Rock Island State Park

Description: Early Birding at the Collins River Prairie

Location: Rock Island State Park

Join the ranger at the Collins River Parking Area across from the powerhouse for an early morning birding hike at 7:30am. The Collins River prairie is a stretch of grasslands that occurs on the Collins River peninsula that sports a high diversity of bird species. It features three major habitat types: mesophytic forest, grasslands, and aquatic habitats. The exact path traveled between these habitat types depends on where the ranger is hearing the most bird activity and the distance of the hike will vary depending on how many birds are spotted (higher bird densities often mean less hiking and more observing). Thus, be prepared for 1-2 hours of walking, listening, and pausing to observe. The trail is mostly flat with some small steep sections equivalent to walking up or down a flight of stairs. Bird species vary, depending on seasonal activity, but include:

Year-round: Song Sparrow; Field Sparrow; Chipping Sparrow; Swamp Sparrow; Tufted Titmouse; American Crow; Turkey Vulture; Black Vulture: Northern Mockingbird; Carolina Wren: Red-bellied Woodpecker; Red-headed Woodpecker; Downy Woodpecker; Hairy Woodpecker; White-breasted Nuthatch; Carolina Chickadee; Belted Kingfisher; Great Blue Heron; Canada Goose; Northern Cardinal; American Goldfinch; Bald Eagle; Barred Owl; Red-shouldered Hawk; Swamp Sparrow; Pileated Woodpecker; Mourning Dove; Eastern Bluebird; Brown-headed Cowbird; Northern Flicker; Eastern Phoebe; Blue Jay; American Robin, European Starling; House Finch; Eastern Towhee; Killdeer; Double-crested Cormorant; Brown Thrasher; Wood Duck; Mallard; Green Heron; Northern Harrier; Red-tailed Hawk; Cooper’s Hawk; American Kestrel; Northern House Wren

Winter (primarily): Hermit Thrush; Pied-billed grebe; Ruby-crowned Kinglet; Golden-crowned Kinglet; White-throated Sparrow; Brown Creeper; Sandhill Crane; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; Yellow-rumped Warbler; Dark-eyed Junco; Cedar Waxwing; Pine Siskin; Winter Wren

Spring/Summer/Fall: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; Northern Parula; Yellow-throated Warbler; Yellow Warbler; Black-and-white Warbler; Louisiana Waterthrush; Bonaparte’s Gull; Common Grackle; Blue-headed Vireo; Osprey; Cliff Swallow; Northern Parula; Hooded Warbler; Indigo Bunting; Red-eyed Vireo; Palm Warbler; Black-throated Green Warbler; Chimney Swift; Savannah Sparrow; Northern Rough-winged Swallow; White-eyed Vireo; Tree Swallow; Gray Catbird; Swainson’s Thrush; Magnolia Warbler; Summer Tanager; Acadian Flycatcher; Yellow-billed Cuckoo; Wood Thrush; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Purple Martin; Prothonotary Warbler; Great-crested Flycatcher; Kentucky Warbler; Ovenbird; Tennessee Warbler; Common Yellowthroat; Blackpoll Warbler; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Blue Grosbeak; Chestnut-sided Warbler; Yellow-breasted Chat; American Redstart; Prairie Warbler; Orchard Oriole; Baltimore Oriole; Wilson’s Warbler

Please note that there are no restrooms at this location (nearest restrooms are at the Old Mill parking area), so be sure to take care of those needs before attending.

Event Document:   Essential Eligibility Criteria