R E C R E AT I O N
Birdwatching in the Green Lake Area by Tom Schultz Green Lake Country is blessed by its wealth of habitats for birds and wildlife, and many good birding locations have trails and are open for public access. Depending on the time of year, some places will vary considerably in what birdlife might be present, while other sites might provide great opportunities to find birds during any season. In general, the best time of year for birdwatching is spring and summer— typically April through September— when migrants are passing through or individuals are engaged in territorial displays and breeding activities. Over 250 bird species have been found in the area, including a nice variety of waterfowl, hawks, owls, woodpeckers,
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thrushes, sparrows, warblers and finches. Some of the favorites include Common Loon, American White Pelican, Wild Turkey, American Woodcock, Pileated Woodpecker, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole and Indigo Bunting. In winter, one can encounter interesting birds like Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl and Snow Bunting, all of which have migrated south from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra. Many unusual or rare birds have also been found here, such as Iceland Gull, Yellow Rail, Snowy Plover, Summer Tanager, Carolina Wren, Bohemian Waxwing and Harris’s Sparrow. Starting relatively close to the lake, there are a number of conservancy sites
that can provide a good birdwatching experience. One of the best is Sunnyside Conservancy off Lakeview Drive, which is east of Green Lake along Silver Creek Inlet and contains several lagoons and about two miles of trails. Other conservancy hiking areas include Hammer’s Trail and Winnebago Trail, both of which are located within the Green Lake Conference Center and overlook the lake. Norwegian Bay Conservancy is another excellent place to go, and has a long boardwalk that extends through a marsh to the shore of Norwegian Bay. There is an excellent full-color trail guide to these properties available through the Green Lake Conservancy. Information can be found at greenlakeconservancy.org.