https://ebird.org/hotspot/L157680
Habitat: 715 acres of White Cedar Swamp, Southern Hardwood Forest, Successional Oldfield, Open Water.
Best Birds: Scope Lake Michigan for distant Long-tailed Duck and all three scoter species, Western Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Common Loon, and Red-throated Loon. Gulls such as Greater Black-backed, Lesser-Black-backed, Glaucous, Iceland, and Franklin’s, and occasional Parasitic and Pomarine Jaeger may migrate by. Shorebirds such as Whimbrel, Willet, Black-bellied Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, and Sanderling may be present if annual water levels create beach habitat.
The forest is a migrant stopover for passerines including winter finches, warblers such as Black-throated Blue Warbler, and thrushes. Pileated Woodpecker and Mourning Warbler may breed here. Secretive Barred Owl, Long-eared Owl, and Northern Saw-whet Owl may winter.
The open shrubby oldfield provides breeding habitat for Northern Harrier, good views of raptor migration, and winter habitat for Short-eared Owl (for one winter a three month stay of a Northern Hawk-Owl), Rough-legged Hawk, and Northern Shrike. Other breeding species include Black-billed Cuckoo, Willow Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Sedge Wren, Eastern Towhee, Clay-colored Sparrow, Field Sparrow, and occasionally White-eyed Vireo, Henslow’s Sparrow, or Yellow-breasted Chat.
Directions: 10 miles NE of Port Washington and one mile east of Belgium, at the eastern end of Ozaukee County Hwy D.
Site Address & Additional Information:
531 County Hwy D, Belgium, WI
Harrington Beach State Park | Wisconsin DNR
Jim Frank
