Puchyan Prairie SNA, Green Lake County, WI, US - eBird Hotspot
Habitat: Sedge Meadow, Native Wet and Mesic Prairie, Cattail Marsh, Southern Hardwood Forest.
Best Birds: Typical breeding birds of the Puchyan Prairie areAmerican Bittern, Sandhill Crane, Virginia Rail, Northern Harrier, American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, Henslow’s Sparrow and Bobolink. Puchyan Marsh Road takes one down to the cattail marsh, and east of the road is a small pond where ducks are sometimes found, and woodcock display on early spring evenings in the open areas among the shrubs, with snipe winnowing overhead. Many cranes and blackbirds come into the marsh to roost for the night.
Uncommon to rare birds that have been recorded here are Yellow Rail, Short-eared Owl and LeConte’s Sparrow.
Directions: 52 miles SW of Appleton. From County Highway CC, turn north on Puchyan Marsh Road and in 0.1 mile park (43.881394, -89.026982). The road leading into this site dead-ends on private land and there is no turnaround so park and walk down the gravel trail from there.
The virgin wet prairie and southern hardwood forest (43.890456, -89.019972) are accessible only by hiking east and north through the wet grasslands, sedge meadows and/or cattails – with knee-high boots recommended.
Site Address and Additional Information:
Puchyan Marsh Road, Princeton WI
Puchyan Prairie State Natural Area - Wisconsin DNR
Tom Schultz
