https://ebird.org/wi/hotspot/L467768
Habitats: 1,035 acres of Open Water and Southern Deciduous Forest in eastern Rock and western Walworth Counties, with approximately 316 acres in Rock County.
Best Birds: Though Turtle Creek Wildlife Area is under-birded relative to other public sites in the county, it has a very good diversity of forest birds, including Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Red-headed Woodpecker, Merlin, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Veery, Orchard Oriole, and Prothonotary Warbler. The wetlands in the floodplain have produced records of Virginia Rail and American Bittern, but not recently.
Directions: Turtle Creek Wildlife Area is 3.8 mi WNW of Darien and 12.5 mi ESE of Janesville. The northernmost parking is on S. O’Riley Road. It is on a bluff overlooking the river bottom. From the parking area, a narrow trail winds down the bluff, through forest, to the creek. On E. Creek Road, just 0.6 mi south of the previous site, is a second parking area. This site starts closer to the creek, along agricultural fields, with a trail to the north into the woods. The third, southeastern parking area is the only one along the eastern shoreline of the creek. It is accessible only from Westbound Lane in Walworth County. At the western end of Westbound Lane, after the pavement ends, there is a parking area just over the county line. This area access wetter habitats in the floodplain.
Site Address & Additional Information:
3747 S O Riley Rd, Darien, WI
42.62003, -88.78562 (northern parking area on S. O’Riley Road)
42.61115, -88.78195 (middle parking area on E. Creek Road)
42.60198, -88.77705 (southeastern parking area on Westbound Lane)
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Lands/WildlifeAreas/turtlecreek.html
Tom Klubertanz
