Nature Ramble at Baden Hills Regional Forest

Date:    Wednesday Aug. 18th, 2021
Time:    10:00 am
Location:    Meet in the parking lot at the trailhead – 2733 Sandhills Rd., just outside of Baden
Duration:   Approx. 1.5hrs. Washrooms not available.
Leader:    Shannon Pennington, shannonpennington@rogers.com

Prior registration is required. Please contact Shannon to register.

I was just introduced to these newly finished trails this spring and have been visiting regularly over the past few months and really enjoying them.  It is a relatively small area, but has an interesting diversity of habitat, terrain and species.  

I have regularly seen/heard indigo buntings, Baltimore orioles and red-eyed vireos and hear (what I think) are a variety of sparrows every time I go, as well as more common field and forest dwellers such as tree swallows, house wrens, blue jays, flickers, etc.  Several different warblers were also spotted during spring migration.  I even saw a bat feeding during the day once and also deer on occasion.  There’s a nice diversity of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants as well, including Carolinian species.  

*Important note – the meadow portion is an accessible compressed gravel trail, but the forest portion consists of steep (quite steep at times) and narrow dirt paths.  Proper hiking footwear is a must, as well as the ability to handle walking up and down some steep trails.

Dress according to the weather and bring binoculars, if you have them.