https://ebird.org/wi/hotspot/L1366509
Habitat: Northern Hardwood Forest, Marsh, Open Water, Pine Plantation, Young Conifers, Non-Native Grassland.
Best Birds: Nesting in the marsh are Trumpeter Swan, Pied-billed Grebe, Virginia Rail, Sora, and Sandhill Crane, along with other songbirds. Search the open water east and south of the parking lot. Walk along 120th Ave. and hike the south trails through the grasslands frequented by Ring-necked Pheasant and Sedge Wren. The forest attracts woodpeckers, corvids, sparrows and warblers. The culvert on 150th St. has open water year-round and has a resident flock of swans in winter along with Bald Eagle and occasional blackbirds.
The Bridget Lake boat ramp is on the west side of 150th St. Ducks, rails, Alder Flycatcher, Sedge and Marsh Wren, and Northern Waterthrush can be found by boat at the northwest end of the lake along Toby Creek.
Contiguous to Ahlgren to the southeast is D. D. Kennedy County Park. Search for songbirds at the parking lot, the loop trail around Mill Pond and adjacent restored prairie.
Directions: 38 miles NNE of Hudson/6 miles east of St. Croix Falls on US Hwy 8, south on 150th St. Parking for Ahlgren is at (45.384966, -92.469262). Parking for D.D.Kennedy is on Kennedy Mill Pond Rd. at (45.378807, -92.458553).
Site Address and Additional Information:
1224 150th St., St. Croix Falls, WI
Ahlgren parking 45.384966, -92.469262
Bridget Lake boat ramp (45.383505, -92.469414)
Polk County Park Website: https://www.co.polk.wi.us/fptawp
Robin Maercklein
