Edna Taylor Conversation Park / Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Edna Taylor Conservation Park, Dane County, WI, US - eBird Hotspot
Aldo Leopold Nature Center, Dane County, WI, US - eBird Hotspot
Habitat: Open Water, Marsh, Southern Hardwood Forest, Oak Savannah, Native and Restored Grasslands.
Best Birds:These adjoining properties provide a diverse migrant trap in the middle of the city of Monona. Going north from the Edna Taylor parking area, a small pond and marsh habitat on each side of the trail holds ducks, geese and grebes as well as Virginia Rail, Sora and occasional American and Least Bittern. Marsh Wren and Swamp Sparrow are in the cattails and Sedge Wren can be found in the surrounding grasses.
Further north, a series of trails wind through oak savannah habitat that holds many woodpecker species including Red-Headed. The trail up and along the oak knoll drumlin is great for flycatchers and migratory warblers. Trails wind around a couple of ponds and ditches where Blue-Winged Teal regularly breed (check any Wood Duck boxes for Eastern Screech-Owl in winter). The trees around the water have Warbling Vireos.
As you navigate west through the trail system, you seamlessly blend into the trail system for Aldo Leopold Nature Center. The prairie area holds the typical assortment of sparrows and finches during breeding season and will contain American Tree-Sparrow, and Pine Siskin during most winters. Sandhill Crane often nest in this area.
The area surrounding the nature center building usually contains Great Horned and Barred Owl. The White Pine stands (along with crab apple trees) near the parking area of Aldo Leopold will attract winter finches and migrating Cedar Waxwing (sometimes in huge numbers).
Directions: 7 miles southeast of downtown Madison, in the city of Monona just north of the Highway 12/14/18 “Beltline”. Park at the Edna Taylor parking area (43.051783, -89.317104) and head north into the trail system, or park at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center (43.054037, -89.322154) and head east into the trail system.
Site Address & Additional Information:
Edna Taylor Conservation Park: 802 Femrite Dr, Madison, WI, 43.051783, -89.317104
https://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/find-a-park/park.cfm?id=1159
Aldo Leopold Nature Center: 330 Femrite Dr, Monona, WI, 43.054037, -89.322154
https://aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org/
Shawn Miller
