By Charlie Luthin of Lodi, Wis.
The month of May brings fresh rains to the Kickapoo Valley, and paddlers ready themselves for their spring float or paddle down this iconic Driftless Area River. May also brings waves of migrating birds to Wisconsin and the Kickapoo Valley from their distant wintering grounds in Mexico, Central and South America. What a wonderful convergence of pleasures — paddling and birdwatching on the Kickapoo!
I had the good fortune recently to join friends on a birding adventure while paddling the Kickapoo. This was no ordinary birdwatching outing, but rather a float with a purpose: to raise money for a statewide bird conservation initiative. We participated in the Great Wisconsin Bird-a-thon organized by the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin that runs from April 15 to June 15. We were part of a larger team called the “River Raptors” that paddles rivers across the state to count bird species for the Bird-a-Thon. The foundation’s goal this year is to raise $125,000 for statewide bird conservation.
Our team was comprised of internationally distinguished conservationists, including renowned conservation historian, author, and Aldo Leopold biographer Dr. Curt Meine; Dr. Rich Beilfuss, president and CEO of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo; and Dr. Tran Triet, Southeast Asia program director for the International Crane Foundation. Triet also served as our trip “chronicler,” photographing some of the more characteristic birds he saw along the way.
We rendezvoused early morning on May 13 (three days after World Migratory Bird Day) at the canoe outfitter north of Ontario where we began our river trip. Two canoes, four guys, five hours on the river and a few additional hours birding at Wildcat Mountain State Park along the river comprised our day.
A diversity of habitats along the Kickapoo — forested bluffs, floodplain woodland, meadows and wetlands — offer great birding opportunities, especially from a canoe. Our team was continuously regaled with the flamboyant songs of colorful orioles, warblers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, indigo buntings and song sparrows that lined the riverbanks.
During our Kickapoo adventure, we spotted 69 bird species that included yellow warblers, American redstarts, warbling vireos, Baltimore orioles, great crested flycatchers, spotted sandpipers, and cliff and rough-winged swallows on every mile we paddled, three eagles on the wing, and an unexpected raven among the many crows. It was a perfect day on the river! Kickapoo Valley residents are fortunate to have such a beautiful river and rich birdlife to enjoy.
Several of us have run the Kickapoo River for the annual Bird-a-Thon at least five times over recent years. I suspect (and hope!) that we’ll be back again next spring.
For more information about the Natural Resources Foundation Great Wisconsin Bird-a-Thon, go to www.wisconservation.org.
