Program Notes from the October 30, 2007 Meeting of LKWA

October 30, 2007 at 6:00 pm

Milton Township Hall

Chairman, Rick Persson called the meeting to order at 6:03 pm. There were 37 persons in attendance. A motion was passed to approve the minutes of September 24, 2007 as Emailed.

Sightings around the lake included several sightings of Osprey, large numbers of Ruddy ducks, two Loons, mature and immature Bald eagles, and grebes. A very rare sighting was a dark ibis, probably a glossy ibis. A migration of accipiters (Cooper's and Sharp-shinned hawk) was seen on October 20. On October 22, large flocks of ducks came through as well as migrating flocks of Sandhill cranes. On October 28, a pair of Tundra swans flew over the lake toward the northeast.

Old business:

  1. The legal proceedings regarding Lake Koshkonong water levels are now in the stage of filing briefs for the Circuit Court judicial hearing (Judge Dillon) that is scheduled for December 14 at the Rock County courthouse in Janesville. The petitioners filed their briefs on September 14. The response briefs from the WDRN, LKWA and Theibeau Hunt Club have also been filed. The petitioners will file reply briefs by 11/16. They have also requested oral arguments before the judge on December 14 and he has agreed to allow them. The public may attend the hearing, but there will be no public comment allowed.

New business:

  1. Penny reported that we have an opportunity to apply for a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It is called a "Pulling Together Initiative Grant". Eligible applicants are not for profits and government agencies. The grant support is to be used to manage invasive and noxious plant species, and it calls for the formation of local Weed Management Area partnerships. A motion passed to pursue possible participation in the grant program.

Announcements:

  1. Our next meeting will be the nest box assemble day. After some discussion, we chose February 2, 2008 as the date (a Saturday). We will make more wood duck boxes as well as mallard nest rolls (at least 30). Rick noted that we are completely sold out of wood duck boxes and nest rolls. We decided not to raise our prices because we want to have as many boxes sold and used as possible.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 pm.

Program: Bird Populations and Ecologic Changes in Horicon Marsh
Bill Volkert, Wildlife Educator, Horicon Marsh

Mr. Volkert introduced himself noting that he has many years of experience working to improve habitat for many species of birds at Horicon Marsh. He is an educator and works with many groups ranging from school children to international delegations of biologists from all over the world.

First, Mr. Volkert reviewed the history of Horicon Marsh. Originally, the marsh was a glacial basin. When the glacier ran into the bedrock of the Niagara escarpment, the Rock River valley was gouged out behind it. Lake Winnebago and Horicon marsh were in the outwash plain and when a terminal moraine formed, it created a natural dam and glacial Lake Horicon formed behind it. Eventually, this dam eroded and the large marsh was created. Archeological evidence shows that Native Americans inhabited this area since the end of the ice age 12,000 years ago.

In 1846 the first dam was built to power a sawmill. It raised the water level nine feet, formed a vast lake and flooded the farmlands. In 1869 the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled that the dam owners had to pay compensation to the landowners or remove the dam. The dam was removed. From 1870 to 1900, waterfowl returned and the area became known for exclusive waterfowl hunt clubs. One club had local membership but the others had members who were businessmen from elsewhere. The clubs are recognized for having established some self-regulation of their hunts. For example, bag limits were set and hunting in the spring was outlawed. In contrast, "market hunters" often shot 1000s of birds with 2- or 4-guage guns during all seasons, resulting in a major decline in waterfowl populations in 25 years.

In the early 1900s, other interests arose and from 1910 through 1916, the marsh was drained for agricultural use. Huge ditches were dredged, crisscrossing the marsh. The main ditch was 8 feet deep, 14 feet wide and nine miles long. These ditches are still there. The marsh no longer has a meandering river through its core. Land speculators purchased drained marshland at $100 per acre, then sold it at $200 per acre as "new land". Farmers used wagons with wide steel tires and put marsh shoes on their horses. They raised onions, carrots and potatoes. Unfortunately, although the soil looked good and black, it was mostly organic material. It was often too wet in the spring and couldn't be planted. Or if the fall was wet, it couldn't be harvested. So the farmers went broke and abandoned the land. After it was abandoned, it dried out in late summer and often caught fire, eventually burning down to mineral soil and destroying 10,000 years of soil formation.

In 1921 the Isaac Walton League led by Curly Radke organized to restore the marsh, and in 1927 the Horicon Marsh Wildlife Refuge bill was passed. Today it is rebuilt (a new dam was constructed) and "restored" although it remains very much altered from its condition in the early 1800s. The state bought back about 1/3 of the land (11,000 areas) and in 1941 the federal government bought the rest. Once again, the marsh became an important migratory rest area and breeding site for waterfowl. The federal lands are an especially important area for breeding of redheads. Horicon was the first named Important Bird Area in Wisconsin and is also a Globally Important Bird Area. On 6/28/91 it was named a "Wetland of International Importance". Horicon Marsh has over 550,000 visitors and brings in $7 million in ecotourism each year. Most importantly, it is a center for education and the first lesson it teaches is "Don't do what we did"! Protect your wetlands.

What is happening now at Horicon Marsh? The major impact on the 33,000 acres is farming in the surrounding watershed of 500 sq. miles. As large farms replace small farms, hedgerows are removed and the small low wet spots are planted. This increases erosion and runoff of pesticides and fertilizer. Housing and commercial development also contribute to the runoff of pesticides and fertilizer. This has become such a severe problem that large "foam balls" form each spring when water runs off the frozen ground.

Horicon Marsh received a grant to monitor water, sediment and nutrients from 1997-2000. This revealed that 21 million pounds of suspended solids, primarily from rural sources, were carried into the marsh each year. In addition, 171,000 pounds of phosphorus also were carried into the marsh. Both of these products of "run-off" peaked in March and April.

The consequences of the sediment and phosphorus are a change from a firm clay bottom to muck and a marked increase in growth of algae. The build-up of sediment makes the water shallower and the algal growth results in the death of the emergent vegetation, wild rice and bulrushes that are so important as a food source for ducks and muskrats. As the algae rots, it increases bacterial growth that in turn decreases the oxygen levels and results in fish die-off (except for carp and bullheads). Now there are so many carp, that they are actually stunted because there is so much competition. The decreased muskrat population has resulted in loss of the "hemi-mash" that they create by eating cattails. Much of the marsh is now choked with dense stands of cattails.

Since the 1960s, there has been a large increase in the goose population of the marsh and a big decrease in the number of ducks. This is not because the geese crowd out the ducks but because of the loss of emergent vegetation for the ducks to eat. The geese are not affected because they feed in the agricultural fields around the marsh. Other vegetarians like coots and gallinules are also decreasing. Sora rails and Forester's terns are declining because of the dense cattails.

Pelicans are relative newcomers to the marsh, first appearing about 7 years ago. There are now 550 nesting pairs in the marsh. They are fish eaters and are eating carp almost exclusively. They are indiscriminant fish eaters and eat what is most abundant.

Q. Two summers ago we tried to canoe in Horicon Marsh and the water was so low we couldn't float. Why?

A. The water was lowered for repair of the dam and then a drought followed. At that point it was decided to keep the water low for a longer period. This allows the muck to day and compact, resulting in deeper water when the water is restored. Low water levels also allow the annual plants that are so vital to wildlife to germinate. Finally, the low water levels allow managers to burn the cattails. The only negative impact was that the water did not rise in time for the duck hunters to access the marsh. Most of them did not object, however, because it would increase the duck populations for the future.

Q. Would a proposed ban on phosphorus fertilizer help?

A. Yes, it would provide some help. However, it will not help the sediment problem.

Note: This should not become a battle between the farmers and conservationists. The problem is with how the farmers have been encouraged to operate. There should be financial incentives for them to farm sustainably rather than for maximum harvest with excess fertilizer and tilling of soils prone to erosion.

Q. What effect will increased corn production have (encouraged by the ethanol industry)?

A. It will reverse the positive effect of the 1985 Farm Bill that encouraged conservation. It provided financial incentives for multiyear set-asides. The market forces driving up the price of corn will reverse this.

Q. Why are we seeing so many pelicans?

A. Pelicans used to be an unusual sight in Wisconsin, usually seen every 2 to 3 years as a migrant. There are two species of pelicans. The Brown Pelican is a coastal bird and is not found here. The American White Pelican traditionally nests in western Minnesota, the Dakotas and the NW territories. In 1992 that all changed. Thirty birds spent to summer in Wisconsin and by 1994 they were nesting in green Bay. In 1997 they began to nest in Horicon and by 2006, 712 pairs nested in Horicon, primarily on islands and dredge spoils. This year it was too wet for them in Horicon and they nested in a nearby lake. They feed on carp hatchlings. Pelicans don't nest until they are 4 to 6 years of age. Juveniles often first hang out in a lake for years before nesting activity begins. Pelicans lay 1 to 3 eggs that hatch in 35-40 days. Because they use islands for nesting, they do not compete with ducks and their diet of carp poses no competition with sport fishermen. White Pelicans do not dive for fish. They feed cooperatively on the water, "herding" schools of fish into a circle of birds.

One theory for the recent colonization of Wisconsin by Pelicans is the drought in the Dakotas in the 1990s. By that time, Wisconsin was coming out of its drought and the non-breeders found us. These young birds may have nested at a younger age, because they did not have competition from older birds.

Q. Why do Pelicans soar in large groups during the summer?

A. To look for other sites to feed.

Mr. Volkert said that he and Sumner Matteson, an ornithologist, plan to write a paper on the recent history of Pelicans in Wisconsin.

Q. Have you seen effects of warmer winters on bird populations?

A. Yes – Geese aren't going as far south. For example, goose hunting in southern Illinois is no longer possible because the birds don't move that far south.

Birds migrate south in order to obtain food. They are well insulated and do not leave because of the cold. The leave when snow covers their food or when the insects are dead.

Mr. Volkert received a hearty round of applause for his excellent program.

The program concluded at 8:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Penny Shackelford, Secretary-Treasurer