Goose Pond has the best nesting habitat conditions for overwater nesting birds that we have seen since becoming managers in 1979!
Some species of birds build nesting platforms in the water while other species, like the Redhead, Least Bittern, and Marsh Wren, construct nests over the water. Some of these overwater nesting species prefer emergent, persistent vegetation in which to build nests, like cattails and river bulrush. Dense, emergent, non-persistent vegetation like arrowheads (which dominate the pond habitats at Goose Pond most summers) are preferred by other species.
River bulrush has always been present around the pond edges at Goose Pond, especially in the west pond, though it's unable to establish in deep water. After two drought years in 2022 and 2023, clones became established, likely from the large black tubers that remained on the dry pond bottom.
Cattail stem in the west pond at Goose Pond Sanctuary in May 2024 (photo by Mark Martin).
Cattail introduction at Goose Pond in the early 1970s was unsuccessful, even though they have been present northwest of the area along Highway I for over 50 years. In the past decade, cattails began to show up in our wetland restoration south of the Kampen Road residence but were still very uncommon in ponds at the sanctuary. Last year, Mark photographed one cattail stem on the west pond along Goose Pond Road, and this summer, conditions have been just right for them to thrive there.
Some wetlands are dominated by river bulrush and devoid of cattails. Chub and Mud Lake Riverine Marsh State Natural Area in Dodge County is an excellent example of this. Similarly, in 2019, the water level of Goose Pond was approximately seven feet deep because of excessive runoff from melting snow and heavy rains. River bulrush did well, but any cattails established in the pond would have been flooded out.
Bulrush clones are abundant on the pond in 2025 (photo by Mark Martin).
Many of the marsh birds at Goose Pond are common nesting species of the prairie potholes in North and South Dakota. Per the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II, wetland birds that nest over water and have been confirmed nesting at Goose Pond include: Ruddy Duck, Virginia Rail, Sora, Common Gallinule, American Coot, Sandhill Cranes, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, American Bittern, and Marsh Wrens.
This year, we also have good numbers of Ruddy Ducks, American Coots, Pied-billed Grebes, and at least one male Common Gallinule, and hope that birders will confirm nesting for those species. Redheads, Least Bitterns, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds are also probably nesting at Goose Pond, based on calling males or pair observations.
If Redheads are confirmed nesting, that would bring our list of nesting duck species to nine: Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Hooded Merganser, and Ruddy Duck.
Written by Mark Martin and Susan Foote-Martin, Goose Pond sanctuary managers.
Cover image by Sara Vacek/USFWS. A Sora nest built over the water in marsh vegetation.
