Drummond Island: Williams Preserve

Directions
From E. Channel Road and Pike Bay Road, head northeast on E Channel Road for 2 miles. Turn left (north) onto S. Townline Road. Continue for 1.5, then turn right (east) onto Maxton Plains Road. The Parking area is only a short drive ahead on the left (north) side of the road. 

Birding Opportunities
​This is a beautiful 80 acre preserve on an old homestead that travels through beach/maple forest and sometimes passes through old spruce, white pine, and hemlock trees. Expect to see a variety of woodland warblers here in the spring, summer and fall along with other interesting passerines. Scarlet Tanagers are known to nest in this area and Eastern Wood-Pewee can also be seen here. Ovenbird, Blackburnian and Black-and-White Warblers are other common nesters here. Red-eyed Vireos are also commonly heard singing high among the tree tops. Very and Hermit Thrush are additional species that can be seen and heard deep in the woods here. Owls such as Great Horned and Barred are additional possibilities here.
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Other Exciting Features
​The Williams Preserve is mostly forested with either upland mixed hardwood/conifer stands (including white pine and hemlock components); northern hardwood stands dominated by beech and maple (with minor component of ash, ironwood, basswood, and balsam fir); and lowland areas dominated by cedar, balsam fir, and paper birch. Fallow agricultural fields now vegetated with bracken fern, blackberry, and various tree seedlings and saplings are present in small areas. Soils in some areas are flat and sandy, and very rocky in others, with some large boulders. Fissured bedrock is visible at the surface in some spots. Ancient post-glacial lake shorelines are evident on the Preserve. An old stone wall built by early Island settlers is located in the east part of the Preserve.

For more information about the Williams Preserve,
please visit http://landtrust.org.

Ovenbird
Photo by Paul Rossi

Great Horned Owl