Parking is just beyond the welcome sign, on the grass along either side of the driveway. (link to full size map), provided by Wetland Woods.
We have been invited to explore the trails of Wetland Woods in Rubicon. We’ll meet at the welcome sign (see the W on the map), which has plenty of parking. As the name suggests, Wetland Woods consists of diverse habitats, including woods of mature maples and oaks, prairies, streams, and wetlands. We will be sure to see early migrants and resident birds throughout. The boardwalks will give us access to the wetlands, and easy trails will lead us through the woods and prairies.
As always, we will keep a checklist of the birds we see and take note of other wildlife we may encounter to share with each other and our hosts, Linda and Alan, at Wetland Woods. They have started a list of birds seen on the property and are hoping we can add to it! This is a unique opportunity for us to contribute to their ongoing research and conservation efforts. Let’s do it! Photos can be sent to Linda(at)WetlandWoods(dot)org. She would love to have a group shot and, say, ten fun shots or more (people included or excluded) to put on their website.
Finally, Alan and Linda are eagerly looking forward to meeting each of us, so if you have the time, please stop in to say hello. They will either be in the red Wetland Woods building when you arrive or will pop over once they hear the doorbell. Your presence will truly make our visit special.
What to Expect
Expect relatively easy trails with some hilly areas at times. Early April can be wet, so some wet and muddy trails are possible.
The restroom is in the first red building with the Wetland Woods sign. It will be open and available for your use.
Species List
2 Canada Geese
3 Mourning Doves
5 Sandhill Cranes
1 Killdeer
1 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Great Blue Herons
12 Turkey Vultures
1 Cooper's Hawk
1 Bald Eagle
1 Red-tailed Hawk
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker
2 Downy Woodpeckers
1 Hairy Woodpecker
1 Pileated Woodpecker
5 Northern Flickers
4 American Crows
3 Black-capped Chickadees
8 Tree Swallows
2 Golden-crowned Kinglets
2 White-breasted Nuthatches
2 American Robins
2 American Goldfinches
2 American Tree Sparrows
1 Savannah Sparrow
14 Song Sparrows
18 Red-winged Blackbirds
10 Brown-headed Cowbirds
4 Northern Cardinals
And a raccoon walked by us too.