Continued from part 1
Celery Bog: This urban park contains viewing venues of three varieties of birds. Upland wooded trails contain cardinals, blue jays and other woods species. The viewing area in Lily Nature Center has feeders friendly to both prairie and woodland species. With small birds in attendance, hawks are also seen. The prairie restoration hosts butterflies and bluebirds. Along the wetland there is an observation deck and a few benches on the trail. This restoration is old enough that a variety of waterfowl stop over on a regular basis. Sandhill cranes, Northern Shovellers, grebes, coots, bufflehead ducks, cormorants and swans have been seen in addition the normal mallards, wood ducks, egrets, great blue heron and Canadian geese. Park (link).
Happy Hollow Park: This urban park contains a series of wooded ravines. It is a designated bird sanctuary. It was considered a park even before West Lafayette was developed. Chauncey residents treated it as a public area. There is no single viewing area. Birders do frequent this park though. Trails wind through woods and the sights and sounds of various woodpeckers are evident. Spring and fall migrant species can be seen from most of the trail areas and the back shelter. Since there only a few open spaces, most of the birds seen are of the woodland variety. Park (link).
Battlefield Park: During warm months Wabashika Nature Center boasts a small viewing area and preserved specimens. Wabashika was established over 25 years ago as the trailhead for the Wabash Heritage Trail. The park itself has been a protected area since the battle. Hawks, owls, blue jays and other more common species are joined in the spring and fall with a variety of warblers and other woodland species. The small wetlands in the creek bottom sometimes host Sandhill cranes. Park (link).
Ross Hills: This county park was once a private park owned by Purdue. David Ross, a local industrialist, donated the area to Purdue. Today, parts of it are still closed to the public due to researchers needs. The vast acreage that is open is prime for birders. Woodland species can be viewed on the trails, from shelter houses or from a small gazebo. The lower portions are sometimes closed due to flooding, but otherwise hawks, eagles and various waterfowl are often heard, if not seen. Park (link).
Continued in part 3.
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