Join Genesee Land Trust, Martha Zettel (long time Land Trust member and retired bat biologist), and Bill O’Neill, for a late evening walk to explore the sounds and sights of Salmon Creek Nature Preserve after dark. Using displays, bat detectors, and sound analysis software, learn about our local bats before we venture out to observe them as they hunt for insects using their specialized echolocation. In addition we will listen for night singing katydids and crickets and if we are lucky we might even see them using our flashlights. Bring a small flashlight, wear closed shoes, and be prepared for mosquitoes and ticks. PLEASE NOTE: bats do not fly in the rain, and bat detectors are not waterproof, so if it is rainy at all we will use the rain date (August 8th).
Registration is required, as there are a limited number of attendee slots.
Accessibility: For questions about accessibility, reach out to Inclusion Point of Contact, Mckenna Erwell, at merwell@geneseelandtrust.org.
Trail Description: Beginning at the parking lot the trail runs east before forking into two trails, one running north and another east. The northern trail runs along the northern tree line towards the northeast corner of the Preserve and is approximately 0.25 mile. The trail that continues east from the parking lot continues towards the pond, approximately 0.13 mile. These two trails are new (formerly agricultural land) and are a combination of grass and hard packed soil and are slightly uneven.
Eventually both trails transition to established grass trails that circle around the Preserve. The total length of trails is approximately 2.5 miles, with trails winding through meadows, around Koss Pond, along adjacent conservation land, and along Salmon Creek. See the Salmon Creek Nature Preserve trail map for locations of all trails. towards the interior of the property. Grass trails are mowed regularly between May and September and are approximately 6’ wide with 0-8% slopes. For a description on trail surfaces, visit this link on Trail Surface Types (Maine Trail Finder).
Parking and Public Transit: The parking lot is located at 492 Bennett Road (County Rd 220) in Parma. The parking lot is made of recycled asphalt and accommodates eight cars. There are no designated accessible parking spots. Information on public transit options is available through Google, at this link.
Restrooms: There are no restrooms at the Preserve. The nearest public restrooms are approximately 1.5 miles away in Hilton (options include Parma Library, Tops, McDonalds, etc.).
Pets: Dogs, other pets, emotional support, comfort, and companion animals are not allowed at Genesee Land Trust events. Although your pet may be friendly, everyone has different familiarity and experiences with animals. Thank you for being respectful to other attendees.
Service Animals: Service animals, which are dogs or miniature horses that are specifically trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities, are welcome. Service animals must always be under the control of the handler, housebroken, cleaned up after, and vaccinated in accordance with state laws.