Eastern Wisconsin

Horicon Marsh is the largest fresh water marsh in North American and draws a myriad of migrating waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds and songbirds to the area.

This Wilson's Snipe was one of nine that ventured unto the Main Dike Road during a heavy rain.

This highly endangered species - the Whooping Crane - was observed several times from the Marsh Road Dike.

We spent three days camping at Ledge County Park overlooking the marsh.  We found 110 species during this visit.

Next birding area calling us was North Point in Sheboygan, we stayed for three days at Kohler-Andrae State Park.  There was a great commotion at our campsite and it turned out to be a family of Cooper's Hawks.  Adults were carrying food to fledged young that were food begging all day long.

At North Point we found this mallard family among the thousands of Ring-billed, Herring, and both Black-backed Gull species.

We traveled north along the lake stopping at harbors and beaches.  We found this Canvasback at Manitowoc and an adult Franklin's Gull at Two Rivers.

We enjoyed some quality time visiting with the Stukenberg family near Algoma. Our friendship started 20 years ago on a missions trip to Guatemala where they hosted the church's youth group.  We joined them for church on Sunday.

No Wisconsin birding trip is complete without a trip to Door County.  We stayed a night a Potawatomi  State Park where we found this family of Wild Turkeys.

We drove north along the Lake to the tip of Gills Rock and south along the Bay and camped 2 days at Peninsula State Park where fawns were plentiful (yes, another photo - hard to resist - they're so cute).

We finally found a Little Gull, with 7 Boneparte's Gulls in the Ephraim Harbor.

Heard the word that birds were really good at Horicon, so we headed back south.  We stopped at Red River Park north of Dykesville and found 6 Am. Avocets;  Hwy. 29 pond yielded at White-rumped Sandpiper; and back at Horicon we found the Hudsonian Godwit and this Wilson's Phalarope.

Each morning we found a large mixed flock of egrets, herons, Am. Pelicans and cormorants feeding in this channel along Hwy. 49.  We also had hundreds of shorebirds, Trumpeter Swans, Sandhill Cranes, and ducks.

We spent time on the auto tour where we found this young Least Bittern (note the fuzzy down on head and back),  one of the half dozen encountered.






On the way back to camp each day, we ventured out the Main Dike.  This Virginia Rail family took it's good time crossing the dike.  These chicks looked like they were fresh out of the egg, a late nesting.  (Photo below)

Needing to stop at Horn's RV Center for our annual motorhome check-up, we camped at Kohler Andrae State Park.

This active Marsh Wren was caught in the act of preening on the Black River Marsh boardwalk near the campground.


Enjoying familiar biring area in Wisconsin!
Ty & Ida Baumann