  We study the statistical properties of Z-vortices and Nambu monopoles in the
3D SU(2) Higgs model for a Higgs mass M_H \approx 100 GeV near and above the
crossover temperature, where these defects are thermally excited. Although
there is no phase transition at that strong selfcoupling, we observe that the
Z-vortices exhibit the percolation transition that has been found recently to
accompany the first order thermal transition that exists at smaller Higgs mass.
Above the crossover temperature percolating networks of Z-vortex lines are
ubiquitous, whereas vortices form a dilute gas of closed vortex loops and
(Nambu) monopolium states on the low-temperature side of the crossover. The
percolation temperature turns out to be roughly independent of the lattice
spacing. We find that the Higgs modulus is smaller (the gauge action is larger)
inside the vortices, compared to the bulk average. This correlation becomes
very strong on the low-temperature side. The percolation transition is a
prerequisite of some string mediated baryon number generation scenarios.
