The wetlands at Dunning’s Creek are a refuge for waterfowl. They are now open to citizen scientists, naturalists, birders, and those who are willing to help collect data. We are already planning outings for our membership. Our next outing will be late September or early October, 2023. Email us at wargo.apas@gmail.com if you would like to attend. If you would like to explore on your own, see Site Access below.

THE DUNNINGS CREEK WETLANDS EXPERIENCE

This site is a former farm along Dunnings Creek that has been restored as a wetland habitat of about 100 acres. It is home to a large and varied population of wildlife and plants.

Much has been realized about the functions of a wetlands area. These wetlands provide specialized habitats for many plants and animal species endangered by the loss of other wetland habitats. Bird, reptile, fish, insect and plant species found in wetlands create an interconnected web of life where individuals contribute to the health of the whole community. The Dunnings Creek Wetlands were developed to provide a healthy wetlands community. Specific plantings and watersheds have been set up to promote different types of life there and as the saying goes, "If you build it, they will come."       

Prior to wetlands restoration, the farm was fallow fields. Now these lands have abundant deer, pheasant, and waterfowl populations. Pheasant reproduction is to the point that restocking is not necessary. Waterfowl includes nesting wood ducks, mallards, hooded mergansers, blue winged teal ducks, and resident Canada geese. In all, 28 species of migratory waterfowl have been counted with 25 species being seen regularly. A detailed list of bird species found at the wetlands is available for those interested. In addition to waterfowl, long legged waders, (egrets and herons) may be seen throughout summer. At one time, there were 5000 ducks and geese at the wetlands.   

Many aquatic insect populations inhabit the wetlands including caddisflies, mayflies, dragonflies, damselflies and aquatic beetles. Over the past decade, 36 species of dragonflies and 17 species of damselflies have been found. This insect population has attracted bats that are encouraged to nest in bat boxes. Other bird species such as swallows, flycatchers, purple martins and waxwings have used the wetlands for hunting insects.

Over 18 species of fish live in the Dunnings Creek Wetlands. These fish attract birds such as eagles, ospreys, and kingfishers during migration. Mammals such as muskrats, minks, beavers, coyotes and even otters have been seen using the impoundments for hunting and fishing. 

This healthy wetlands community is developing with the help of volunteers, many from the APAS, and government agencies like the DCNR and US Fish and Wildlife Council. Other important cooperators were Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever. The wetlands was the first, and one of the largest, privately owned wetland areas east of the Mississippi and has been used as a blueprint for many private/public wetlands projects since. State and national organizations have recognized the Dunnings Creek Wetlands, and the people that have developed and maintained them, with awards for the quality of the environment and the efforts individuals and groups have made to make them a success.

We do not allow persons or groups to visit the facility without supervision of a wetlands guide. Guides provided by the Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society will set up and conduct all the learning activities for a group that will be visiting. They will stage areas for activities and work. These activities include live trapping and netting of creatures, presentations on animal and plant life in the wetlands along with walks and discussions.

The guides and helpers we provide for these visits are private individuals that are volunteering their time. They need to make arrangements with work and have time to set up learning activities for your visit. These people like to help with these visits and would be willing to do what they can, so the more lead-time you can give us, the better. We will probably need at least a month's advance notice to arrange for your visit, and there has to be flexibility with the time and date of your visit.

Of course, the wetlands are wet. Old clothes and especially sturdy shoes and boots are recommended. There are trails and areas that are safe for humans, but there are other areas that are at least muddy and at most dangerous. Poison ivy grows there and a step in one direction can land you in a mud bog.  Don't be afraid…just be prepared and watchful. 

Because of the many and varied life that live in wetlands, it is a good idea to bring plant and animal guides. It would also be a good idea to bring binoculars, magnifying lenses and other viewing aids to see both the largest and tiniest of creatures that live there. 

As the seasons of the year pass, the function and life at the wetlands changes. Of course, plants bloom at different times, birds species change as their nesting and migration come and go. The nature of the wetlands changes throughout the year. This change means the wetlands of the spring season is different than that of the fall and provide different experiences throughout the year. It is our hope that we can share these experiences with others so that we can appreciate all that wetland areas can provide for us.

Location

Nestled within the foothills of the Allegheny escarpment, close to the town of Pleasantville in Bedford County, PA. Access is granted through Menonite Road (a private road) in New Paris, PA.

Site Description

A privately owned sanctuary that was created in cooperation with Federal Fish and Wildlife's "Partner for Wildlife." The sanctuary contains about 100 acres of wetlands that is managed for waterfowl, shorebirds, reptiles, and amphibians. It also contains about 65 acres of uplands that has been planted with corn, millet, partridge pea, switch grass and sunflowers to encourage wildlife. A five-acre area contains alders for management of woodcocks. The remaining fields are managed for butterflies and songbirds. Additional plantings occur every spring by local Audubon members in celebration of Earth Day. An adjacent landowner also manages about 70 acres of wetlands and uplands for wildlife.  These neighbors have established a bed and breakfast, the "White-Tailed Wetlands" in the midst of their wetlands development.

Monitoring Activities, Research and Conservation

Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society members, students, and others regularly conduct counts of resident and migratory animals at the wetlands. Students at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's Biology Department conduct limnology, entomology, botany, and mammology research projects. Audubon members are currently collecting data for the PA Herpetological Atlas. In addition, the US Fish and Wildlife, PA Game Commission, and the Ruffed Grouse Society are consulted and participate in wildlife improvement projects.

Current Map

Click here for the latest version of the map (September 2023).

Site Access

Because the wetlands reserve is protected habitat and accessible only through private property, visits by individuals and groups need to be cleared by the Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society. If you are a member and have been there before, then an email telling us the day is sufficient. Digital daily passes can be accessed here. If you are not a member, please email us for details. Regardless, everyone needs to follow our regulations which can be found here.

APAS email: wargo.apas@gmail.com.

 DUNNINGS CREEK WETLANDS ORNITHOLOGY LIST

Compiled by Dr. Tom Dick, through the Winter 2016, (observed 26 years)

Recompiled by Brian M. Wargo (APAS President) February, 2017

280 Total Species, 100 Known to Nest, (119 before restoration, 280 after, 235% increase)

KEY: (Birds Known to Nest), (unusual/uncommon visitors), (†accidental birds related to storms)

LOONS: Red-Throated Loon, Common Loon                                                                                                         

GREBES: Pied-Billed Grebe, Horned Grebe, Red-Necked Grebe, Eared Grebe

PELECANIFORMES: Double-Crested Cormorant                                  

WADING BIRDS: American Bittern, Least Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Cattle Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron,  Tricolored Heron, Green-Backed Heron, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Glossy Ibis

SWANS & GEESE: Tundra Swan, Trumpeter Swan, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Canada-White-Fronted Hybrid, Atlantic Brant, Cackling Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Mute Swan             

DUCKS: Wood Duck, Green-Winged Teal, American Black Duck, Mallard-Black Hybrid, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Blue-Winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Eurasian Wigeon, Canvasback          Red Head, Ring-Necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Old Squaw, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-Breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck                                                                     

DIURNAL RAPTORS: Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Norther Goshawk, Red-Shouldered Hawk, Broad-Winged Hawks, Rough-Legged Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk,   Golden Eagle, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon

UPLAND GAME BIRDS: Ring-Necked Pheasant, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Northern Bobwhite

GRUIFORMES: Virginia Rail, Clapper Rail, Sora Rail, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Sandhill Crane

SHOREBIRDS: Black-Bellied Plover, American Golden Plover, Semipalmated Plover, American Avocet,       Killdeer, American Oyster Catcher†, Black-Necked Stilt, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Willet, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Dunlin, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Western Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, White-Rumped Sandpiper, Baird's Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Common Snipe, American Woodcock,      Wilson's Phalarope, Red-Necked Phalarope, Short-billed Dowitcher, Long-billed Dowitcher            

GULLS, TERNS & SKIMMERS: Bonaparte's Gull, Ring-Billed Gull, Laughing Gull, Herring Gull, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Arctic Tern†, Black Tern, Least Tern†, Bonaparte's Gull        

PIGEONS & DOVES: Rock Dove, Mourning Dove                                                                 

CUCKOOS & THEIR ALLIES: Black-Billed Cuckoo, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo

OWLS: Eastern Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, Barn Owl, Short-Eared Owl, Long-Eared Owl, Snowy Owl, Short-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl                                           

GOATSUCKERS & SWIFTS: Whip-Poor Will, Common Nighthawk, Chimney Swift  

HUMMINGBIRDS: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird                                                                

KINGFISHERS: Belted Kingfisher                                                                

WOODPECKERS: Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker                                             

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS: Eastern Wood-Pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Willow Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Greater Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher                                                                                                               

SHRIKES & VIREOS: Northern Shrike, White-Eyed Vireo, Blue-Headed Vireo, Red-Eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Northern Shrike, Yellow-throated Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo                                                             

JAYS, CROWS & THEIR ALLIES: Blue Jay, Raven, American Crow

LARKS: Horned Lark        

SWALLOWS: Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Northern Roughed-Winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow

CHICKADEES & THEIR ALLIES: Black-Capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee

NUTHATCHES & CREEPERS: White-Breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Red-breasted Nuthatch

WRENS: Carolina Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Sedge Wren, Winter Wren                    

OLD WORLD WARBLERS, THRUSHES & THEIR ALLIES: Golden-Crown Kinglet, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Veery, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Wood Thrush                                                                                                    

MIMIDS: Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird                                                  

STARLINGS & MINAS: European Starling                                                                                                

WAGTRAILS & PIPITS: American Pipit                                                                                                      

WAXWINGS: Cedar Waxwing                                                                                                                     

WOOD-WARBLERS: Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-Sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Black-Throated Blue Warbler, Black-Throated Green Warblers, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow-Throated Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Blue-Winged Warbler, Golden-Winged Warbler, Northern Parula Warbler, Black & White Warbler, American Redstart, Worm-Eating Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Connecticut Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Ovenbird,            Canada Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat

TANAGERS, CARDINALES & THEIR ALLIES: Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel                                                                                            

EMBERIZINE SPARROWS & THEIR ALLIES: Rufous-Sided Towhee, American Tree Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow, White-Crowned Sparrow, Dark-Eyed Junco, Snow Bunting, Clay-colored Sparrow, Le  Conte's Sparrow, Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow                                  

ICTERIDS: Boblink, Red-Winged Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole                                                           

FINCHES & OLD WORLD SPARROWS: Purple Finch, House Finch, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch,Evening Grosbeak, House Sparrow, Red-Crossbill, White-winged Crossbill, Common Redpoll