https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2580939
Habitat: Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Mixed Coniferous Forest, Northern Hardwood Forest, Hardwood Swamp, Sand Prairie, Open Water.
Best Birds: The western portion along the Chippewa River is particularly good for migrant passerines. The eastern part of the state natural area is along an unpaved one-way road with steep slopes on its south side and swampy areas and Little Niagra Creek on its north side. The eastern portion has nesting Bald Eagle, Pileated Woodpecker, Barred and Great Horned Owl, Yellow-throated Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Pine Warbler, and Scarlet Tanager. Seepages in the winter may host Wilson's Snipe, Winter Wren, and flocks of American Robin bathing in the evening.
Directions: In Eau Claire bisecting the UW-Eau Claire campus. Putnam Dr at it’s west end starts on the UWEC campus where it can be accessed by car behind the Davies Student Center (44.796752, -91.502614). Drive or walk the unpaved one-way road through the eastern portion of the park. It terminates at a small parking area (44.802234, -91.482948) that can be accessed by driving east on Putnam Dr from S Farwell St. From here the park can only be entered on foot or bike. There is a trailhead (44.799132, -91.503733) on campus for the western portion, which runs along the river. A small prairie remnant can be found on the upper level of the western end (44.796039, -91.512377) along University Dr.
Site Address and Additional Information:
Putnam Drive and Garfield Ave., Eau Claire WI
Putnam Park State Natural Area - Wisconsin DNR
Anne Geraghty
