https://ebird.org/wi/hotspot/L159716
Habitat: Southern Hardwood Forest, Restored Grasslands, Open Water.
Best Birds: This park can be extremely good for migrating songbirds in the spring due to the channeling effect of Lake Winnebago. Migrants and birders seek park areas with sunny exposure and wind protection. The nearby lakefront/marina is worth checking for ducks, grebes, gulls, loons and terns during migration.
Permanent residents include Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Pileated Woodpecker, and Brown Creeper.
Summer residents include both Yellow-Billed and Black-Billed Cuckoo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-throated Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Winter Wren, Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, and Scarlet Tanager. These species, as well as the permanent residents mentioned above, are best found in the wet-mesic forest of the High Cliff Escarpment State Natural Area in the lower portion of the park along Lime Kiln Trail or the wooded areas on top of the escarpment (Red Bird Trail, Indian Mound Trail, Forest Management Trail).
The Butterfly Pond trail (which is paved and handicapped accessible) in the lower northern portion of the park near the entrance is summertime host to Belted Kingfisher, Willow Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Orchard Oriole. There are good-sized Purple Martin colonies near the park entrance and pond.
The grassland habitat (Horse/Bike Trail) at the upper portion of the park is home to summer residents including Eastern Bluebird, Field Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Clay-Colored Sparrow, and Henslow’s Sparrow, Bobolink, and Eastern Meadowlark,.
Directions: 10 miles south of Appleton via Hwy 114. Watch for state park signs that direct to the main entrance (44.16697, -88.29110).
Parking lots are located at the various trail heads for Butterfly Pond (44.16694, -88.29305), Lime Kiln (44.16119, -88.29297), Indian Mound (44.155, -88.2957), Red Bird (44.16391, -88.28713), and Forest Management (44.16508, -88.28383).
Site Address & Additional Information:
The two-mile long, 1100+ acre park stretches along the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago and is divided between a lower and upper portion by the limestone cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment.
N7630 State Park Road, Sherwood, WI
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/highcliff
Darwin Tiede
