Barton Nature Area in Ann Arbor is east of Barton Pond on the north side of the Huron River. It has entrances at Barton Park (marked Barton Park) and 0.8 miles east along Huron River Drive (marked Barton Nature Area). There are parking areas at both entrances. Barton Park is at Barton Dam, right at the east end of Barton Pond. This is at Bird Road on Huron River Drive, west of North Main Street in Ann Arbor. BMB ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: birders@umich.edu Subject: Barton Park birds (Lincoln's Sparrow) From: "Deaver D. Armstrong" Date: 15 Sep 2001 9:58am Our botanist calls Barton Nature Area the "jewel" of the city parks and yesterday I could see why. Goldenrod along with other fall flora make this place quite a showcase. I of course, am looking for birds while enjoying the show and I was not disappointed. What I like about birdwatching at Barton is that the birds are closer to the birder than at the Arb. I have been able to see the Blue feet of the vireos and (yesterday) the yellow feet of the Blackpolls. If you are not hawkwatching this weekend, I suggest and 8-10 am walk there. Try parking at the lot by Barton Dam, cross over the foot bridge downstream from the dam and take the the first paths right or left after about 20 feet on the woodchip path. The first path right (south?) goes through some large shrubs into the open old field area, SW of the wood chip path and the RR. The path to the left (north) is a short one to the dam along some shubs where I got great looks at a Magnolia, Blackpoll, and Common Yellowthroat Warblers, as well as my first fall White-throated Sparrows. Also young field and Song Sparrows were present. (Also Goldfinches and many Cedar Waxwings). Upon taking the right-hand path into the old field and rambling around a bit along the main paths (which seem to eventually circle back to where you start) I found(along with the more common birds), a LINCOLN'S SPARROW, several Brown Thrashers making their"hedge-trimmer" sound, Nashville Warbler, Black-throated Blue female and another Magnolia. May have had a Cape May, but the look was too fleeting. Many Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, too but not easy to see. The previous week I saw enough Philadelphia Vireos to provide a real education in Vireo id and several other species of Warblers. Taking the trail along the river is fun too (if you can find it), with lots of interesting flowers in the meadows. Next year, we'll do a bird walk there in the fall, I promise. For now, take your camera or your binoculars or both go out and enjoy all the color of the flowers and the birds in our local "jewel." Barton Nature Area is located off Huron River Drive between Bird Road and the Huron River Drive intersection at where North Main exits and enters to M-14. Good birding! Dea ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Deaver D. Armstrong City Ornithologist Natural Area Preservation Division Ann Arbor Department of Parks and Recreation 1831 Traver Road Ann Arbor, MI 48105 1-734-996-3266 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From: SMiller179@aol.com Date sent: Wed, 29 Mar 2000 13:33:44 EST Subject: Re: Woodcock question To: birders@umich.edu It's been a couple weeks since I've been there, but Barton Nature Area was a very reliable woodcock spot at that time. If you park in the smaller parking area that's closer to Main Street (east), not the big one by the dam, and walk across the bridge and down the wood chip path aways, you will (if it's still going on) start to hear the "peinting" in the brush beside the path right around dark (when the light is getting quite low), followed a bit later by the whirring sound of the wings as the birds start to display. They move fast and it's very hard--given their speed and the light--to get a really close look. Good luck! Susan Miller