Did you know that the Pennsylvania Game Commission has a visitor center in Kleinfeltersville, Pa.? The educational center is located within the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. Visitors to the area enjoy the wildlife watching and hunting opportunities.
The Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area was originally created in the early 1970s to promote waterfowl hunting in eastern Pennsylvania. It covers 6,254 acres and is located on the Lancaster/Lebanon County line. While at first glance, the habitat may seem to have occurred naturally, Middle Creek is intensely managed for specific purposes. Dikes, shallow water impoundments and critical nesting areas are created and managed to attract thousands of ducks, geese and swans during their migration.
Water Control Structures
The front side of this dike serves as a small dam creating a shallow pond behind it. Water control structures are located along the dike. During various times of the year, managers can add or remove boards to change the water levels.
When managers remove boards, the water levels drop and the exposed mudflats attract a variety of wildlife. Waterfowl and other migratory birds such as shorebirds feed on the abundant supply of annual seeds and protein-rich invertebrates that shallow water marshes provide.
Similar to small dikes, shallow impoundments are created to collect and hold shallow water throughout most of the year.
These impoundments provide feeding areas for dabbling ducks which feed by tipping over to reach the seeds and aquatic plants in the shallow water.
Important Waterfowl Habitat
In 2010, Middle Creek was designated as a Globally Significant Important Bird Area. Middle Creek annually hosts a large percentage of the continent’s population of snow geese and tundra swans and provides critically important migratory stopover habitat.
PGC Photos: Hal Korber/Jacob Dingel