Intermediate / Advanced Birding Walk at Van Loon Wildlife Area
This state-owned wildlife area encompasses almost 4,000 acres of rich bottomland hardwoods in the floodplain of the Black River. Birding will occur along an abandoned, elevated roadway that crosses the bottoms. Possible species include Red Shouldered Hawk, Wood Duck, Barred Owl, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Prothonotary Warbler, and six species of woodpeckers. Six of the seven unique bridges still span the Black River backwaters along Seven Bridges Road. The east-west orientation of the road offers a good cross-section of the Mississippi Flyway in this area, and the open stretches of water, along with the wooded bottomlands attract many species of migrating birds.
Day & Time: Saturday morning at 7:00am - 11:00am.
No Fee
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Directions:
From Festival Headquarters, travel north on Hwy. 35 for 2.5 miles to Hwy. 35 / 53 North. Follow this and proceed for 3.8 miles to the Trempealeau exit. Continue on Hwy. 35, and turn onto Amsterdam Prairie Road, which will be the first road on your right just after the Seven Bridges Bank. Go about one mile. The parking lot and sign are on the left.
Meeting: Meet in the parking lot / trailhead.
Drive Time: 15 - 20 minutes