West Bend Ice Age Trail /Ridge Run Park
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L8188424
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L2872103
Habitat: Southern Hardwood Forest, Spruce and Pine Plantation, Open Water, Marsh.
Best Birds: The resident bird population here is typical of southern hardwood forest habitats in Wisconsin: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, American Woodcock, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great-crested Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, and Scarlet Tanager. Tufted Titmouse is most likely found east of the bridge over Silver Creek along the south portion of the trail.
Also possible along the IAT are Cooper's Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk (rare), Belted Kingfisher, Acadian Flycatcher (rare), and Yellow-throated Vireo.
Virginia Rail and Swamp Sparrow are possible in the dense cattail marsh to the north of Ridge Run Park.
Pine Siskin and Red and White-winged Crossbill have occasionally occurred in the Ridge Run Park conifer plantations during a seasonal irruption.
Directions: 37 miles NW of Milwaukee, in West Bend. This 3.5 mile segment of the Ice Age Trail (IAT) is bordered in the south by Paradise Road and in the north by State Highway 33. The south portion of the IAT is most readily accessed from a small parking lot (43.39817,-88.21095) on Paradise Road 0.8 miles west of the Hwy 45 Paradise Road exit. The north portion of the IAT is best accessed from the Ridge Run Park lower parking lot, (43.41967, -88.21661). The entrance to Ridge Run Park is on South University Drive about 0.4 miles south of Hwy 33. The parking lot access to the IAT is at the end of the entrance road 0.3 miles down a long hill.
Site Address & Additional Information:
The majority of the IAT is surrounded by mature upland forest with numerous glacial features and dramatic overlooks. The trail mostly follows the course of Silver Creek and its chain of wetlands and lily-filled ponds into and through Ridge Run Park. The park is comprised of 57 acres of hardwood forest, spruce and pine plantations, and lots of open space for recreation.
300 S. University Drive, West Bend, WI
West-Bend.pdf (iceagetrail.org)
Portions of the southern section of the Ice Age Trail West Bend are on an easement provided by the Girl Scouts' Camp Silverbrook. It is not permissible to bird off trail when on Camp Silverbrook property.
John O'Donnell
