Nearest Town: Hill City and Palisade

County Road 18 is one of the roads most visited by birders in Aitkin County. The county road runs almost straight east from US Highway 169 for about 12 miles past some wonderful birding habitat. The first couple of miles travel through open brush lands, including a DNR Brush Land Management Area on the north side of the road. Look for Brewer’s Blackbird, LeConte’s Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Sedge Wren, and other species of birds. Near the brush land habitat area, look for Sharp-tailed Grouse and the occasional Short-eared Owls.

The next couple of miles are a mixture of spruce, Tamarack and deciduous woods. Search here for Gray Jay, Golden-winged Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Ovenbird, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Great Crested Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, Long-eared Owl and the most famous of the resident birds, the Great Gray Owl.

At four miles east of US Highway 169, you come to 320th Place, sometimes referred to by birders as Pietz’s Road. This dead end road goes north for approximately three miles. The west side of the road is a mixture of deciduous woods and east side is partially marshes and partially mixed deciduous and pine woods. All of the above species of birds can be seen along this road as well as Red-tailed Hawk, Common Raven, Eastern Bluebird and when the water levels are high, the rare and illusive Yellow Rail can be heard calling from the marshes on the east side of the road.

Following a little jog in the road at the Hebron Cemetery, about four and one half miles east of US Highway 169, the area opens up into some extensive fields and brush land, the Willowsippi Wildlife Management Area. As you continue along to these marshy areas and the Willowsippi Wildlife Management Area, the bird species change.