Honk if you love Wisconsin's
Horicon Marsh!

As the lush green of summer gradually gives way to the vibrant golden hughes of autumn, the honking of Canada geese ushers in an annual ritual at Horicon Marsh, tucked away in east-central Wisconsin.

Flock after flock joins the harmonic chorus that descends upon the marsh to rest and feed during their long migration from Canada's Hudson Bay to the central United States.

The Marsh is the perfect place for these birds to recharge during their 1,300-mile journey. In fact, it's so welcoming that their numbers build to 300,000, and may stay until early December! (It's not until a cold snap freezes the open water that most geese finally leave for warmer winter grounds.)

Their arrival triggers a massive influx of nature lovers as well. many of the marsh's 400,000 annual visitors travel to Horicon Marsh in fall to see this unbelievable air and water show.

The marsh is located about 50 miles northwest of Milwaukee between the cities of Waupun and Horicon. It's the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, stretching 13-1/2 miles long, 5 miles wide and covering 32,000 acres.

Horicon Marsh is one of the finest birding hot spots in the Midwest. Over the years, 268 bird species have been seen there, prompting some to call it "the little Everglades of the North".
 

A Lost Ecosystem

Glaciers during the Ice Age carved the beautiful marsh. Because of it's abundant resources, many American Indian tribes lived nearby.

The town Horicon was the first modern settlement in the area - it had a profound effect on the marsh's future. In 1846, a dam built to power the town's first sawmill turned the marsh into a 51-square mile lake!

The dam was removed 25 years later because of a legal dispute, and many native animals returned. But in the early 1900's, "muck farming" promised quick profits, and landowners began draining the marsh and using its fertile peat soil for crops. The effort failed, and the dried up marsh was abandoned.

Then disaster struck. The peat caught fire and continued to burn on and off for nearly 12 years. The marsh became nothing more than a desolate wasteland.

In 1921, conservation-minded individuals began the fight to return the marsh to it's natural state.

A dam was built to restore water levels, and the federal government stepped in to complete the project in the 1940's, when Congress designated the northern two-thirds as the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. The state of Wisconsin operates the southern end, called the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area.
 

Don't Forget the Binoculars!

Since Horicon Marsh covers many different habitats, it offers unparalleled opportunities to view wildlife. The ecosystem is home to waterfowl and songbirds, muskrats, fish, deer and fox, to name just a few of its inhabitants. And it's known as the largest redhead duck nesting area east of the Mississippi.

Spring and fall are most popular with bird-watchers because hundreds of species migrate through.

Last year, more that 500 American white pelicans were seen there. The large birds looked out of place on the Midwest, but they stayed until late October before migrating south. And a Wisconsin first was recorded that summer - a pair of black-necked stilts was spotted nesting there.

Other birds, such as egrets, herons, shorebirds and songbirds, congregate in the marsh in early September, with their numbers peaking in October.

And getting back to those popular Canada geese...they'll spend their days feeding in nearby cornfields, returning to the marsh by the thousands each autumn evening. It's a sight to behold.
 

Educational Opportunities

Several places around the marsh offer a variety of bird-watching and educational programs. The Horicon Marsh Visitor's Center (operated by the US Fish & Wildlife Service) is located on the northeast side of the marsh on County Road Z near Mayville. It offers hiking, auto and group tours, an observation blind and a boardwalk for strolling over the marsh. For more information, call 1-920-387-2658 or visit their website at http://Midwest.fws.gov/horicon/index.htm.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Service Center is on the southeast corner of the marsh on Highway 28 in Horicon. Hiking, biking, canoeing and educational programs are just some of the offerings. For more information call 1-920-387-7860 or visit their website at http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/reclands/horicon/index.htm

And, in my opinion, the trip would not be complete without experiencing Marsh Haven Nature Center or Blue Heron Landing's pontoon boat tour.

Both take visitors into the heart of the marsh and focus on its wildlife and flowers. Marsh Haven is on Highway 49 near Waupun, 1-920-324-5818. Blue Heron is on Highway 33 in downtown Horicon. Call 1-920-485-4663 for a list of tours or visit their website at www.horiconmarsh.com

So next time you're traveling through the Midwest, follow the lead of the Canada geese and rejuvenate yourself at Horicon Marsh. You just may find yourself staying longer than expected.