May on the marsh is a very special time of year, some of our most colorful birdspecies have arrived from their wintering locations and they are wearing their brightestand most attractive colors for mating season. It is a time of nesting for some, feedinghungry young for others and the first offspring of Canada geese are […]
April on the marsh is a time of rebirth, reproduction, regeneration and return toproductivity fueled by the increasing warmth, length of daylight and precipitation that allthings green need to grow. The trees and shrubs are adorned in catkins covered withpollen welcoming the native bees as they awake from their winter dormancy. Amphibians know that it […]
March on the marsh can be a mixture of extremes. There may be warm sunlitdays where you are certain that spring has arrived, freezing wind-blown snowstormsresembling the depth of winter or even below zero temperatures. Keep your warm bootsand hats ready to explore the ever-changing marsh. But once the waters open, expect atremendous amount of […]
As the cold wind sweeps across Collins Marsh, it may appear lifeless and a bitdesolate, there is still activity to be seen and heard for those who take the time toobserve. Eagles and hawks grace the top of trees overlooking the snow-covered fields.Late in the day, white-tailed deer visit the clearings and move about to […]
January, the start of a new year, a time to take stock of where we have been and plan for where we are hoping to go. What goals do we want to achieve in the future? Afresh start for the calendar and a time when many people make New Year’s resolutionsplanning for self-improvement. Here’s an […]
The marsh in December is often quiet and may appear lifeless, but manyorganisms are simply in their wintering state, biding their time until length of daylight andtemperatures prompt them to become active once again. There are bird species thathave arrived to over-winter here and some of the regulars stay all year long, residentsincluding woodpeckers, cardinals […]
November, a chill in the air, the growing season has come to an end, so quickly itseems. The summer has slipped away, many of the beautiful fall leaves are coveringthe ground and life at Collins Marsh has shifted to a slower pace. Much of the fallmigration is complete and we await the arrival of migrants […]
October is one of the most beautiful months of the year in Wisconsin, flaming redand yellow leaves accent the tree line and in most places the grass is still green. Thedecorations come out in yards, on porches and children select their Halloweencostumes with excitement! Darkness arrives earlier each day and there is a coolfreshness to […]
September brings with it the shortening day length, cooler temperatures and aseason where plants are finishing seed production to ensure their species persists fornext year. Birds and some insects have decided to migrate in search of better foodsources for the winter or because of changing daylight and temperatures. Spiders areutilizing the tall grasses to spin […]
August is a great time for a visit to Collins Marsh. Although most of the migratingbirds of fall have not yet headed our way, there are many colorful residents that takeadvantage of the summer insect populations, tree swallows and purple martins arediving about, fly catchers hunt in the willows, egrets and great blue herons are […]