Find Wildlife

The Wood Dale Forest Preserves have a lot to offer aspiring birders of all skill levels. However, the parking lot might be a little difficult to find if you’re unfamiliar with the Wood Dale area. On GPS, there is no set entrance for the preserve. Instead, you might find yourself in the nearby country club’s parking lot. Avoid looking for a sign at the intersection of S. Wood Dale Rd. and Oak Meadows Dr. and continue heading south on Wood Dale Rd. until you reach a parking entrance on your left. More visible signage would greatly benefit the area, especially if you’re from out of town, or looking to host or visit an event.

Common and local birds you’re likely to see are American Robins and Red-winged Blackbirds hiding out in trees. The Red-winged Blackbirds here are especially loud, making their presence known to you. Towards the middle of the pond, we saw a raft of ducks trailing each other in a line. Look closely to the outer edges of the pond for Eastern Great Egrets who stand still enough to be your muse for practicing bird photography. The pond is home to many animals, big and small. On our search for a glimpse of an egret that morning, we also came upon tortoises and bullfrogs in and around the water! 

The pathways are paved with limestone around both the pond and the woodland, making the preserve accessible to those in wheelchairs and walkers. Both trails are 0.5 miles each and offer different scenic views. The pond trail would benefit cyclists, walkers, and runners as there is a clearer view of where you’re heading. The woodlands would better suit walkers, runners, and hikers, because of the lush greenery surrounding you that make the experience feel more like a true forest preserve. Both options serve as great ways to get some exercise in, as well as places to find beautiful birds and butterflies alike. And because both paths intersect by the northernmost pier, you can take one trail into another to extend your visit.

On a Sunday morning around 8:00 A.M, there were a decent number of older people on walks, younger people on runs, and families fishing near the pond. Although there are only two piers, it serves as enough room for groups or individuals to set up chairs with their fishing gear and sit out on a sunny day. The 9-acre pond offers anglers a chance to catch largemouth bass, sunfish, bluegill, channel catfish, and rainbow trout, to name a few.

For our first time, we set out to find interesting birds to photograph and seek out the area. But next time we go, I would like to bring a picnic! The preserve offered many picnic tables in grassy areas that would make a perfect location for some lunch and birdwatching. They even allow grilling, so you could plan to go out and catch some fish for dinner and cook it on-site, if you are that kind of angler! 

In all, the Wood Dale Forest Preserve was a great place to get a walk in, fish with your family, or practice your photography skills. The entrance was difficult to find if you’re unfamiliar with the area, so better signage would help out. We rated this preserve as:

Wildlife variety: 1/5

Seclusion: 1/5

Accessibility: 4/5

Difficulty: 1/5

Wildlife sightings: American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Mallard Duck, Eastern Great Egret*, American Bullfrog.

*Seasonal