Wildlife Watching at Tyler State Park
Three main habitats dominate Tyler State Park: forests, fields, and wetlands. The mixed hardwood forests are composed of oak, elm, maple, beech, ash, and walnut. They are great habitat for forest birds like:
Warblers
Tanagers
Thrushes
Vireos
Native dogwood, spicebush, witch hazel, and viburnum make for a colorful understory.
Besides the many mowed and agricultural fields, the park manages fields planted with native, warm-season grasses. These grasses provide habitat for many animals, including field birds like:
Red-wing blackbirds
Bobolinks
Grasshopper
Sparrows
Meadowlarks
The native gardens, wildflower meadow, and landscaping by the park office are maintained by volunteers and are a popular location for photographers and native plant interpretation.
The richest and most diverse habitats of the park are the wetlands that boarder Neshaminy Creek. These areas have unique plants, such as skunk cabbage, ferns, and waterwort, which can survive in the perpetually moist soil.
Neshaminy Creek also is home to:
Large snapping turtles
Eels
Frogs
Water snakes
Muskrats
While the stream north of the Spring Garden Mill Dam is a popular spot for turtles and wood ducks.
Agricultural Leases
Farming has been a tradition here for more than 300 years. About one-quarter of the park is still under cultivation using modern conservation practices. With the changing of the seasons, field crops like winter wheat, grains, corn, soybeans, and hay provide a breathtaking pastoral landscape.
Several fields were planted with native grasses during 1999. These fields will provide habitat for a variety of wildlife.