Feathered friends and fall colors

West Bend is a “Bird City” and for good reason – the birdwatching here is top notch. It’s an especially rewarding pursuit in the fall, when the trees are changing colors and the migration is in full swing.

West Bend’s Lac Lawrann Conservancy is one of the best places in the area to birdwatch. This 137-acre preserve is located along a chain of lakes linked to the Milwaukee River and the landscape is diverse, ranging from wetlands, grass prairies and a red pine plantation. Over 200 species of birds have called the Lac Lawrann home, including ducks, geese, heron and grebe, flycatchers, warblers and hawks, owls and osprey.

Take in the spectacular fall colors as you spy for birds along the conservancy’s four miles of trails and encounter the glacial features left behind during the Ice Age, like kettles and eskers.