Lake Koshkonong – Vinnie Haha Rd. eBird Hotspot
Habitat: Open Water, Mudflats, Marsh, Hardwood Swamp, Residential, Oak-Hickory Forest.
Best Birds: The Vinnie Haha boat launch is one of the better access points in Jefferson County. Lake levels drop during the summer and can create good conditions for viewing shorebirds like Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and others, generally from July through September. The lake attracts large numbers of gulls and terns including Bonaparte’s Gull, and Black and Caspian Tern, which should be carefully checked for more rare species. Other waterbirds, including American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, and Great Egret, are often also present from spring through fall.
Finally, the swampy woodlands near the boat launch parking lot can be very good for migrant warblers, and also are a fairly consistent spot to find Carolina Wren.
Directions: 40 miles SE of Madison/6 miles southwest of Fort Atkinson. The boat ramp and parking area are at the north end of Vinnie Haha Road (42.883275, -88.905746), which can be accessed from Koshkonong Mounds Road one mile west of Highway 26. This same parking lot lies on the west border of the Koshkonong State Wildlife Area with trails leading east into the area.
Site Address and Additional Information:
Lake Koshkonong is a vast and shallow (maximum depth of 7 feet) lake straddling Dane, Jefferson, and Rock Counties.
N1130 Vinnie Haha Rd., Fort Atkinson, WI
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources: Lake Koshkongong
Koshkonong Wildlife Area | Wisconsin DNR
Neil Gilbert
