Taking a private boat tour has become one of our favorite things to do when visiting the Horicon area. Second thing is exploring the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitors Center area. We learn a little something more from Troy on every boat trip. Today was cloudy and we had a few sprinkles midway but we still saw a nice amount of waterfowl and raptors. Lots of eagles, great blue herons, swarms of swallows, seagulls, a kingfisher and a few ducks.

Joined the group for the Horicon Bird Festival! Wow, managed to book early, and got on the last boat of the weekend, Sunday afternoon. While I could complain about the wind, the birding was great, our guide was very knowledgeable and found us so many bird species, and he blended it in with great history. The bird guide from the birding group was a little hard to hear, but Captain Carl certainly made up for it and got us in real close to see the amazing species. A first for me was the Palm Warbler, and all the other warblers to numerous to mention.

Just on a whim on a Sunday morning after church we went to the Blue Heron Landing Cafe. They do pontoon boat tours of the Horicon Marsh in the summer and fall (and those are great too), and we thought the cafe was only open during summer and fall, but the cafe is open Wednesday through Sunday year round. It is so cute inside (in summer there is outdoor seating) and a nice calming view of the river. The owners Troy and Jodell are so friendly and welcoming. Jodell will make you your choice of specialty coffee and bakes all the pastries that are so yummy. Troy helps when the pontoon touring season is closed. The sandwiches we had were delicious along with the rhubarb/strawberry bars. We will definitely be back and bring our friends too.

Troy and Jodell’s Blue Heron Landing Lounge and Café is the perfect place to start a boat tour of the Horicon Marsh. Get there 30 minutes early and meet your boat mates as they enjoy a breakfast or light lunch, pretty much gourmet and made fresh while you wait. Don’t forget to take a Bloody Mary on the tour—or coffee : ) The marsh is absolutely breathtaking. Our tour guide, Marty, was both knowledgeable and comical as he shared the history and secrets of the marsh and its inhabitants. This experience was definitely much more than we expected. We’ll be back in the Spring

Our friends got us tickets for the Sunset Cruise on Saturday. It was amazing! The owners of the place were great and served drinks and snacks in the cafe' before we headed out on the marsh. But, the boat ride was amazing. Our boat captain, (K?)Carl, was a hoot, and knew everything about the marsh and the local history, everything from Glaciers to present day. He pointed out all the cool things we passed, cranes, eagles, herons, muskrats, ducks, so many birds, but the real magic happened right after we drifted under the bald eagle nest, as the sun set, the swallows came out by the hundreds to feed on the bugs in the marsh. It was an absolutely breathtaking sight. If you're thinking of going, DO IT! The place is great, the boats are clean and quiet, and our guide was amazing.