Elevation: ca 5000 ft. +
Directions: About 14 miles East of Nevada City on the North side of Hwy 20. Look for the only Rest stop on Highway 20 and pull into the parking lot. Its only a couple of miles from Skillman, but a very different habitat and birds.
Habitat: The Nature Trail winds through a fairly open tree plantation with a shrubby understory. At the furthest point it brings you to an exposed ridge with a viewing platform overlooking the remains of the alpha and omega hydraulic mining areas in the Yuba River Canyon. The magnificent Sierra Buttes rise in the distance. The steep slopes offer a mountain chaparral environment with numerous snags. The area is flanked by more mature forest.
Birds: While not a particularly birdy area, the view from the overlook at the end of the Nature Trail alone is worth the short loop walk. From the look-out you can hear Mountain Quail calling from the slope below. White-headed and Hairy Woodpeckers work the snags below. Nashville and Yellow-rumped Warblers sing from exposed perches. Cassin's Finches flit about the rocks and shrubs. The plantation area is good for Dusky Flycatcher, Fox Sparrow, and Mountain Chickadee, to name a few. Black-headed Grosbeaks sing from the deeper forest.
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