Gardner (East) Marsh & Harvey E. Schmidt Park

Harvey E. Schmidt Park Looking North toward Gardner (East) Marsh

We had never been to Harvey E. Schmidt Park and didn't know what we would find.  It was great: there were good views of Gardner (East) Marsh from a highly accessible location.  The marsh is part of the larger area of wetlands known as Gardner Marsh in the University of Wisconsin Arboretum.

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This hidden gem of a park is located on Carver Street just off Fish Hatchery Road in the Town of Madison neighborhood that is tucked against the eastern portion of the Arboretum. Curiously, the park does not appear by name in Google Maps. We have marked the location on the map above. The easiest way to reach the park is via Fish Hatchery Road. The narrow 5.4 acre park runs nearly the full length of Carver Street. There are several off-street parking spaces including handicapped parking.

The park is very accessible. The pathway that meanders along the edge of the marsh is smooth and level. There are several benches and picnic tables. Not much walking is necessary. This is an ideal spot to have a seat and watch the wildlife.

The western half of the park looks out over a narrow channel of marsh water that widens considerably in the eastern half into a sort of pond. From our vantage point about midway in the park (under the trees at upper right in the landscape photo) we had an unobstructed view of the water and the bird life in the shrubs and trees along its edges.

The herons were familiar sights.

Great Blue Heron, GEM,
29 July 2012, 7:40 AM

Green Heron, GEM,
29 July 2012, 8:33 AM

Green Heron Preening, GEM,
29 July 2012, 7:54 AM

We had not observed a kingfisher so clearly before.  

Female Belted Kingfisher, GEM, 29 July 2012, 7:49 AM

We initially were puzzled by some of the waterfowl among a group of wood ducks. Not having birded at this time of year before, we eventually discovered that they were nonbreeding males and juveniles.

Nonbreeding Male Wood Duck,
GEM, 29 July 2912, 7:28 AM

Juvenile Wood Duck, GEM,
29 July 2012, 7:36 AM

Wood Ducks, GEM, 29 July 2012,
8:37 AM

Way across the pond, high in a tree was what we thought to be an Eastern Kingbird (this picture is not very sharp).

Eastern Kingbird, GEM, 29 July 2012, 8:39 AM

See Also: Arboretum Interactive Map (Zoom in and click Aerial Imagery under Basemaps).

Finding Aids & Checklists

Updated: October 29, 2013

The following list of online and published references offers a range of useful tools for discovering, studying, and simply enjoying the rich bird life in and around Madison. Topics include regional and local habitats where one might find birds, lists of species commonly found in the Madison area, and references for further study. Published works are available through the Madison Public Library.

Regional Birding Spots—Sighting Reports—Field Trips

• Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail

A project of the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative that divides the state into five regional birding and nature trails.  Dane County is in the Southern Savanna region. An interactive Google map highlights the sites in the region, nine of which are in Dane County. Brochures are available for each region. Interested persons can nominate sites for inclusion.

• Wisconsin Important Bird Areas

Another project of the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative that has identified 88 habitats as critical for protecting the state’s bird populations. Site map has slightly different regional configuration. Dane County is part of the Central region. Descriptions of 86 of the 88 habitats have been published (see under "Wisconsin Ornithology" below).

• Wisconsin Department of Tourism, The Great Outdoors: Birding

Directory of sites that can be narrowed by location. List of events and other birding news.

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Explore Outdoors

Database of outdoor recreational activities that includes birding. Search delimiters include county, distance from location, property type, and activity.

• Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, Find Birds

Field trips and society publications.

• Wisconsin eBird

Birding news and sightings. Observations can be submitted by registered users.

• Wisconsin Bird News

Email discussion list for news and sightings.

• Madison Audubon Society

Collaborative Birding Map of Southern Wisconsin that includes and expands on sites listed by the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail. Local birders can add sites of interest.

From the home page you can follow links to the schedule of field trips, a message board reporting sightings, and the sanctuaries managed by the Society in nearby Columbia and Jefferson counties.

Local Habitats

• Dane County Parks [Map]

The County Parks Division has also set aside Natural Resource Areas to preserve their natural state. There usually are no amenities. Hunting is permitted on some of these areas.

• Madison Parks

Fourteen Madison parks are designated Conservation Parks. These are specifically managed to maintain native plants and wildlife. [Brochure]

• Arboretum, University of Wisconsin-Madison [Interactive Map: Click on "Wildlife." Birding hotspots are color-coded.]

• Lake Shore Nature Preserve, University of Wisconsin-Madison [Interactive Map]. One of the Wisconsin Important Bird Areas.

• Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District Wildlife Observation Unit, Nine Springs Lagoons [Map]

• City of Middleton Conservancy Lands

• Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Middleton [Interactive Map]

• City of Fitchburg Park & Open Space Directory. Scroll down for Natural Areas.

• City of Monona Parks & Open Spaces

• Village of McFarland Parks and Nature Areas

• See also: Denise Thornton, "Where the wild places are: Get lost in nature around Dane County," Isthmus (21 June 2012).

Published Guides

• Betchkal, Steve. All of This and Robins Too: A guide to the 50 or so best places to find birds in Wisconsin. Eau Claire, Wis.: Adarol Publishing, 2008.

• Drake, David, Scott Craven, and Jamie Nack. Birding in the Badger State & Beyond: How to Get Started. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin-Extension, 2010. [PDF]

• Judd, Mary K. Wisconsin Wildlife Viewing Guide, Watchable Wildlife Series. Helena, Mont.: Falcon, 1995.

Precursor to the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail.

• Tessen, Daryl D. Wisconsin's Favorite Bird Haunts: A guide to 1100 of Wisconsin's most favored locations for birding, with maps. 5th ed. Waukesha, Wis.: Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, Inc., 2009.

• Thompson, Bill III. Wisconsin Bird Watching: A Year-Round Guide. Nashville, Tenn.: Cool Springs Press, 2004.

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail: Southern Savanna Region. 2008. [PDF}

Checklists

• Wikipedia, "List of Birds of Wisconsin"

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Checklist of Wisconsin Birds, 2nd ed. (2008). [PDF]

• Madison Audubon Society, BirdLists.

Database that can be delimited by North America, Wisconsin, or Madison Isthmus. List of birds can be sorted alphabetically or taxonomically. The names link to the eNature field guide (with full description, images, and voice recordings). The "#" indicator links to an eBird range map that pinpoints reported sightings and lists them chronologically (with link to a checklist of the observer's other sightings at the location).

• Madison Audubon Society, Birds of the Madison Isthmus: A Checklist. [PDF]

• University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, Checklist: Arboretum Area Bird Sightings (2009).

Not available online, but a printed copy can be obtained from the information kiosk in the Visitor’s Center.

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lakeshore Nature Preserve, Bird Checklists (2006).

Downloadable in several formats.

• Pheasant Branch Conservancy, Middleton: Dreux J. Watermolen, Michael A. McDowell, and Patricia A. Trochlell, Birds of Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Madison, Wis.: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2004. [PDF]

Wisconsin Ornithology

• Cutright, Noel J., Bettie R. Harriman, and Robert W. Howe. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Wisconsin. Waukesha, Wis.: Wisconsin Society for Ornithology, Inc., 2006.

The companion website allows users to compile lists of birds breeding in particular areas and also has libraries of images and audio recordings.

• Robbins, Samuel D. Wisconsin Birdlife: Population & Distribution Past & Present. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1991.

• Steele, Yoyi, ed. Important Bird Areas of Wisconsin: Critical Sites for the Conservation and Management of Wisconsin Birds. Madison, Wis.: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2007.

• Temple, Stanley A., John R. Cary, and Robert E. Rolley. Wisconsin Birds: A Seasonal and Geographical Guide. 2nd ed. Madison, Wis.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1997.