HORICON, Wis. -- Head to Horicon Marsh Saturday, March 4 for a Nest Box Seminar and learn more about how to attract birds to your yard with nest boxes.

Activities will be held at the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendees will learn more about how to properly place and maintain nest boxes and attract different bird species and determine which box-types are right for your yard. No registration or entrance fee is required for this event.

The order of events for the nest box seminar is as follows:

9 a.m. - Kim Grveles, Department of Natural Resources avian ecologist, will talk about how you can make your yard a great stopover point during migration and discuss types of plants that will provide food and shelter for birds during spring and fall migrations;

10 a.m. - Jack Bartholmai, local conservationist and award-winning photographer, will talk about what you may encounter along a nest box trail and share breathtaking photos.

11 a.m. - Jeff Bahls, President of the Horicon Marsh Bird Club and board member of the Wood Duck Society, will share the "do's and don'ts" of nest box placement, maintenance and monitoring. Bahls will give a presentation titled "Making nest boxes Pro"duck"tive," which features fun duckling videos and photos.

12 p.m. - Steve Sample, Vice-president of the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin, will give a presentation regarding Bluebirds and nest boxes, including best methods, site selection and box selection.

Displays from the Horicon Marsh Bird Club, Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area, Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin, Wood Duck Society and others will also be featured at this event. Volunteers from each group will be in attendance to answer questions regarding native cavity-nesting birds.
Friends of Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor center will have bluebird nest box kits for sale for $12. You can assemble your nest box on site with the help of Friends volunteers or take your kit home to make - this is a great activity for kids of all ages.

And, after nest box programs are finished, be sure to check out the Horicon Marsh Explorium's interactive exhibits.

The Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center is located between Horicon and Mayville on Hwy. 28. For a detailed list of all Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center special events, please visit the Friends of Horicon Marsh website at www.horiconmarsh.org [EXIT DNR]. For more information regarding Horicon Marsh education programs, contact Liz Herzmann, DNR wildlife conservation educator, at 920-387-7893.