Minnesota Seasons - Cannon River Turtle Preserve Scientific and Natural Area


Cannon River Turtle Preserve Scientific and Natural Area

County	Goodhue
GPS	South (rest area): N44 34.459 W92 38.529 North (Welch Shortcut): N44 34.816 W92 40.777
Size	909 acres
Habitat	Floodplain forest
Hiking Trails	The Canon River Bike Trail runs alongside this SNA.

Links	Minnesota DNR

Comments	Mosquitoes are thick in the summer.

Images	Click on an image for a larger view.




Amphibians

	western chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata)


Birds	In the spring of 2006 a pair of bald eagles nested on the site.

	American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American robin (Turdus migratorius) bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) bank swallow (Riparia riparia) belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) blue-winged teal (Anas discors) brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) Canada goose (Branta canadensis) dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) green heron (Butorides virescens) northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) rock pigeon (Columba livia) turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) wood duck (Aix sponsa) wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)


Mammals

	American beaver (Castor canadensis) northern raccoon (Procyon lotor) whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)


Plants	Minnesota DNR Plant List

	American basswood (Tilia americana) American elm (Ulmus americana) bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common burdock (Arctium minus) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana) eastern false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) lyre-leaved rock cress (Arabis lyrata) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides ssp. molinifera) scouring rush horsetail (Equisetum hyemale var. affine) sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) smooth yellow violet (Viola pubescens var. scabriuscula) Virginia spring beauty (Claytonia virginica var. virginica) Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum) white trout lily (Erythronium albidum) wild ginger (Asarum canadense) wild leek (Allium tricoccum var. tricoccum)


Reptiles	Wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta), a Minnesota threatened species, is protected by this SNA. It can be seen on the sand bars in the river, which are off-limits to visitors.

	western painted turtle (Chrysemys picta bellii) wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)


Visits	4/21/2006