Southwest Indiana Birding Opportunities - Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve
Wesselman Woods is a 200-acre old growth bottomland forest found on Evansville’s east side.
Wesselman Woods contains remnants of the Wabash-Erie canal and it is a great example of a pre-settlement Indiana forest. The woods contain many species of trees including maples, hickories, elms, and oaks. The forest is home to some of Indiana's largest trees with a canopy over 100 feet tall. Wesselman Woods also contains an extensive understory made mostly of paw-paws, spicebush, and hackberry.
Over four miles of trails give visitors plenty of views of the forest. These trails cover several different habitats including a secondary-growth forest, a burgeoning meadow, wetlands, a seasonal pond, and a man-made pond. The biggest draw to the property is over 195 acres of old-growth forest, which draws many species during migration. The nature center situated in the forest features a bird feeding area that is easily accessible.
Wesselman Woods is an excellent migrant trap that brings in many species during April and May. You can usually find thrushes, warblers, tanagers, and grosbeaks in abundance during spring migration. The woods have nesting Barred and Great horned Owls and Wood Ducks nest at the seasonal pond. During the summer months tanagers and vireos commonly nest in tallest of the forest trees. All the usual species of woodpeckers can be found in the woods as well as several species of flycatchers during the spring and summer.
Wesselman Woods has hosted some rarities in the past. A varied thrush was seen for several weeks at the bird feeding area around the nature center during the winter of 2012-13. Red Crossbills were found in March of 2013. Other interesting finds are Black-throated Blue, Cape May, and Connecticut Warblers found during migration.
Wesselman Nature Society also manages a second urban birding hotspot: Howell Wetlands on Evansville's west side.
eBird Hotspot Link:
ebird.org/hotspot/L2451417
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Address:
551 N. Boeke Rd.
Evansville, IN 47711
Enter Wesselman Park; stay to the right. Once you reach the forest the road takes a sharp left. After a quarter of a mile, the entrance is on the right.
Hours: Hours vary depending on season.
Ownership: The woods is owned by the City of Evansville but is managed by Wesselman Nature Society.
Admission: $6 per adult (ages 13+) and $4 per child (ages 3-12).
Restrictions: The trails are only accessible when the nature center is open. This limits early and late birding, but you can bird the edge of the woods from the park roads. During the warmer months insects can be a bother so bring bug spray.
Nearby Amenities: The nature center has a restroom and an indoor bird feeding area.
Accessibility: The Nature Center connects to two boardwalked trails, Mini-Loop and Odonata, by concrete paths suitable for wheelchairs and strollers in dry conditions. From Odonata to the Nature Playscape, visitors follow firm crushed gravel leading to the ramped Arwood Family Treehouse. Other trail surfaces in the system include mulch, natural dirt with mild roots and slopes, and short stretches of boardwalk in wetter areas; Newburgh Trail also includes old railroad ties that may pose a tripping hazard. ADA parking and restrooms are available at the Nature Center, and benches are placed along the first half-mile of select trails.
Website: wesselmanwoods.org
Phone Number: (812) 479-0771
Written by: Neal Bogan
Photo by: Jeff Timmons