One of Wisconsin’s natural treasures is the Horicon Marsh,
the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States. The Rock River flows
through the marsh which is located mostly in Dodge County. The marsh itself is
under the auspices of both the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (southern third) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (northern two-thirds). Both agencies work together to manage the marsh as one wetland
ecosystem. The marsh has been recognized as a wetland of international importance.
Our favorite camping venue, Ledge Park, overlooks the marsh on its eastern side.
This past weekend we were in Horicon to have a beer and a
burger with our friends, Joe and Susie, managers at Ledge Park. We also stopped in
at the Friends of Horicon Marsh International Education Center to see the latest nature
photography exhibit.
One of the most iconic images of the marsh was taken by
Edgar Mueller a Horicon photo journalist. This photograph, along with many other Mueller images of the Horicon marsh and its many bird inhabitants, can
be seen at the Mayville Limestone School Museum.
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| In 1966, Edgar Mueller's single most-famous photo, Goose Explosion, was published in Life magazine and was subsequently published worldwide.
--Photo from the collection of the Wisconsin Historical Society
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While most people think of Canadian geese when they think of
the Horicon Marsh, geese are just one of the approximately 300 bird species that
have been seen at the marsh over the years.
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| A heron, perhaps, in the fall (I'm not good with bird identification). |
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| The marsh this past weekend - as seen from the Education Center. |
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| Another view of the marsh - from Ledge Park. |
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| Spent cattails on the north end of the marsh in the fall. |
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| The land around the marsh is also important to its ecosystem. |
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| My favorite view of the Horicon Marsh - sunset over the marsh as seen from Ledge Park. |
Spend a few hours on the Horicon Marsh. Take a guided tour to appreciate another breathtaking resource we have right here in Wisconsin. Or if you're really lucky and have a friend who knows the marsh like the back of his hand, you might even get to see the marsh in the quiet morning hours from his duck boat. (Thanks, Troy, for taking us out for a spectacular ride!)
Nice stuff! Great pictures, too. Wonder if there is a lot of mosquitoes in the neighborhood..?
ReplyDeleteI don't recall many mosquitoes when we camp at Ledge Park but I don't know if the county sprays to keep them down. Of course, last year wasn't too bad for the little buggers since our spring was so long and cold. This year? Who knows since our March was like June and our April was like March. Maybe May will be a regular May with average temperatures, but only the weatherman knows for sure! Yea, right!
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