Dollarville Flooding

The Dollarville Dam site is especially productive in spring as migrant waterfowl stopover as soon as the ice has cleared the flooding. Ring-necked and wood ducks are common, while American widgeon, redhead, American black duck, and trumpeter swan can be spotted as well. Walk along the embankment and watch for warblers along the forest edge, including black-and-white, Nashville and chestnut-sided warbler. Ospreys, bald eagles and black terns nest on the flooding and can be seen hunting over the open water. Keep an eye out for American bittern and green heron which fly across the open water. Fall can bring Bonaparte’s gull to the flooding. A spotting scope is especially useful at this location as the waterfowl can remain at great distances.

County Road 434, or the road to the Natalie campground on Dollarville flooding, can reliably produce uncommon and sought-after species. The entire road offers good birding and is best birded by driving short distances and then birding on foot.

The alder and willow thickets provide breeding habitat for golden-winged and yellow warbler, as well as alder flycatcher and common yellowthroat. Olive-sided flycatchers can be spotted perched on dead snags, and Lincoln’s sparrows and palm warblers sing from within the bogs lining the road edge. The grassy marshes along the road host sedge wren and the occasional LeConte’s sparrow. The raised pine ridges which interrupt this wetland bring blue-headed vireo, hermit thrush and pine warbler to the area. At the end of this 1.7-mile road is a state forest campground and boat launch. Walk through the campground and listen for scarlet tanagers and warbling vireos. Soras and pied-billed grebes can be heard from within the marsh.

A short boardwalk can be taken from the parking lot to a wildlife viewing blind with fruiting shrubs along the path. Watch for breeding black terns, wood ducks and Virginia rails. Northern harriers, merlin, and bald eagles frequently hunt over the marsh. You may even flush a ruffed grouse from along the boardwalk on your way to the viewing blind; be sure to fill out a comment card at the blind!