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| Directions |
| Take I-77 North to Exit 16B [Sunset Rd.] |
| Go west on Sunset to the light at Beatties Ford Rd. |
| Turn right on Beatties Ford Rd. |
| 2-3 miles past the light at Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rd. Start looking for Neck Rd. There will be a Wildlife Viewing sign on the right. |
| Turn left onto Neck Rd. |
| Follow Neck Rd. until it Ys with a paved road going to the right and a dirt road going to the left. |
| Take the dirt road to the left until it dead ends in a parking lot near the viewing stand. |
| NOTE: You can bird along Neck Rd. near the cemetary and water treatmen t plant. Just make sure your car is well off the road. |
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| MAS Home > Birding Spots > Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge |
| Cowan's
Ford Wildlife Refuge [3] [More
information] |
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| Originally owned by Crescent Power and Light and maintained by Ducks Unlimited, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation purchased this property in the early 90's and has continued to maintain it as a wildlife refuge. As such, access by the public is generally limited to the observation stand and the road leading to it. |
| The refuge
sits on the banks of Mountain Island Lake which has been designated an Important Bird Area. It has many coves
where ducks, osprey and eagles like to hide out. The forest
is primarily pine with some deciduous mixed in. There are several
old growth field which has been good habitat for prairie warbler
and other species which like rejuvenating clear cuts. There
are two small ponds which attract shorebirds in spring and fall.
One spring we had all possible swallows - barn, bank, cliff,
rough-wing, and tree sitting on wire together. |
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Bird along the dirt road and from the viewing stand only!
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