Nest Box Seminar
Saturday, March 5, 9 am
Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center

On Saturday, March 5th, the 2016 Nest Box Seminar will be held at Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center. Activities start at 9 a.m. and will continue through the afternoon until 3:30 p.m. You can learn more about how to properly place and maintain nest boxes, which ones are right for your yard and about the different species of birds you can attract.

Friends of Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor center will have bluebird nest box kits for sale for $12. You can assemble your nest box on site with the help of Friends volunteers or take your kit home to make. This is a great activity for kids of all ages.
This year there will be focus on Wood Ducks and Bluebirds, Wisconsin’s most popular cavity nesters. We will also be featuring Purple Martins, which are a species of Special Concern in Wisconsin. Humans now provide nearly all nesting sites used by this species.
New for 2016 will be a talk on the Great Crested Flycatcher, which are common, large, woodland flycatchers. They spend much of their day, high in the leafy canopy of deciduous woods. Listen for them at forest edges as well as in city parks, golf courses, and tree-lined neighborhoods. Once you learn their distinctive call, you can then start watching for the birds sitting on high, exposed perches or making fast flights after insect prey.
The schedule is as follows:

9:30 a.m. Bluebirds: Steve Sample, Vice- President of the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin will give a talk on Bluebirds and nest boxes, including the best practice methods, site selection and box selection.

10:45 a.m. “Purple Matins are Humans Best Friends”: Ike Kumrow, a charter member of the Wisconsin Purple Martin association, has been hosting Purple Martins for 68 years.

12:45 p.m. Liz Herzmann, Wildlife Conservation Educator from the Wisconsin DNR will talk about the Great Crested Flycatcher. This cavity nester uses both natural cavities made from woodpecker holes as well as nest boxes.

1:45 p.m. Jeff Bahls, President of the Horicon Marsh Bird Club and board member of the Wood Duck Society, will talk on Wood Ducks, including some exciting new research on nesting biology. Listen to his talk, “Making nest boxes Pro“duck”tive, including some new duckling jump video and photos.

There will also be displays by the Horicon Marsh Bird Club, Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area, Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Purple Martin Association, Wood Duck Society and others who will volunteers on hand to answer questions about native cavity birds. Some small food items will be available for purchase. For more information call the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center 920-387-7893.

The Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center is located between Horicon, Wis. and Mayville, Wis. on Hwy. 28.