Birding Sites: Farther Afield
East of Cleveland
South of Cleveland
West of Cleveland
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- Conneaut Harbor:
(Delorme 33 A7) The city of Conneaut is located on Lake Erie at the
northeast corner of the state in Ashtabula County. From I-90, exit at SR 7 and
follow SR 7 north through town until it ends at the lakefront.
The harbor area is good for ducks and gulls and the sandy flats (if
there are any) are excellent for shorebirds in the spring and fall,
especially when SUV traffic is absent. Check the breakwalls for wintering Snowy Owls. Watch for the occasional
Peregrine year-round and migrating raptors in the spring.
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- Headlands Beach State Park:
(Delorme 32 B1) In Lake County, follow SR 44 north from I-90 or SR
2 to the park
entrance at the terminus of SR 44. Drive through the park and bear right to reach the
easternmost parking area and access to the dunes and the breakwall and
lighthouse at the mouth of the
Grand River. [In the winter, the road to the eastern
section may be closed. If so, exit the park, turn left and left again after crossing the railroad tracks and follow the
road along the east edge of the park that leads to the salt mines and
the Coast Guard station. Turn left at the first opportunity to reach the eastern parking area. Ignore the signs that
say or imply "Fishermen Only".] Birding can be fabulous here at any
time of year. During peak migration periods, the numbers of species and
individuals can be overwhelming. Proximity to the lake makes the
Headlands attractive to ducks, gulls and terns and shorebirds. The
dunes, fields and wooded areas attract passerines and raptors. Shipman Pond
is a small pond at the west edge of the park. Exit the park, turn immediately right
onto Headlands Road and park before the road turns sharply right. Ducks, geese and swans
may be found here and Least Bittern may nest in the remnants of cattail
that still hold out here against the onslaught of Phragmites that has taken over most of Mentor Marsh that
borders the Headlands to the south and west. Continue along Headlands Road, over
the pond and up a hill to a parking area on the left for access
to the Zimmerman Trail. The
sometimes muddy trail leads through a wooded area alongside the pond
and marsh. Ruffed Grouse, Barred, Screech and Great Horned Owls, Carolina Wren
and Pileated Woodpecker are possible nesting species here. This
is an excellent place for migrant warblers and flycatchers. [We recommend Brennan's
in Grand River as a nearby place to eat, featuring good food and a
friendly atmosphere. Exit the park and immediately turn left. Follow
Williams Road as it crosses the railroad tracks and then winds south.
At the
first stop sign turn left and proceed down a short hill.
Brennan's restaurant and parking lot will be ahead on the left at the
next
intersection. Less picturesque places to eat can be found along SR 44
just south of SR 2.]
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- Fairport Harbor:
(Delorme 32 B1) The Lake County city of Fairport Harbor is located at
the mouth of the Grand River, across the river and east of Headlands
Beach State Park and the city of Grand River. From SR 2, take the Fairport Harbor exit and proceed
north to the city park on the lakefront. The park provides a good view
of the mouth of the river; an area attractive to gulls and terns,
waterfowl and possibly a wintering Snowy Owl sitting on the adjacent
breakwalls. East of the park is a marina that has been the stopping off
point for a Mew Gull and Common Eiders.
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- Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and Marina, and Veterans Memorial Park:
(Delorme 31 C1) Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and Marina in Lake
County is a park maintained by the city of Mentor; visit its web
site here.
Its entrance road is Harbor Drive, located north off Lake Shore Blvd.
(SR 283) about 3 miles west of SR 44. Trails lead along the western
edge of Mentor Marsh, through a wooded areas and along the Lake Erie
shore. This is an excellent location to look for migrant passerines and
for nesting species such as Pileated Woodpecker and Barred Owl, as well
as marsh birds. Veterans Memorial Park in the city of Mentor is part of
the Lake County Metropark System; for more information on Lake
Metroparks, visit their website here.
The park is located a short distance south on Hopkins Road which
intersects with SR 283 just east of Harbor Road. A moderately sized
lake and trails around it provide varied habitats for waterfowl,
migrants and summer nesters.
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- Killdeer Plains:
(Delorme 47 C6) From the city of Upper Sandusky in Wyandot County, take
SR 67 south for about 1.5 miles, cross a set of railroad tracks and immediately turn
left onto County Road 115. Follow CR 115 for 4+ miles, crossing
SR 294, to a left turn at CR 71 which leads into the state wildlife
area. Drive the roads with an eye out for Northern Shrike in
winter, scope the impounded areas and the reservoir for unusual
waterfowl and check the open fields at dusk for Short-eared Owls. Bald
Eagles are common year round, and wintering Long-eared and Northern
Saw-whet Owls are annual in the spruce groves.
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- The Wilds:
(Delorme 71 B5) Located on reclaimed strip mine lands in Muskingum
County, The Wilds is a private zoo and research facility with a
close working arrangement with the Ohio Department of Natural Areas and
Preserves and the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Follow the signs on I-77
and connecting roads to reach the area. See its web site at The Wilds
for further information on birding related efforts there, bird lists
and a map of the area. The land around the facility also includes
reclaimed strip mines owned by the American Electric Power
Company (AEP); access to them technically requires a printable permit
available from their web site at AEP. Raptors in winter are the big attraction. Ohio's first Prairie Falcon
was seen here, Golden Eagles are now annual wintering birds and the
more to be expected Short-eared Owl , Northern Harrier and Rough-legged
Hawk are also easily viewed here. Nesting grassland species include
good numbers of Grasshopper and Heslow's Sparrows.
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- Ottawa NWR/ Magee Marsh SWA/ Crane Creek SP:
(Delorme 27 D7) Located on the western shore of Lake Erie at the
intersection of Ottawa and Lucas Counties is this combination of
National Wildlife Refuge, State Wildlife Area and State Park. Follow SR
2 east of Toledo or west of Port Clinton to the entrance
road for Ottawa NWR and, half a mile away, the entrance for
MageeMarsh and Crane Creek. This huge area
of fields, diked impoundments and wooded areas is a birder's paradise
at any time of year, but is legendary for its spring migration in terms
of numbers of species and of individual birds. Its location at the
shore
of the lake, which poses a natural barrier for northward moving birds,
places
it in the ideal spot for massive fallouts of spring migrants. The
boardwalk trail, technically located in Magee Marsh adjacent to the
swimming beach at Crane Creek State Park, is the location of choice for
an army of spring birders and seldom disappoints them. However, do not
ignore the farm fields along nearby roads; spring rains and snowmelt
often leave flooded areas that beckon waterfowl and shorebirds, and
during the breeding season listen for Dicksissel and Western Meadowlark
in weedy areas
and planted fields.
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- Metzger Marsh:
(Delorme 27 C7) This State Wildlife Area in Lucas County just north and west of Ottawa NWF was
formerly a great place for waterfowl , shorebirds and marsh dwellers
but has been managed for duck hunting to the exclusion of all else and
is a mere remnant of what it once was. From Ottawa NWR and environs
proceed west on SR 2. Shortly, SR 2 makes a 90 degree turn to the north
and, after 2.5 miles, then turns sharply back left and continues
heading west. Take the first right after SR 2 turns back west, bear
right at the fork and follow the road north towards the lake. As the
road proceeds north, several parking areas affording good views of the
now impounded marsh are available. The road ends at a parking lot with
an adjacent small wooded area. During migration, the woods can contain
good numbers of warblers, flycatchers and sparrows. Walk out the wall
that now cuts the marsh area off from the lake for possible views of
waterfowl, gulls and terns, Bald Eagles and shorebirds.
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- Findley State Park and Wellington Reservoir: (Delorme
40 C1) Located in Lorain County, follow
SR 58 south of the city of Wellington for about 2 miles and turn right on Jones
Road. The entrance to the Wellington Upground Reservoir
will be on the right in about 1 mile. Park where you can and scope the
water for waterfowl and gulls. Retrace your route back to
SR 58, turn right and proceed south another 2 miles to the entrance to Findley State Park,
on the left. In winter drive back to the camping area and check the conifers for
Red-breasted Nuthatch, siskins, crossbills and other irruptive species
as well as more common passerines and raptors. Drive to the lake, stopping to check any active feeders encountered, and look for
interesting waterfowl.
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Go to Dick & Jean Hoffman's birding page: Birding
from the North Coast
(Dick developed this himself; Jean provided some solicited
advice)
URL:http://pw1.netcom.com/~djhoff/osites.html
Please address comments to: djhoff@ix.netcom.com
Changes last made on: Dec. 29, 2005