Great Wisconsin Birding& NatureTrail Southern Savanna Region ALAN ORR Welcome Welcome to Wisconsin, where a wonderful world of wildlife watching awaits you. Environmental tourism has become an impor- tant part of our diverse mix of outdoor recre- ation. Extensive wetlands, millions of acres of wild places, a broad range of natural habitat, and a commitment to environmental steward- ship have made Wisconsin an outstanding regional birding opportunity. More than any other state in the Great Lakes basin, Wisconsin is positioned to promote and enjoy this popular activity. To that end, we launched the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail in 2004. This project divided the state into five wildlife-viewing regions. Driving trails that link important wildlife sites within each region have been developed. The program has also produced a series of five birding guides to these regions. This is the fifth and final edition in that series, a guide to the Southern Savanna Region. Wisconsin – where stewardship is the foundation of recreation. Jim Doyle, Governor Sandhill Cranes. Contents Introduction __________________________________ 2 State Natural Areas ____________________________ 3 Code of Ethics ________________________________ 3 Southern Savanna Birding & Nature Trail Region Map 4-5 Using the Guide________________________________ 5 Waypoint Index ________________________________ 6-7 County Profiles Columbia County __________________________ 8-11 Dane County ______________________________ 12-17 Dodge County______________________________ 18-20 Green County ______________________________ 21-24 Iowa County ______________________________ 25-29 Jefferson County____________________________ 30-33 Lafayette County____________________________ 34-36 Richland County ____________________________ 37-39 Rock County ______________________________ 40-42 Sauk County ______________________________ 43-45 Walworth County __________________________ 46-48 Washington County ________________________ 49-51 Waukesha County __________________________ 52-55 More Sources of Tourism Information______________ 56 Wisconsin Welcome Centers ____________________ 57 1 Wing your way through Wild Wisconsin The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail is your invitation to observe the fascinating and diverse world of wildlife that exists in every corner of Wisconsin. With this edition, the Wisconsin DNR Endangered Resource Program completes MIKE MCDOWELL its series of five highway- based viewing guides, each highlighting unique regional ecosystems of Wisconsin. Each edition links a set of waypoints, refuges and wild places that offer the best birding and wildlife watching opportunities Henslow’s Sparrow. in the state. This fifth in a series of five guides – the Southern Savanna Birding and Nature Trail – covers thirteen Wisconsin counties in the south- central portion of the state. Published in 2008, it includes 78 waypoints from the 30,000-acre Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in the east to Yellowstone State Park in the west. The first four guides in the series – the Lake Superior Northwoods edition released in 2004, the Mississippi/Chippewa Rivers edition from 2005, the Lake Michigan edition from 2006, and the Central Sands edition from 2007 – are all still available in limited numbers. Waypoints from each edition in the series are marked with the program’s distinctive Sandhill Crane logo. As you travel, watch for these signs – they are your invitation to the fascinating world of Wisconsin wildlife. Waypoint marker. 2 State Natural Areas Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas (SNAs) protect outstanding exam- ples of native biological commu- nities such as prairies, pine bar- rens, bogs, and boreal forests. They also preserve significant geological and archaeological features and are often the last refuges in Wisconsin for rare species of birds, animals, plants, fungi, lichens, and a host of other organisms. Code of Ethics The Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail is your gate- way to the natural world of Wisconsin. The Code of Ethics serves to guide you as you seek your favorite waypoint sites across the state. ● Treat birds and other animals with respect, never disturbing or collecting anything in their habitat. ● Trails, roads and paths found at the sites provide good access to the property. Avoid leaving them unless you are in a wilderness area. ● Wisconsin has strict trespass laws. Private property does not have to be posted or fenced in Wisconsin. CAROL KNABE Ask permission if you want to enter private land. Know where you are – pay attention to posted property boundary signs. ● Dogs must be leashed on all state lands during the bird-nesting sea- Karner Blue Butterfly. son from April 15 through July 31. ● Lead by example. Leave the property litter-free and in good condition for the next traveler. ● Give nature a voice. Thank the property owner, manager or staff person for the opportunity to enjoy nature at their site. 3 Great Wisconsin Birding& NatureTrail Southern Savanna Region Waupaca JACKSON New 54 Wisconsin 39 Lon Rapids Weyauwega lack Nekoosa Falls 51 Babcock 73 Millston 49 n Wild 80 si n Rose Poygan 45 co 13 is WAUSHARA WINNEB W 27 Wautoma But Necedah Omro de Coloma 21 M 21 Tomah ADAMS Oshko parta JUNEAU Berlin 90 12 Friendship 39 22 Green MONROE Adams alem New Lisbon PrincetonLake 71 Wilton MARQUETTE Ripon Mauston Oxford Montello GREEN 23 Sauk ColumbiaPuckaway Green Dodge County LAKE FOND D Ontario CountyUnion 94 County 90 Pgs. 8-11 Richland Pgs.Center 43-45 Wisconsin 73 Pg. 18-20 33 Dells Westby 23 Countyer v Hillsboro W VERNON i 1 Pgs. 37-39R Fox H 82 La Valle Portage Pardeeville 33 Fox NA 52 4 3 Randolph Lake W Viroqua COLUMBIA R 45 Reedsburg 54 Beaver Beave Readstown Wyocena 23 Dam Dam 80 Baraboo 2 14 SAUK 12 55 Poynette 18 o 16 151 o RICHLAND p 5 DODG a 60 k Prairie Lodi c Dane i Richland du Sac 6 Columbus K 61 Center 46 56 County 51 7 43 Sauk City 26 Spring Pgs. 13-17 8 DeForest Jefferson AWFORD 60 44 Green Sun 26 DANE Prairie County W 53 30 Black k Muscoda 13 Pgs. 30-33 c Earth 11 o O Middleton R uzeka 33 Boscobel 14 12 Lake 94 80 15 Madison D Barneveld Mt. Horeb 9 7 Mills Iowa IOWA Verona JEFFERSON38 29 27 10 37 County Blue 151 31 Fitchburg Cambridge 35 18 28 Oregon Pgs. 25-29 Mounds 34 Ft. Atki GRANT Dodgeville 32 Belleville Stoughton g 36 Lancaster 14 12 80 Mineral Point shkonon 20 Ko 26 W 22 Evansville 23 78 New Glarus 42 90 89 61 Platteville Belmont 41 24 25 S 49 LAFAYETTE Argyle GREEN u 23 51 g Janesville El ille 39 a 151 r 40 69 Potosi 11 5 81 ROCK Dickeyville Darlington 39 Delavan Brodhead Cuba City P 21 R 48 50 e Monroe i 11 c v Gratiot a e 81 Beloit t r Walwo o Dubuque n 47 i c a ILLINOIS Lafayette Rock R M i County County v Green is e 52 s 20 r Pgs. 40-42 is County s Pgs. 34-36 i p p Pgs. 21-24 Rockford 61 i 90 4 39 Using the Guide Information for this guide was gathered locally from Wisconsin DNR, naturalists, birders, Denmark and a range of wildlife w BROWN ndon . R a ox enthusiasts. Each site was F 43 4 Appleton nominated locally and eval- Brillion 10 MANITOWOC 57 uated as part of the region- 5 10 55 Reedsville BAGO 32 al project. tte es CALUMET 151 Man Morts Site information Chilton osh New Holstien includes a contact phone Kiel number, driving directions, Elkhart Lake 32 a small locator map, a SHEBOYGAN description of the property, DU LAC Shebo Fond Plymouth common and rare birds and 151 du Lac 45 41 wildlife, and a Web site if Waupun 57 ORICON ATIONAL 43 available. Except as noted, WILDLIFE 17 Kewaskum REFUGE 65 admission to these proper- er 16 19 64 Washington West 63 OZAUKEECounty ties is free. Hours are 33 Bend 61 Pg. 49-51 Horicon WASHINGTON included, even though most GE Slinger 60 62 Grafton properties are open 24/7. r Hartford Jackson e Cedarburg v i As you would expect, R Mequon Waukesha Watertown County most of these waypoints WAUKESHA Oconomowoc MILWAUKEEPg. 52-55 are remote, wild locations. 69 Brookfield Delafield 66 While every effort has been N 71 Milwaukee 18 Waukesha West made to provide accurate 5 New Berlin Allis nson 67 Muskego driving instructions, we rec- Eagle Oak Creek 70 68 94 ommend that you bring a Whitewater 43 32 58 East Troy county map or gazetteer to 20 WalworthRACINE Racine WALWORTH help in finding these sites. khorn UnionCounty Grove 60 Pg. 46-48 9 Lake Other prudent equipment n Geneva Delavan KENOSHA Kenosha would include a compass, 12 Geneva 57 Bristol 41 Pleasant rth Genoa Prairie flashlight, water, a granola City 45 bar or two, insect repellant, 14 12 and a good pair of walk- 94 ing/hiking shoes. 41 Chica 5 Waypoint Index Page Columbia County 1. French Creek State Wildlife Area _______________________________________8 2. Grassy Lake State Wildlife Area ________________________________________9 3. Leopold Wetland Management District _________________________________9 4. Pine Island State Wildlife Area _________________________________________10 5. MacKenzie Environmental Education Center ____________________________10 6. Madison Audubon Goose Pond Sanctuary, Erstad Prairie & Schoenberg Marsh Waterfowl Production Area__________________________11 Dane County 7. Aldo Leopold Nature Center ___________________________________________13 8. Black Hawk Unit of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway _________________13 9. Capital Springs Recreation Area, Lussier Family Heritage Center, Lake Farm Park & Nine Springs E-Way __________________________________14 10. Cave of the Mounds National Natural Landmark ________________________14 11. Governor Nelson State Park____________________________________________15