Thanks to recent precipitation of every kind and several mid-winter thaws, we once again have flowing water in The Cove Estuary and the lower reaches of Big Creek. Seeing open water makes us anticipate the annual Sucker Run. They are out there—moving slowly and biding their time until conditions are right to spawn.

But where, exactly? Do suckers that were born in Big Creek form schools and travel together? How far do they go? How do they know when to return, and do they show fidelity to particular spawning sites?

Inquiring minds want to know, and one especially inquiring mind—Dr. Karen Murchie, a freshwater fish biologist and Director of Freshwater Research at Shedd Aquarium—will help answer those questions. Dr. Murchie will present the kickoff lecture for the popular Fish Tales Lecture Series, titled “Where the Suckers Swim.” On Thursday, January 22.

Suckers are sometimes dismissed as “trash fish,” but this unappreciated group plays a vital role in Great Lakes ecosystems. By moving nutrients into tributary streams through their eggs and waste, suckers boost freshwater food webs. They are also important prey for other fish and for birds, linking nearshore lake ecosystems with inland streams.

Dr. Murchie launched a regional project that engages volunteer scientists in monitoring sucker migrations at dozens of stream sites around Lakes Michigan and Superior. Crossroads at Big Creek has proudly participated in this effort for many years, along with volunteers from other Door County environmental organizations.

Citizen scientists visit streams daily to collect environmental data on migration cues, including temperature thresholds, water depth, and water velocity. These observations help researchers understand what triggers migration and how those cues may be shifting with climate change.

In recent years, Dr. Murchie has partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to expand this research. Using acoustic transmitters and receivers, researchers now track individual suckers year-round, not just during spawning season. Each tagged fish emits a unique signal detected by receivers across the Great Lakes, revealing where fish live and how they move outside of spawning grounds.

During the Fish Tales lecture, Dr. Murchie will share early results from this ongoing work. The program is free and open to the public. On the day of the talk, a livestream link will be available through the Door County Library event listing. Additional recorded Fish Tale lectures and videos are available on the Crossroads at Big Creek website.

Fish are not the only creatures that spend time in Big Creek and The Cove Estuary. River otters are frequent visitors, and our Saturday Science program on January 24, beginning promptly at 2:00 p.m., is called “Meet the Otter.” Interactive activities are geared toward elementary-aged students, but learners of all ages are welcome. The program will begin indoors, and if weather permits, participants will hike to Big Creek and The Cove in hopes of perhaps spotting otters or finding their tracks and slides.

The Monday Matinee program this week offers a look at the impact of trees on the state of Wisconsin. This pre-recorded webinar, part of the University Place program, will begin at 1:30 p.m. on January 26.

Our after-school Environmental Exploration program, titled “Seeps in Winter,” will take participants on a hike to places where melting snow, having traveled through fractures in the bedrock, slowly emerges and flows into Big Creek.

On Tuesday, January 27, Crossroads will host a Wild Ones/Master Gardener lecture titled “Planting Trees in the Time of Climate Change.” Representatives from The Ridges Sanctuary, the Climate Change Coalition of Door County will discuss a collaborative project focused on improving community tree-planting and resilient ecological restoration. The project seeks to more effectively initiate and carry out restoration work, collect and share data, and apply lessons learned to increase forest survivability in boreal and temperate mesic ecosystems.

Thanks to our donors, these programs—including our Ski-for-Free program—are offered free of charge to the public.

– by Coggin Heeringa, Interpretive Naturalist

For more information, please check out our Crossroads calendar or stop by the Collins Learning Center and pick up a printed calendar. Our trails are open all day every day, free of charge, thanks to donors like you!

Crossroads at Big Creek Learning Center and Nature Preserve is located at 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Crossroads is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to inspiring stewardship of the environment through education, research, and outdoor experiences. We welcome your support. 

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Upcoming Activities

Fish Tales: Where the Suckers Swim

Science Saturdays – Meet the Otter

Monday Movie Matinee – “How Trees Built the Midwest”

Environmental Exploration – Seeps in Winter

DCMGA/ Wild Ones Presentation: Planting Trees in the Times of Climate Change

Wandering Wednesday – Naturalist Led Hike