Can you name a 31,904-acre wetland in the U.S. containing
within its boundaries the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the
country along with the greatest nesting population of redhead
ducks? Much of the land is open for use to the public, free,
year around and was considered to be one of Roger Tory Peterson’s
twelve birding hotspots in North America. Fortunately all of us
have only a relatively short drive to the Horicon Marsh, home to
one of the world’s greatest assemblages of birds and other wildlife.
It was in 1846, at a time when Wisconsin was being settled,
that a dam was built near the southwest edge of the 14-mile-long
and 3-to-5-mile-wide marsh. This created a 13-mile-long lake,
roughly 51 square miles, the largest man-made lake in the world
at the time.
It was fortunate that later attempts to drain the marsh in
order to develop farming areas failed. Today, through the
combined efforts of the state and federal governments, it has
been largely restored and become one of the most valuable
resting, feeding and nesting sites of hundreds of species of
birds and other wildlife. What a tremendously complicated and
interesting ecosystem exists there. What may come as a surprise
to many people is the fact that the most important mammal in the
ecosystem there is the muskrat.
The mere mention of the Horicon Marsh conjures thoughts to
most listeners of a place to see thousands of Canada geese.
While it is true that hoards of visitors flock to witness one of
the continent’s largest concentrations of Canada geese, upwards
of 200,000 or more, between mid-October and the end of November,
the naturalists there generally concede that those people really
miss seeing the marsh!
Yes, both the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge, occupying the
northern two-thirds of the marsh, and the southern third being a
state wildlife area managed by the Wisconsin DNR are considered
to be critical rest stops for thousands of migrating Canada
geese, more so in fall than in spring.
One realizes the great ornithological value of this great
wetland upon learning that over the years a total of 264 species
of birds have been sighted at Horicon Marsh. Guess again if you
think that summer is not the time to visit this area. There are
61 bird species alone, judged to be either common or abundant,
that nest here. Included in this group are the pied-billed
grebe, great blue heron, great egret, black-crowned night heron,
wood duck, blue-winged teal, giant Canada goose, Forester’s tern,
black tern, sandhill crane, northern harrier, red-tailed hawk,
Virginia rail, sora, and the yellow-headed blackbird. Dozens of
other species, considered to be uncommon to rare, also nest here.
Charlotte and I visited the marsh last April 26-27 with our
friends, Tom and Lucy Kile and had some unusually good birding
experiences. We can’t stress strongly enough to allow for plenty
of time and especially to visit both the DNR Service
Center/Nature Center located near the southern end of the marsh,
and the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge office and visitor
Center located near County Hwy. Z that runs along the eastern
edge of the refuge. Good maps, displays, and advice regarding
some of the lates t bird sightings are available there.
We stayed at a motel in Mayville, and just before sunset
headed north along County Hwy. TW to where we found the Dike Road
heading westward into the marsh. We parked at a point where the
north boundary of the state and south boundary of the federal
portions of the marsh coincide. There we enjoyed one of the most
gorgeous sunsets we’ve ever seen. Highlights were watching a
wild turkey high in a tree to the front of us, backlighted
against the colorful western sky, listening to and watching the
April "sky dance" of the woodcock, and thrilling to
the evening serenade of a cardinal. Finally some sandhill cranes
landed to the front of us and trumpeted their pair-bond calls
louder and closer than any of us had ever heard.
We were up at daybreak the following morning to watch and hear
the marsh come alive. What’s so great about the Horicon Marsh is
the possibility of getting so close to some of the birds without
having to leave your car. Hwy. Z along the east eventually joins
State Hwy. 49 near the northeastern border of the refuge and
veers toward the west. Here, in order to accommodate the
hundreds of visitors, in their cars, who come to see the geese in
fall, the shoulders of that highway are wide enough to enable one
to park any time you wish to watch birds without obstructing
traffic.
It was in the stretch along Hwy. 49 between Stumph Road and
Commers Ditch that we had some of our very best birdwatching.
What stunningly close looks at yellow-headed blackbirds, common
moorhens and soras we had, perhaps as good as one could expect
anywhere.
Birding along the floating boardwalk on the excellent Auto
Tour in the northwestern portion of the refuge brought an
exciting weekend to a close. All of us would wholeheartedly
agree with Roger Tory Peterson in choosing the Horicon Marsh as
one of the dozen best birding areas in North America.
Tom and Lucy Kile, left, and Charlotte Lukes
observe a belted kingfisher from a floating boardwalk located along
the Auto Tour at the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge.
This column appeared in the Door County Advocate
on 06/08/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Roy Lukes. All rights reserved.
