https://ebird.org/wi/hotspot/L8354128
Habitat: Restored Grassland, Marsh, Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Cedar Swamp, Cropland, Open Water.
Best Birds: Northern Harrier is a year-round resident. The grasslands feature breeding Sedge Wren, Clay-colored, Savannah, and Henslow’s Sparrow, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Dickcissel. Summer residents in the cattail marshes include Sora, Virginia Rail, Wilson’s Phalarope, American Bittern, and Marsh Wren.
Winter regularly attracts Rough-legged Hawk, Short-eared Owl, and Northern Shrike as regulars, often joined by Snowy Owl, Snow Bunting, and Lapland Longspur. Great Horned Owl and Eastern Screech-Owl are often heard from the scattered woodlands.
In the spring thaw when the rivers overflow their banks and flood the marshes there can be large numbers of ducks, geese, gulls and some shorebirds. At times Lemke Road may become impassable. A good guideline is that if the ducks on the road are divers, turn back – if puddle ducks, you have a chance to get through.
Directions: 39 miles S of Green Bay/24 miles west of Manitowoc. From Hwy 151 take Lemke Road north for one mile to reach the heart of the wetland/grassland complex. Aebischer Road and Lemke Road transect the area with many parking lots available. The parking lot at the top of the hill on Aebischer Road (44.04042, -88.07615) provides an especially nice overlook of the marsh and grasslands.
The north side of the wildlife area is accessed from County Hwy Y to Riverview Road and then Stecker Road which branches and dead ends at two separate parking areas while passing through a mix of grassland and small wetland pond habitat, 44.06533, -88.08164.
On the east, bordering Manitowoc County, is another upland grassland area. From Hwy 151, use Hickory Hills Road to go north then west on Marsh Road to where it ends overlooking the south branch of the Manitowoc River (44.05861, -88.03772).
Site Address & Additional Information:
The area is comprised of over 7,000 acres of primarily a large wetland-grassland complex with scattered bottomland hardwood forest. The South Branch-Manitowoc River, Cedar Creek and Killsnake River run through the property.
Lemke Road, Chilton WI
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Lands/WildlifeAreas/killsnake.html
Darwin Tiede
