Lunch Creek Sedge Meadow SNA, Waushara County, WI, US - eBird Hotspot
Habitats: Sedge Meadow, Restored Grasslands, Oak Forest.
Best Birds: This site provides for wetland and grassland breeders including Northern Harrier, Sedge Wren, Henslow’s Sparrow, and Swamp Sparrow, with smaller numbers of Field Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Eastern Meadowlark. Savannas and woodlands host Red-headed Woodpecker, Whip-poor-will, Willow Flycatcher, and Brown Thrasher. Thousands of Sandhill Crane use this area for staging in the fall, and Short-eared Owl are sometimes present in winter.
Directions: 45 miles SSE of Stevens Point/5 miles southwest of Wautoma. From the intersection of Highways 73 and 21 in Wautoma, go south and then west on Hwy 21 for 2.5 miles, then south on County Y about 2.0 miles to a DNR parking area east of the road, (44.04051, -89.34582). Follow a path to the east for 0.3 miles to reach the natural area, (44.04049, -89.33889). This path is an easement through private property so stay on the path until reaching the creek area. You can bushwhack for two miles downstream to explore the wetlands. There is also parking on Cumberland Ave. at the southeast end of the SNA, (44.02594, -89.30092), from which walking south 0.2 miles then west takes you through the SNA, however the fragmented property here makes it more difficult to navigate around the private property lines.
Site Address & Additional Information:
This Important Bird Area encompasses Lunch Creek Wetlands State Natural Area and portions of White River and Mecan River State Fishery Areas. It contains one of the richest and best-quality wetland complexes in southern Wisconsin, with large patterned areas of sedge meadow, wet prairie, and fen. The uplands consist of planted grasslands, oak savanna, and oak forest.
County Hwy Y, Wautoma WI
Lunch Creek Wetlands State Natural Area - Wisconsin DNR
Lunch Creek Sedge Meadow – Wisconsin Important Bird Areas (wisconsinbirds.org)
Carl Schroeder
