Birding the Shellrock River Greenbelt and Preserve by Rita Goranson

Cerro Gordo County is a diverse area. It includes row crop farms, pastures, small wooded areas, meadows, a large lake, several marshes, and an area along the Shell Rock and Winnebago rivers where the river bottoms, woodlands, and layered limestone bluffs blend to make choice bird watching habitats. The Shellrock Greenbelt area, in particular, is noteworthy, because it is developed for recreational purposes and creates an oasis for migrant birds as well as nesting areas for breeding birds.

The extent of this greenbelt, from county line to county line, includes 770 acres of land that is accessible along the Shell Rock River. This corridor spans approximately 15 miles from the town of Nora Springs to the town of Plymouth and borders Cerro Gordo County’s east side. Some of these lands are hunted at various times of the year and some of the land is a preserve with hunting permanently prohibited. The main roads through and along the river are closed in winter and early spring; however, there are alternative routes for accessing these areas during the winter.