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Summer Wonders at High Cliff
By Rob Zimmer
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Exploring the many trails offers excellent opportunities to view and enjoy the many birds, insects, plants and more that call High Cliff home.
Purple Martins return each summer to nest in colonies that are carefully monitored and maintained by High Cliff neighbor Bob Ring.
These beautiful birds, colored in deep, shimmering purple, are the largest members of the swallow family and can be seen and heard near the marina and the park entrance. Listen for their bubbly, gurgling song.
American White Pelicans are a daily sight on the open water, often right in the marina. These huge white birds with jet black wingtips and foot-long orange bill are a favorite among visitors to the park.
Prairie bloom season begins in June with white false indigo, Canada anemone, beard tongues, milkweeds, wild columbine and others, and really heats up in July and August with purple coneflower, cup plant, compass plant, orange milkweed, Black-eyed Susan and many more. In September, amazing bursts of colorful aster in purple, blue and white provide a breathtaking show.
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Unique ferns and other forest plants grow beneath the shadows of the maples, hickories, oaks and basswoods.
Turkey vultures can be seen circling and basking daily along the ledge and often right on picnic tables and moorings in the marina and other areas. These unique birds are cliff nesters, making High Cliff the perfect place to enjoy them.
The insects of summer are simply fascinating.
Luna moths emerge from cocoons that overwintered on the forest floor among the leaf litter. Their magical appearance never fails to mystify and stir the soul.
The unusual Katydid chorus brings music to the night all along the ledge where these large, green grasshopper like insects chant away during the nights of August. “Katy-did, No she didn’t,” they seem to sing in their distinct, raspy voices.
Enjoy these and many more summer wonders of High Cliff State Park.
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High Cliff History
By Beth Braun
Images courtesy of Greg Burns
| Each newsletter, we will be exploring the history of High Cliff State Park. We hope you find these articles informative and interesting. If you have questions or additional information to add, please post on our Friends of High Cliff Facebook page. We would love your feedback. |
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Let’s start at the beginning. High Cliff, or Clifton as the first residents called it, is part of the Niagara Escarpment. You may have heard of Niagara Falls? Well, this escarpment runs all the way to New York and Canada. It is over nine hundred miles long. Four million years ago, this whole area was under water, covered by the Silurian Sea. Skeletons of small sea life sank to the bottom and formed Dolostone (limestone). Lake Winnebago was caused by glacial scouring and used to be much bigger than it is.
Some of the first people to inhabit this area were Indigenous People. They were members of the Woodland tribes. They were later replaced by Winnebago, Menominee, Stockbridge and other tribes.
These groups constructed effigy mounds between 500 AD and 1000 AD. They did not bury their dead but laid them on the ground with their personal items and covered them with dirt. Two major types of mounds were constructed-animal and geometric.
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High Cliff has Panther, Buffalo and Lizard mounds as well as Conicals and Lingals. Families were buried together and the higher the rank, the better the shape that was used. Animal shapes were better than geometric and buffalos were probably reserved for chiefs. Fifteen of the thirty mounds remain with the Panther mound measuring two hundred five feet in length.
Next time: Settlers and the town of Clifton
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Remembering Joanne Kluessendorf
By Beth Braun
Images courtesy of Greg Burns
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Joanne Kluessendorf was a geologist, the Director of the Weiss Earth Science Museum, expert of the escarpment and lover of High Cliff. When Joanne died, I went to High Cliff to honor her. I fell in love with High Cliff too and have walked the trails nearly every day since. Here is something Joanne wrote about her love of High Cliff State Park.
"I love climbing to the top of the tower at High Cliff State Park on summer evenings to watch the last rays of the sun play across the calm surface of Lake Winnebago. I hope to catch a cool breeze off the lake to get respite from the heat of the day. Flashing fireflies flit through the leafy tree tops below, putting on a magical show. As the sun sinks below the horizon across the lake, the sky blackens and stars begin to twinkle in competition with the fireflies."
Thank you, Don Mikulic for providing Joanne’s words and continuing her legacy in promoting both the museum and High Cliff State Park.
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The Bobolink
a poem by William Cullen Bryant
"Merrily swinging on briar and weed,
Near to the nest of his little dame,
Over the mountain-side or mead,
Robert of Lincoln is telling his name:
Bob-o’-link, bob-o’-link,
Spink, spank, spink;
Snug and safe is that nest of ours,
Hidden among the summer flowers;
Chee, chee, chee."
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High Cliff State Park is the home to a huge variety of birds and...one of my favorites - the Bobolink.
Birding, or birdwatching, has become one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America. It is not a new hobby but a "soaring" one, not only for folks like me, an "older" person, but for younger and more diverse populations. According to a recent survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a third of the U.S. population age 16 and up enjoy observing, feeding and photographing wildlife.
Just a few benefits of birding:
- Birdwatching develops patience.
- Birdwatching allows for quiet time.
- Birdwatching can improve cardiovascular health.
- Birdwatching quickens reflexes.
- Birdwatching can give you a sense of community.
- Birdwatching develops an appreciation of nature.
What's really cool about the hobby of birding is that it is so easy to become a bird watcher. Visit High Cliff State Park (mornings are best), take one of the many trails, bring a pair of binoculars for observing, a notebook and pencil to keep track of birds you see, a bird guide to help you identify the birds, and, of course, your curiosity and excitement.
Now you are ready to visit High Cliff State Park for a birding adventure...make sure you listen for the "bob-o-link bob-o-link spink spank spink" song of the Bobolink!
Contributed by Deb Cook
Birder
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Prairie Restoration Efforts Continue
Prairies were once abundant in Wisconsin, blanketing the region with a vibrant tapestry of wildflowers, native grasses, and diverse wildlife. Unfortunately, due to human activities and land development, these valuable ecosystems have suffered significant decline over the years.
Recognizing the importance of prairies as a critical habitat and an integral part of Wisconsin's natural heritage, High Cliff State Park embarked on an ambitious prairie restoration project. Led by a dedicated team of ecologists, volunteers, and park staff, this project aims to revive the beauty and ecological richness of the park's prairies.
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Grant monies provided resources necessary to help restore the native flora and fauna that once thrived in the prairies of High Cliff. The restoration process involves removing invasive species, conducting controlled burns to mimic the natural fire regime that prairies rely on, and reintroducing native plants that are well-adapted to the local environment.
We encourage all our park visitors to explore the restored prairies, witness the incredible transformation taking place, and enjoy the sights and sounds of a rejuvenated ecosystem. Take a moment to appreciate the wildflowers swaying in the breeze, listen to the enchanting melodies of native birds, and let the serenity of the prairies wash over you.
Join us in creating a future where prairies thrive, wildlife flourishes, and the natural beauty of High Cliff continues to inspire awe. Visit www.friendsofhighcliff.org to volunteer!
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