https://ebird.org/hotspot/L11539429
Habitat: 4,965 acres of Sedge Meadow, Willow, Alder or Dogwood Swamp, Black Oak Forest. Cottonville Avenue to the South is mature Oak-Hickory Forest.
Best Birds: Representative species of the forest are Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Vireo, Veery, Wood Thrush, and Field Sparrow.
In the wetlands you will find Sora Rail, American Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Black-billed Cuckoo, Alder and Willow Flycatcher, Sedge Wren, and Swamp Sparrow.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Least Flycatcher, Brown Thrasher, Golden-winged, Blue-winged, and Cerulean Warbler are found along Cottonville Avenue in the open oak-hickory forest.
Directions: 76 miles W of Appleton/nine miles west of Interstate 39 at Hancock. Take County Highway V to CTH C, then travel west. Park at the Colburn Wildlife Area parking lot on CTH C directly across from 5th Ave. Go south on the trail that leaves from this parking lot, travels through oak forest then connects to a dike with wetlands on both sides. Continue south on this trail/road to more Black Oak Forest. The trail is an out and back. Additional birding is possible along Cottonville Avenue, a lightly traveled, rustic road running east-west and located south of the wildlife area.
Site Address & Additional Information:
Colburn State Wildlife Area
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Lands/WildlifeAreas/colburn.html
Parking lot: 44.110791, -89.678642
Richard Staffen
