The Coolest Coast is renowned for many things, one of which being its large number of bird species. The birds (and birdwatchers) come from near and far to visit. Locally, there are several bird-themed clubs, and even a statewide organization: the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology (WSO). According to Woodland Dunes, there have been over 300 different bird species that have been spotted here on the lakefront.
The primary reason why we have so many types of birds around here is due to there being varied environmental factors which are difficult to replicate elsewhere. For example, we experience all 4 seasons in full, allowing more varied plant life, and by extension, animal life. The Coolest Coast also sits on one of the great lakes, giving more water-based avians a place to live. Wisconsin happens to have many varied biomes, and Woodland Dunes takes advantage of these by having 1200 acres of land which includes forests, plains, marshes, and other smaller biomes.
All of the aforementioned factors combine to make Manitowoc a desired location for most bird watchers who are looking to see a lot of birds. Woodland Dunes serves as a home for more than local birds though, as many migratory birds use it and the surrounding area as a rest stop on their long journeys. Some of the species that are nigh-exclusive to the Woodland Dunes area are: Little Gulls (which only have nesting records in a select few places in North America), Osprey, Bald Eagles (during winter) and a vast swath of owls. Woodland Dunes happens to be known for their owl population, which includes almost all types of Wisconsinite owl.
All in all, the Coolest Coast area is home to many different birds species, some of which can rarely be found elsewhere. This, along with the other local attractions, makes Manitowoc a must-see for any serious (or casual) bird watcher. Is it on your bucket list?
Woodland Dunes Nature Preserve is a complex of habitats on old lake-dune ridges and swales, similar to Point Beach State Forest to the northeast. Mesic and wet-mesic deciduous forests of aspen, white birch, red maple, yellow birch, hemlock, and white pine are found on the ridges. Ash, elm, alder, white cedar and occasionally tamarack are found in the wet swales, along with emergent marsh and sedge meadow. Understory plants include spinulose wood fern, naked miterwort, American starflower, and the state-threatened sweet colt’s-foot (WDNR 2007). There also are some conifer plantations, oldfields, and cultivated fields. The West Twin River borders one edge, and Lake Michigan lies only a quarter of a mile away. An acquisition has added wetlands along an approximately 1-mile stretch of West Twin River shoreline to the property.
Diverse habitats, ridge-and-swale topography, and proximity to Lake Michigan make Woodland Dunes host to a diverse avifauna. Over 260 bird species have been recorded here, and over 100 are regular breeders, including birds with both northern and southern affinities. Breeding species of high conservation priority include good numbers of Marsh Wren, Veery, Ovenbird, and Mourning Warbler, along with smaller numbers of Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, American Redstart and Northern Waterthrush. Swamp Sparrows and Marsh Wrens also are common. Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and several grassland sparrows also nest. There are records of Acadian Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler, and Henslow’s Sparrow. Little Gulls nested here in the 1980s, making this site one of few places in North America to have breeding records of this species. Osprey have nested yearly on the property for the past 8 years, and Bald Eagles use the area regularly in winter. Woodland Dunes also is well-known as a migration site for both diurnal and nocturnal raptors (especially Northern Saw-whet Owls) each autumn, with almost all Wisconsin species recorded here over the past 30 years. This site is one of the few undeveloped sections remaining along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and it provides critical stopover habitat for thousands of migrating landbirds.