍🏾🫶🏾🪶

Thank you 😊

A large, joyful crowd packed into a bright room holds up copies of Birds of the Great Lakes. Dexter Patterson stands in the center of the group holding his book and smiling. People of all ages fill the space, many grinning toward the camera, creating a warm and celebratory atmosphere.

Dexter Patterson sits at the front of a crowded room, laughing as a woman standing beside him reads from a paper at a microphone. Audience members sit on chairs and on the floor, smiling and engaged. A slide on the wall reads “Birds of the Great Lakes.”

A full room of attendees looks toward Dexter Patterson, who sits at the front next to a moderator. Many people in the audience raise their hands while smiling. The room is filled wall to wall with participants, creating an energetic community feel.

Dexter Patterson sits at an author signing table during the Wisconsin Book Festival, laughing as two young people approach with copies of Birds of the Great Lakes. A line of attendees waits behind them in a bright, open lobby space.

Feeling grateful seeing the photos from the Wisconsin Book Fest. This tour keeps reminding me how powerful Bird Joy can be. I’ve been in Eau Claire, Milwaukee is up next, and more dates are coming. Meeting Bird Nerds, hearing your stories, and celebrating the birds we love has been incredible. 📖✍🏾🫶🏾

Thank you so much for attending and for your support! I really enjoyed my time with you all. I will be posting some clips but not the entire session.

Madison, WI. Although sometimes in winter I feel like we’re in Iceland lol 😂

You’re definitely in the viewing area

Thanks for tuning in!

A nighttime landscape featuring a calm reflective pond in the foreground and a dark silhouette of rolling hills in the distance. Above the horizon, vibrant aurora lights stretch across the sky in bands of green, yellow, and bright magenta, blending upward into deep purple. Faint stars dot the sky, and a soft glow at the horizon adds contrast to the colorful northern lights.

A vivid display of the northern lights fills the night sky above a dark hillside and a still pond. Bright streaks of pink, magenta, and green auroras rise vertically from the horizon and blend into darker purple tones overhead. A few scattered house lights are visible on the right side of the frame, adding a sense of scale to the dramatic, colorful sky.

A darker nighttime scene showing faint green and teal aurora lights near the horizon beneath a mostly black sky. The foreground includes a reflective pond and the shadowed outline of a hillside. A warm yellow light appears near the bottom edge of the image, likely from a nearby house or streetlamp, contrasting with the cool aurora tones.

A bright, colorful aurora display dominates the night sky above a silhouetted landscape and a reflective pond. Vertical beams of pink, magenta, green, and yellow auroras glow intensely near the horizon, fading into deep purple higher in the sky. The horizon line features hills and a few small lights from distant buildings, adding depth to the scene.

Northern Lights above our East Madison Neighborhood! 🌌 😍

Thank you! 😊

😍😍😍😍