Naturalist Notes

April 2018

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As Spring begins to provide us with warmer weather, the first forbs, or flowering plants, are finally bringing a little color to the gardens at the front of the park. Prairie Smoke is the first to emerge!

Geum triflorum: Native North American herbaceous perennial in the Rose family
Common names: Prairie Smoke, Old Man Whiskers, Praire Avens, Purple Avens

Interesting facts: Prairie Smoke is one of the earliest bloomers on the prairie, and is an important food source for insects coming out of hibernation. Clusters of nodding           reddish-pink flowers emerge from hairy, fern-like leaves. The flowers are fused and cannot open completely, so bees have to force their way in to pollinate them. It is only after     pollination that the flowers will stand upright to expose feathery tufts of seed heads that look like wafting smoke. These puffs of seeds are a treat for birds and also form cover for the prairie’s small rodents. Watch this Wisconsin native over the next month to see these blooming stages.

As more native plants begin to emerge & bloom, watch the north kiosk for “What’s Blooming” posts. Feel free to take a Prairie Plants Brochure from the stand by the north kiosk for more information. Additionally, plant ID signs will be posted by the blooming plants, providing interesting facts about each species.

Naturalist Notes

March 2018

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The weather is beginning to warm up and the animals are starting to become more active. During the winter months, you may have seen some Coyote tracks around, and thanks to one of our park visitors, Michael DeBoer, we have photographic evidence of its presence. While Coyotes (Canis latrans) have been known to take over fox dens, this one has been primarily seen on the Summerfest property and likely was just using the park as hunting grounds. It was seen by park staff in January, wandering around the Summerfest stages, and Michael DeBoer’s photographs were taken earlier this month on the berm area behind the American Family Amphitheater at the south entrance. Our Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) typically den in the rocky area in the northern half of the park.

The birds are also becoming a bit frisky. Male Common Goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula) can be seen bobbing their head up and down while verbally calling for females. The Red Breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator) are back, and the males will soon appear to be racing around the lagoons, showing off their speed to potential mates. Our yearly visitor, a leucistic (low-pigment) female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) appeared to have already chosen a mate, as she chased a particular male around the lagoon earlier this month.

While you’re walking through, enjoy the mild weather and watch the waterfowl behavior. Share your photos of the park, or of your catch, with us on our facebook page, or email them to Angela.Vickio@wisconsin.gov.  We’d love to see your photos! We’re getting closer to spring, so make sure to check our website or facebook page often for upcoming events!

Naturalist Notes

February 2018

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The temperatures have remained relatively stable, which means solid ice in the lagoon that is perfect for ice fishing. Waterfowl, however, do not share the same enthusiasm for ice cover. They are warmer and closer to their food source when they stay in open water areas during Wisconsin’s winters. The open water area under the bridge is a popular spot for waterfowl to congregate, especially since Lake Michigan is currently at 51% ice cover.

If you look closely at the waterfowl around the park, you will see 4 main species: Goldeneye, Mallard, Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup (the scaups are also known as Bluebills).

Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

Males: Black head with a white spot near the bill; black back with white sides

Female: Brown head with gray back and wings; black bill with yellow at the tip

Both: Bright yellow eyes; white patch on wings

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Males: Dark, iridescent green head with yellow bill; gray body with black tail

Females: Mottled brown body with orange and brown bill

Both: Blue patch on their wing with a white border

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

Males: Black head with green iridescence; dark grey/black tail, grey/white body

Females: Dark brown head; brown body; white base on bill

Both: Rounded head; blue-grey bill with a black tip

Lesser Scaup (Aytha affinis)

Males: Black head with purple iridescence; dark grey/black tail; grey/white body slightly darker than Greater Scaup

Females: Dark brown head and body with slight mottling; white base on bill

Both: Small peak/tuft on top of head; smaller than Greater Scaups

We’d love to see your photos! Share your photos of the park, or of your catch, with us on our facebook page, or email them to Angela.Vickio@wisconsin.gov. We are getting close to spring, so make sure to check our website or our facebook page often for upcoming events!

Naturalist Notes

January 2018

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The weather has gotten colder, and that means ice in the lagoon! Lakeshore State Park has had a busy ice fishing season, with multiple ice shanties up each day, and fishermen setting up tip-ups hoping to catch panfish and Brown Trout. Some have even still been successful in catching lingering Salmon near the harbor.

Stay safe on the ice! The lagoon can be highly variable due to its connection with Lake Michigan. This means that before venturing out, make sure you are doing so safely.
• Notify family/friends when and where you will be fishing, or better yet, bring a friend along!
• Check to make sure ice is at least 5-7” thick, and check ice thickness as you walk
• Look for clear ice, which is generally stronger than ice with bubbles or snow
• Carry ice picks or ice claws with you
• Have your cell phone in a waterproof case or bag
• Have a plan in case you fall through the ice. The DNR has ice fishing tips and other safety recommendations at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/icefishing/index.html.

Free Fishing Weekend is coming up January 20th-21st and we will be celebrating at the park by handing out recipes, fish rulers, fish wildcards, and brochures. No license is required for free fishing weekends, but regulation catch lengths do apply.

Fishermen, we’d love to see your catch! Share your photos with us on our facebook page, or email them to Angela.Vickio@wisconsin.gov. If you’re strolling through the park, keep a look out for the red foxes, they have become more active during the day as the temperatures remain cool. We also have a variety of waterfowl and other migratory birds passing through. The Snowy Owl in the photos below was attempting to catch himself a Scaup, according to park visitor Greg Osborne, who was able to observe and photograph the owl earlier this month.

 

Naturalist Notes

December 2017

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Did you know that Lakeshore State Park is part of the Lake Michigan Flyway? The Lake Michigan Flyway is a subset of the Mississippi-Great Lakes Flyway, which describes common migratory patterns found in bird species. During Winter months, the seeds provided by the park’s prairies provide a reliable source of food and shelter for the birds’ long journeys.

While walking through the Park this winter, keep a keen eye out for differences in the bird population. Often times, migratory birds are only here for a couple weeks as a stopover in their travels. In early December, we have had some sightings of Western Grebe (whose native range is normally along the Pacific Coast), and of the Snowy Owl.

The Snowy Owl migration this year is expected to be twice the population of the last irruption a couple years ago. By November 29^th, the DNR reported an estimated 105 Snowy Owls spanning across 44 counties. This is the largest number by this date in the last 8 years, partly due to their early arrival. A map of the sightings can be found on eBird’s website. eBird is provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, with assistance of organizations such as the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology. The map of the Snowy Owl sightings in particular can be found here: https://goo.gl/jVpu9J

It is truly a treat to see these rare, transient birds, but please keep in mind that they have quite a journey ahead of them. Please do not try to make contact with them, and keep your distance as to not stress them out. Allow them to get their rest, eat up, and prepare for the next leg of their journey.

Naturalist Notes

November 2017

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The changes in temperature mean changes for us here at Lakeshore State Park. The seeds on our prairie plants have started to drop, and will be ready to undergo cold-stratification. Cold stratification is an important step for nearly all of our native plants in Wisconsin, as it allows the plants to survive through our cold winters. We won’t see any flowering for a while, but the dew, frost, and snow can make for some beautiful views on the dried flowers!

You have probably noticed some extra splashing going on in the water basin in the last month. The colder temperatures are also an indicator to Lake, Rainbow, Brown and BrookTrout, Coho and Chinook (King)Salmon that they need to begin spawning. They frequently can be seen leaping out of the water as they move toward shallower areas of the basin and search for gravel beds to lay eggs/sperm on. After spawning, the majority of the adults die and may be seen on our pebble beach area where the gulls will feed upon them.

Lake Trout were one of the original inhabitants of the Laurentian Great Lakes and have had enormous population declines in the last century. Historically, they were the top predator in Lake Michigan prior to the introduction of Salmon. In the mid-1990s, their population levels dropped dramatically due to overfishing. From the 1950s to the 1960s, they were the prime target for Sea Lamprey, an invasive, eel-like fish that parasitically bores into the sides of its prey. Since 1960, Sea Lamprey has been managed by the WDNR using lampricides in their spawning streams. This measure has been largely successful, and with the addition of Lake Trout breeding and spawning programs, the Lake Trout species are starting to rebound, with many new wild-breeding populations found since 2013.

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Lakeshore State Park
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources