Winter birding can be especially rewarding. The shrubby vegetation and the hedgerows offer quite a bit of cover for a variety of wildlife, including Northern Bobwhite, a variety of raptors, and winter sparrows. Northern Harriers are very common. Short-eared Owl, Merlin and Prairie Falcon are winter residents. Look for them in the area three miles south and one mile west of the junction of US 160 and Rt. M.

17 parking lots (and in some cases the short roads leading to them) provide easy access to the variety of habitats available for birds. There are no designated hiking trails, but the hiking isn’t difficult except in the strip mined areas.

Cropland and non-prairie grassland make up about 90% of the area. There are 50 acres of native prairie, 120 of old field, 98 of forest and woodland. Lakes and ponds total nearly 100 acres, and wetlands about 30.

Pin Oak Lake is 14 acres. There are several ponds and strip pits. Waterfowl, shorebirds and waders may take advantage of these, so many are worth checking in the proper season. Nine rainfall dependent marshes (about 26 acres) are managed for waterfowl.