About 18 years ago, we purchased a small cabin in a serene country location on a beautiful small lake in Waushara county. My husband and his family had vacationed in the Waushara/Waupaca area for years, so it was wonderful to find a place where childhood memories came alive. The cabin came furnished complete with a pair of binoculars and two Wisconsin birding books. We had never really been into birding before.
It didn't take long for us to see and hear the many birds that made our "house in the trees", home, and we wanted to know more about them. That is where and why our appreciation for birding began--although we are still novices.
I know it is only March and spring has just begun. These pictures are taken from our Crystal River land here at the Inn. I have spring fever as the temperatures have been warm, the ice and snow is now gone, and I awake to the birds singing already. I love an early spring!
When we opened the Bed & Breakfast only four years ago, we were amazed at the many birds not only at our historic homestead, but in Waupaca county overall.
When you are done birding on our 7 1/2 acres at the Inn, nearby Hartman Creek State Park & Emmons Creek Fishery Area has over 2800 acres for hikers and birders to enjoy, including the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The mix of habitats including pine and hardwood forests, oak savannas, marshes, lakes and upland meadows. This variety attracts lots of birds; the bird list has an impressive 253 species. Some of the signature species include, Scarlet Tanager, Least Flycatcher, Redtailed Hawk, American Kestrel. Rare species include Grasshopper Sparrow & the Henslow's Sparrow. http://www.dnr.wi.gov/ and http://www.wiparks.net/
res--although we do see eagles too! Still interesting to watch them fly and capture their breakfast.
I love the red cardinal sitting in our flowering crab apple tree, eating the last of the red berries left on the tree.
It seems that there is a nest in every one of our hanging baskets, covered porches, ledges and birdhouses--note the baby blue eggs--fun to see! 
Several other Waupaca county birding and nature trails include Keller Whitcomb Creek Woods State Natural Area, Mukwa State Wildlife Area, Myklebust Lake State Natural Area and the Waupaca County Sturgeon Trail all a short drive from the Apple Tree Lane Bed & Breakfast, http://www.appletreelanebb.com/. 
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