Watchable Wildlife

The diversity of environments that surround Perry Lake offer our visitors amazing opportunities to view a variety of wildlife in their natural habitat. Refer to the numbered map for locations of watchable wildlife stops. We wish you the best of luck in your adventure!

1. Rock Creek Park, located west of the dam, offers an opportunity to see two of our shyest predators, the red fox and the bobcat. These animals are largely nocturnal, but can begin their activity two hours before dusk and continue for up to four hours after dawn. Beavers have made a residence in this park and are active during the same approximate times as the fox and bobcat. Look for trails in the grass that lead to the water or listen for the sound of a slap on water (their warning signal made by hitting their tail against the water’s surface). Red-tail hawks are often seen hunting in the park and raccoons are a common sight strolling through the campgrounds.
   
2. Thompsonville Park, located just south of Rock Creek Park, continues as prime red fox habitat. This is also a good place to observe some of our forest animals such as gray squirrels. They are active from early morning into late evening and are often seen resting on a horizontal limb with their tail arched over their back in order to screen themselves from the sun. Bald eagles and blue herons are often seen soaring over the dam and are easily viewed from various vantage points in Thompsonville. Cliff swallows have made a home under the dam control tower and migratory waterfowl stop here to feed and rest.
   
3. The Delaware Marsh was created for the specific purpose of attracting a large variety of migrating shorebirds and waterfowl, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. A 1.75 mile hiking trail takes you around the marsh and includes a number of interpretive stations. A wildlife observation blind is located halfway on the trail for viewing of the wetland area.
   
4. Perry Park contains grassland and forest habitat, ideal for deer, bobcats, fox, songbirds, hawks, squirrels, rabbits, and many other animals. The park possesses large stands of old growth timber, largely untouched for many years. A little stroll through the woods offers a world of possibilities.
   
5. Slough Creek Park, our largest campground, harbors a large white-tailed deer population. The deer are common sites in the evening and night feeding both inside the campground and along the road leading to Devil’s Gap boat ramp. Thunder Ridge hiking trail is located here and contains 30 interpretive stations along the way. Wild turkeys and raccoons are regular visitors to this area.
   
6. Longview Park is covered with forested area and shoreline. This is one of the few places on the lake that you can listen to the whippoorwills and chuck-will’s-widows during the evening. Watch for insects that gather around the lights of buildings, campers, and boats during the first few hours of nightfall and you might be lucky enough to get a glance at one of our Kansas natives, the Big Brown Bat. These furry fliers can also be seen swooping down to take sips of water from still or shallow pools. The forested areas also house the eastern wood rat (a.k.a. the pack rat). They build nests out of sticks and leaves, often against the side of trees. These homes are used for generations and can grow to be very large. Great Horned Owls, coyotes, and bobcats have all been seen hunting through the woods.
   
7. Old Military Trail offers a paradise for songbirds, red fox, coyotes, squirrels, wood rats, owls, and many other forest creatures. Animal sightings can almost be guaranteed, but you’ll have to park the car and walk!
   
8. Paradise Point, like Perry Park, has a nice combination of forests, grasslands, and shoreline. Because it is not often visited, a great diversity of wildlife has made this area home. This is also one of the most likely places around the lake to view our national bird, the Bald Eagle. During some years, a pair of eagles will even nest here, high up in the trees, but very visible from the ground. Please remember, these birds are endangered and should not be disturbed.
   
9. The Perry Lake Marshland Refuge Areas are located further north than most visitors think of going. These areas are a bird –watcher’s paradise, so make sure you bring a bird checklist when you come! Shorebirds, waterfowl, and many other migratory birds stop here to rest, nest, and mate. Some species stay here year-round.
   
10. Near the town of Ozawkie is our Big Tree Park. This park not only boasts the biggest cottonwood tree in the state of Kansas, but also houses a rich grassland habitat. A 1.75 mile hiking trail leads you around the area and gives you a few different perspectives. You can expect to see many small mammals like the eastern cottontail, squirrels, and raccoons, as well as songbirds and other larger birds of prey like hawks, owls, and eagles.
    

Please stay on designated roadways at all times and have fun!