Chipola River Greenway: Butler Tract

Located in a quiet subdivision on the north side of Marianna, the 110-acre Butler Tract is another tranquil segment of the Chipola River Greenway good for wildlife watching. Floodplain forest is the dominant habitat type here; some pines are also present where the soils are higher and drier. In the summer listen for singing Wood Thrush and Red-eyed Vireo around the parking area. The nearly 2-mile loop trail through the lush riparian woodlands can yield anything from Pileated Woodpecker and White-eyed Vireo. In the spring and summer be alert for the sounds of Broad-winged Hawk, Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Swainson’s Warbler as you wander along the river. During fall migration Hooded and Kentucky Warblers can be found, and between December and February look and listen for Winter Wrens. Listen also for the melodious, high-pitched calls of the aptly-named Bird-voiced Treefrog, whose range in Florida is limited to the western Panhandle. Crayfish “chimneys” are noticeable along the trail as well; burrowing species build these tubes from pellets of mud as they excavate their homes in the ground. Butterflies you may see include red-spotted purple, hackberry emperor and Phaon crescent. Be advised that portions of the trail can be flooded at times, so plan accordingly.