A Good Reed
L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve’s quarterly newsletter
Volume 5 | Issue 1 | April 2017
Busy Spring!
One of the great parts of living in Wisconsin is the changing of the seasons.
While spring is great by itself, we appreciate it more after a long winter. It’s a great
time to get outside to take advantage of the weather. Not only to stretch our legs but
also to see the variety of natural events that only happen this time of year. Maple
syrup season is wrapped up and you’ll notice that the maple trees already have large
buds on them. Northern pike have been seen making their way up from Green Bay to
spawning marshes on the west shore. Eastern bluebirds are arriving and looking for
nest boxes so make sure you have yours up! More and more birds arrive every day
and soon you’ll be overwhelmed with the variety of warblers and other songbirds.
Canada geese are starting to nest and the bald eagles are again using their nest by trail
intersection #5. Skunk cabbage is popping up and soon to be joined by many other
spring wildflowers. You can easily walk out here every day during the spring and see
something new. Come on out to visit and make your own discoveries!
Contents
Busy Spring!
1
Ticks
2
Tick ID
3
Upcoming Events
4
North Impoundment Project Update
Over the winter several water control structures
were replaced along with several culverts that
intersected the trails. The entire project should be
completed by June 2017 and will provide critical
habitat for a wide variety of wetland species.
2
Ticks
by Dani Wagner
Spring weather means the arrival of many new furry, flying and crawly critters– including ticks. If you are like
most people, ticks aren’t something you look forward to seeing on your clothing or imbedded in your skin.
Education and identification are important when it comes to ticks. Wisconsin is home to at least 16 different
species. Rest assured that not all ticks feed on human blood but more commonly feed on birds and small
mammals. Tick season generally lasts from spring through fall, peaking in the summer months - June, July and
August. Ticks live in wooded, grassy areas that provide food and cover for small animals and deer. Contrary to
what people think, ticks cannot jump or fly. They crawl onto animals or people as they brush against vegetation
and will attach to the host for a blood meal. Tick exposure is greatest in wooded areas, especially along trails.
Should this stop you from venturing outdoors, absolutely not!
If you want to avoid ticks, here are a few tips:

Tuck in your clothing is a great way to prevent ticks.

Wear repellent containing DEET or Permethrin.

Check yourself for ticks!

Walk in the middle of trails, avoid long grasses and shrubbery.
There are three main types of ticks everyone should get familiar with: American dog tick, Lone star tick
(Southern Wisconsin), and the Blacklegged Tick or “Deer” Tick.
Knowing the
differences between
these ticks could
prevent you from
fearing these buggers,
contracting diseases and
stopping you from
going outside. The main
tick of concern is the
Deer tick since they are
the known transmitters
of Lyme disease.
For more information visit the Center of Disease Control
website www.cdc.gov.
Ticks are not all bad. Yes, you read that right. Would the ecosystem plummet without them? Most people
would say no, since ticks are a nuisance. Even from an ecological perspective, the answer is still no, for a
slightly different reason being ticks do not offer a significant source of nutrition. Some diets and populations
would likely fluctuate, but the ecosystem would not plummet. Ticks often times transmit diseases when they
feed on their host. This transmission of disease weeds out sick or infirm individuals in the host population. So
perhaps a tick’s purpose is to serve as a check or balance to exploding populations of critters. No one has the
‘right’ answer, but there are many theories and opinions on these little buggers. Knowing where ticks are found
and educating yourself on tick identification will keep you enjoying the great outdoors and living a happy
healthy life!
3
Name that TICK!
*Answers at bottom of page*
B.
A.
C.
Phenology in Focus
Phenology: the study of cyclic, seasonal phenomena in nature.
Keep your senses tuned for these seasonal wonders:
 Territorial Red-winged black birds  Thirteen-lined ground squirrels
preparing for mating season
peaking out of their holes
 Killdeer skimming across the
shoreline
 Northern pike spawning in the
ditches and marshes
 Budding trees
 Hummingbirds buzzing by
 Native wildflowers popping up
 Whitetail deer frolicking in the
fields
 Ice melting on the ponds and
impoundments
 Snapping turtles poking their
heads out of the water
 The sound of squishy soil beneath
 Eastern garter snakes soaking in
your feet
the sunshine
Our Action Track chair is available to
anyone who wishes to get out and
explore the park. No charge. Just call
ahead to reserve!
A. Male and Female Deer tick B. Female and Male Lone Star tick C. Female and Male American Dog tick
4
L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve
2024 Lakeview Drive
Suamico, Wisconsin 54173
(920) 434-2824
Brown County Parks
Enriching the quality of life in Brown County through a comprehensive system of open space and outdoor recreational facilities
with an emphasis on natural resources, recreation, and outdoor
Like Us on Facebook!
L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve
Park Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Interpretive Center Hours:
Monday-Friday 9:00am—4:00pm
Saturday-Sunday 12:00pm—4:00pm
L.H. Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve is a 920 acre Brown County
Park located on the west shore of Green Bay. A place where prehistoric peoples once hunted, fished and camped, today this natural area
is home and refuge for a wide variety of wildlife and plant species.
Over nine miles of hiking trails allow for exploration through a variety
of habitats.
Outdoor education programs, family nature programs, scout programs, and naturalist-led walks are available on a year-round basis.
Visitors of all ages enjoy exploring the Interpretive Center, which has
many exciting animal and nature exhibits as well as hands-on activities.
For a Virtual Tour of Barkhausen go to: http://www.co.brown.wi.us/departments/page_ab31d783eb0c/?
Know someone who would like to receive our newsletter? Have them e-mail us at: [email protected]
To read past newsletters go to: http://www.co.brown.wi.us/i/f/parks/Newsletter%20Web%20Versions.pdf
Preregistration required for all programs except for the
International Migratory Bird Day.
Please call 920-434-2824 or 920-448-6242
Upcoming Events
April
Bat House Workshop
$10/kit, Please bring your
own hammer!

Saturday, April 8th 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 29th 10:00 a.m.
June
May

Let’s Go Froggin!

Let’s Go Froggin!
$3/child, $5/adult, $15/family
$3/child, $5/adult, $15/family
Friday, May 19th 7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 2nd 7:30 p.m.

International Migratory
Bird Day
Saturday, May 13th
Saturday, June 3rd 7:30 p.m.

Kayaking 101
$40/person (age 17+),
$25/child (ages 10-16)
Thursday, June 15th
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Cat Island
Tour
$50/person (age 17+),
$40/child (ages 14-16)
Friday, June 23rd 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.