Trail 58: Gardner Street Trail - Isabella Cannon Park to Jaycee Park

11/15/2015.  11:08 AM.

Start:  GPS N 35, 47.574, W 78, 40.202

End:   GPS N 35, 47.969, W 78, 39.869

The Gardner Street Trail is the last trail in the Capital Area Greenway system that I had not visited (excluding those few trails that are almost exclusively roadside). This trail is relatively short at 0.7 miles in length, and perhaps half of this distance is roadside. It's not a trail I would recommend for birding, because most of the species I saw seem to be of the neighborhood bird variety, rather than the forest bird variety.

The southern terminus of this trail is at Isabella Cannon Park. There is no parking within the park, but there is room to park a car across the street on the roadside.

Birds Sighted on the Outbound Trip:

American Crow:  GPS N 35, 47.574, W 78, 40.202.

Ruby Crowned Kinglet:  GPS N 35, 47.689, W 78, 40.144.

White Breasted Nuthatch:  Same area as Kinglets.


Tufted Titmouse:  At least three.  Same area as Kinglets.

American Robin:  Also in same area with Kinglets.

White Throated Sparrow:  GPS N 35, 47.788, W 78, 40.075.

Northern Cardinal:  GPS N 35, 48.008, W 78, 39.968.


New Species Sighted on the Return Trip:

Red Bellied Woodpecker:  The GPS battery went dead, but I saw this one at 820 Fairall Drive.

It only took about an hour and 15 minutes round trip to complete this trail. I did not see many species, and they were all common ones. Most of the trail was either roadside, or very close to the houses that it passed behind, so it was not a relaxing experience to walk it.  I would not recommend this trail for birding or for exercise unless you happen to live in the neighborhood.