Woodcock Preserve(Clifton Park)

Staring down the barrel of an extreme heat wave over the next several days, I took advantage of a brief window after work today to visit the 72 acre Woodcock Preserve, owned and managed by Saratoga Plan. This would be my second time here, with my other visit coming in winter a few years ago.  When I arrived in the mid afternoon, the temperature was in the mid 80s with the humidity creeping up.  The trailhead parking area is 740 Tanner Road(the west side of the road), which is just north of Route 146.
Attached is Saratoga PLAN's webpage for the preserve: https://www.saratogaplan.org/explore/public-preserves-trails/woodcock-preserve/

The main white marked trail heads past an informational kiosk west from the parking area.

 Within a few moments, the trail arrives at a large meadow, with bountiful wilflowers.

 Black Eyed Susans.

Plentiful wildflowers alongside the trail.

After passing through the field, the trail enters a beautiful hardwood forest, with a large wetland just a few yards away off the trail.

 I followed the white trail through the woods, before hooking up with a pair of smaller loop trails marked in yellow and red. The woods were alive and vibrant with the sounds of bird songs in the air.

 The trail work at the preserve is top notch, and I was lucky enough to meet one of the trail maintainers today.  She was a very friendly lady and I thanked her for the hard work she and others have put in.

 Puncheon crossing a wet area of the trail.

The red trail loops past old railroad tracks(The Boston and Maine Railroad) in the far northwest corner of the preserve.  Although it was hard to tell, it appeared that there were box cars in some kind of a rail yard across a small wetland.

 Local Boy Scout Troops have volunteered their time and efforts in building several wooden benches along these trails, allowing one to truly stop and soak in the surrounding nature.

 Unfortunately the blue marked trail, which heads south through a large wetland is closed to hikers in the spring and summer months due to nesting birds.

 Once back on the main white trail, I began heading back, when I spotted a small herd path off to the side.  A few yards away at the edge of the woodland, the path ends at a wetland.  I took a few moments to check it out before continuing on my way. 

 A short 1.4 mile RT walk on level trails.  The heat and humidity were tempered a bit by the forest canopy, and made for a perfect respite from a tough week at work.