The tardy naturalist Aldo Leopold called it “a pandemonium of trumpets, rattles, croaks and screams” – a chorus of sandhill cranes taking to the air like something out of the Jurassic period. The enormous, long-legged birds live in pairs but travel in flocks and, in preparation for migration, congregate or “stage” in saturated areas. By the mid-1930s, Wisconsin’s sandhill crane population had dropped to 25 breeding pairs, prompting Leopold to write “Swamp Elegy” in 1937, lamenting the loss of wetlands and, therefore, cranes. He would be delighted to learn that today, in November and December, thousands of cranes are on display near the Aldo Leopold Foundation’s home in Baraboo. Wisconsin’s wetlands offer plenty of viewing opportunities – mostly from the comfort of your car. Pack your binoculars and a long-lens camera before heading to these popular destinations:
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Horicon Swamp
DODGE AND FOND DU LAC COUNTIES
Silty Glacial Lake, the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the U.S., is divided between state and national refuges, providing 50 square miles of prime migration viewing sites. “November is when we see the most sands in Horicon,” says bird photographer Claire Werner. “Last December, there were still several thousand in farmland along Highway Z.”
Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area
GRANTSBURG
Take a 24-mile driving tour through 30,000 acres of restored wetlands, streams and prairies in northwestern Wisconsin. Crex posts wildlife updates on its website, including the best locations and times of day to view.
National Necedah Wildlife Refuge
NECESSARILY
These 44,000 acres are part of the 7,800-square-mile Great Central Wisconsin Swamp, the largest peat bog in the state and popular with cranes, including the uncommon whooping crane.
Marshes on the Biała River
PRINCETON
The swamp is home to enormous numbers of cranes and has a rustic road running through its heart, providing excellent wildlife views. Whooping cranes are released here, so until October 16.
CHICKEN Leopold converted into a cabin on the Wisconsin River near Baraboo, home to the state’s largest gathering of cranes. Aldo Leopold Cottage and Farm is open to visitors from May to October, but becomes the crane’s central site for the following two months. Options include scenic tours, bird blinds, and even virtual tours with world-renowned ornithologist Stan Temple. On November 10-11, The Shack and the nearby International Crane Foundation will host the second annual Great Midwest Crane Fest, featuring guided tours, crane photography and behavior workshops, and conservation-related lectures. Tickets are required for all these events.
