As I contemplated making this post, I began to wonder how many pages it would take to actually show images of all of the birds species I have photographed at Horicon Marsh NWR, here in Wisconsin.   Add in a nice variety of “types”of images and I realized that there is not enough space or hours in the day to do this.  I decided to not even look at my external hard drives or in my slide files.  I only used a couple of folders that are living on this computer.  I am only showing a sampling of what is in those folders. I am glad I decided not to include mammals, herps, insects, plants and landscapes.

I write a lot about places that are special to me.  For some reason I have never included Horicon Marsh NWR.  That may be because it is too well known.  Places that I feel that I can keep for myself become extra special to me.  It may be that it is too close to home.  Well it is 80 miles away, but  it seems like it is next door because I have been there over 50 times in the past 4 years.  Maybe that is why I have never considered it “my” special place.  I go there too often.  I do have special memories of nature and people that were experienced at Horicon.  In any case it deserves to be on my list.  Horicon is the Upper Midwest’s premier wildlife spot.  It is internationally famous. I have met birders at Horicon from all over North America, Europe and Asia.  Horicon is proof that it is not only the desert where you can find an oasis.  This is a wetland oasis in the middle of farm country.  When at Horicon do not forget to spend time looking in the prairie, woodland and even farm habitats.  There is abundance everywhere.  Horicon “proper” is the largest fresh water cattail marsh in the world.

All of the images below were actually made at Horicon Marsh.  Only the Sora and the Least Bittern are birds who’s pictures that I have made only at Horicon.  The rest have been photogaphed at other locations as well.

Sora

Virginia Rail

American Coot

Double-crested Cormorants

Least Bittern

American Bittern

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron

Mature Black-crowned Night Heron

Black Tern

Forster’s Tern

Sandhill Cranes

Great Egret

Great-blue Heron

Herring Gull

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird

Female Red-winged Blackbird

Barn Swallow

Trumpeter Swans

Male and Female Red Head Ducks

American White Pelicans

Wilson’s Snipes

Horicon is a place for all seasons.  I have worked all 12 months of the calendar at Horicon, with success. In the winter of 2007 this beautiful Snowy Owl visited for several weeks.  I would have hated to have missed this personable fellow, while I waited for spring.

I thank you so much for visiting the Earth Image’s blog.  Look next for “Worth The Wait?”

Wayne