Adam Birding Conservancy eBird Hotspot
Habitat: Native and Restored Grassland, Marsh, Open Water, Mudflats, Oak-Hickory Forest.
Best Birds: When the Bark River overflows its banks in the spring, waterfowl and shorebirds may be seen at the wildlife blind or the Hasta La Vista Bench on the east side of the loop, or near the Osprey platform on the northwest corner of the loop.
The property is also excellent for sparrow migration, including occasional LeConte’s and Nelson’s Sparrow in September and October. Yellow-headed Blackbird are regular, particularly in the marsh at the north end of the property.
The prairies often yield Ring-necked Pheasant, Eastern Meadowlark, Bobolink, and Dickcissel.
Finally, the small patch of forest on the northeast corner of the Inner Peace loop can be fruitful for passerine migrants.
Directions: 41 miles SE of Madison/4 miles north of Whitewater. Follow Fremont Road north until reaching Findlay Road and continue north another 0.2 miles to where there is a parking lot on the east side of Findlay road.
Site Address and Additional Information:
This is a 331 acre mix of prairie, wetlands and woods along the Bark River. The Inner Peace Trail provides an excellent 2.2-mile loop with good opportunities to see prairie and wetland birds.
1636 Findlay Road, Whitewater, WI
* IMPORTANT * Adam Birding Conservancy is private property which the owners graciously share with the birding community. To gain permission to access, visit the “Join” tab of the website to read the rules and fill out a permission form.
Adam Birding Conservancy website: https://www.adamconservancy.com/index.html
Adam Birding Conservancy Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ABC4Nature/
Neil Gilbert
