Stevens and I ventured farther afield on Thursday when we drove to Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin. It's just over 100 miles though it requires going around Milwaukee where the highways are perpetually under construction. (And to think I used to take those roads every weekend when Stevens served the church in Campbellsport north of the city.)
Here is the state website to tell you more.
The southern part of Horicon Marsh is managed by the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. The northern part is a federal wildlife refuge. Fortunately we began at the state visitor center because it's open! The federal visitor's center is closed.
False sunflower. Wild cucumber. Jewel weed (touch-me-not). Elderberries. Hedge bindweed. Wild parsnip. (There was a sign warning not to touch the parsnip because it can cause blisters.)
A leopard frog hopped across the path and stayed still as I fumbled to aim the phone/camera at it.
The southern part of Horicon Marsh is managed by the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources. The northern part is a federal wildlife refuge. Fortunately we began at the state visitor center because it's open! The federal visitor's center is closed.
Stevens sat indoors in air-conditioned comfort while I took a 2.3 mile trail around the marsh. Temperature was in the mid-80's and the humidity was high -- I was hot! But I persisted.
The vivid purple is ironweed.
Horicon is an important stopping place along the migration route. It's not so busy in mid-August, of course.
I saw several egrets and herons -- and a swan!
Nann, you were in my neck of the woods! In fact, I just ventured over there myself a few days ago, in the evening about an hour before sundown, and saw a total of 17 deer, 5 of them up pretty close, a beautiful swan, pelicans, sandhill cranes, grebes, and who knows what all else. Next time you're planning to come north again, let me know and I'll walk along with you. There is an auto tour off Hwy. 49 on the northern end of the marsh, but you can walk or bike it, too.
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