Gadwall

I haven’t seen a lot of Gadwalls at the Horicon Marsh but “Gadwall have increased in numbers since the 1980s, partly because of conservation of wetlands and adjacent uplands in their breeding habitat through the Conservation Reserve Program and the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. Their habit of nesting on islands within marshes gives them some protection from predators,” according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. 

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1985.  It is the largest conservation program in the United States affecting private lands.  Farmers volunteer to remove land from agricultural production and plant species that improve the environment.  They receive a rental payment in exchange for taking the land out of farm use.  Contracts last 10-15 years.  The program has improved water quality, reduced soil erosion, and increased habitat for endangered and threatened species.  Wisconsin has five State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) projects.

Waterfowl populations were at historic lows in the 1980s.  The North American Waterfowl Management Plan was signed in 1986 by the United States and Canada.  It was signed in 1994 by Mexico. The scope of the plan is international and it is implemented at the regional level.  It is designed to restore and develop waterfowl habitat.

Gadwalls are one example of the success of these programs.

Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroats are more numerous that Gadwalls, but they may be harder to spot as they flit in and out of thick shrubs.  They have one of the largest breeding ranges of any North American warbler, spanning from southern Canada to Mexico.  Yellowthroats thrive near freshwater marshes, like the Horicon Marsh, salt marshes, and drier upland areas. This adaptability allows them to have such a wide breeding range.

Here he is from the front.

Redhead

Redheads are native only to North America.  The largest nesting population east of the Mississippi River lives at the Horicon Marsh.

Canada Goose Gosling

The goslings are growing and can be seen at multiple locations around the Marsh.

Common Grackle

A flock of Common Grackles forages in a marshy area along the auto tour.  Grackles are the number one threat to the corn crop, but today they are satisfied with insects.

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon or Juvenile Prairie Falcon?

This falcon was perched high in a dead tree along Highway 49.  Do you think he is a juvenile Peregrine Falcon or a juvenile Prairie Falcon?  Tell us what you think in the comments area.

Prairie Falcons and Peregrine Falcons are about the same size.  Prairie Falcons have dark axillary feathers which can be seen in flight.  When this falcon took off from his perch, he did not have dark axillary feathers.  The underside of his wing had a uniform spotted and barred pattern.  Both juvenile Peregrine Falcons and juvenile Prairie Falcons have vertical stripes on the front.  A distinctive feature of the Peregrine Falcon is its white throat that extends to the sides of the neck.  The white area is divided by a vertical black band that descends below the yellow-rimmed eye.  It is more likely to see a Peregrine Falcon at the Horicon Marsh than it is to see a Prairie Falcon, according to several field guides.  If you answered “juvenile Peregrine Falcon,” the evidence is in your favor.

The role of conservation, the thrill of seeing a particular species of bird, and the challenge of identifying birds, are some of the reasons we enjoy the Horicon Marsh.