[wisb] FW: Horicon Marsh - Nesting White Pelicans?

From: "Cutright.Noel" <Noel.Cutright@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Wisbirdn" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:05:53 -0500
Concerning the earlier question about pelicans nesting at Horicon.  Here is a 
synopsis from Bill Volkert, WDNR wildlife educator stationed at Horicon and who 
I'll appear with again on Memorial Day on Larry Meiller's WPR show.  Noel 
Cutright, Ozaukee County 

Noel:

Feel free to share the following summary.

American White Pelicans (AWP) began nesting on Horicon Marsh in 1997.  The 
population quickly built up over the next several years to more than 500 
nesting pair by about 2004.  However, flood years and wet spring weather with 
high water have limited, or in flood years even eliminated, nesting areas.

AWPs have traditionally nested on the open spoil banks in the Marsh.  In dry 
years they have moved into stands of cattails and matted them down to expand 
nesting sites, but these are always the first sites to be inundated.  They rely 
on open islands as their preferred habitat for nesting colonies.  

I am trying to picture the exact location of the suspected nest site mentioned 
in the earlier posting on the listserv. I believe that this sounds more like a 
roosting pair than an actual nest location.  Either way, they have nested on 
the Marsh before and built up their nesting population rapidly after arriving 
in the late 1990s.  This spring is again a wet one with high water levels in 
much of Horicon Marsh.  AWPs are currently present on the Marsh, but it remains 
to be seen whether they find a place to nest again this year.  The failure of 
recent nesting seasons at Horicon is likely the reason for the tremendous build 
up of pelicans on the Winnebago chain.

Bill


William K. Volkert
Wildlife Educator/Naturalist
Horicon Marsh International Education Center
N7725 Hwy. 28
Horicon, WI  53032-9782
Phone: 920-387-7877
Email:  william.volkert@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/wildlife/wildlife_areas/horicon/index.htm

Horicon Marsh International Education Center Horicon Marsh has been designated 
a "Wetland of International Importance" 
under the Ramsar Convention.

-----Original Message-----
From: Cutright.Noel [mailto:Noel.Cutright@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 8:35 AM
To: Volkert, William K - DNR
Subject: FW: [wisb] Horicon Marsh - Nesting White Pelicans?


 may wish to share a little history of pelican nesting at Horicon with Jim 
Williams James Matthews [flyinsquirel51@xxxxxxxxx]

-----Original Message-----
From: wisbirdn-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wisbirdn-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On 
Behalf Of James Matthews
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2011 4:00 PM
To: wisbirdn
Subject: [wisb] Horicon Marsh - Nesting White Pelicans?

Yesterday Bette & I drove along Dike Road and saw a white pelican sitting on a 
nest. Just east of Dike Road off of Rockvale Road we saw another two white 
pelicans sitting on nests.
If I remenber correctly, there is no record of white pelicans nesting at 
Horicon.

Can anyone confirm if these pelicans are really nesting or just resting.

Thanks

Jim WIlliams
Nashotah, WI
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[wisb] FW: Horicon Marsh - Nesting White Pelicans?

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