Jim Witter, program coordinator for the Wood County Park District, gives a presentation about bird migration at Tuesday’s meeting at Otsego Park. (Debbie Rogers | Sentinel-Tribune)
By Debbie Rogers
The biggest week in American birding has Wood County chirping.
Jim Witter, program coordinator for the Wood County Park District, gave a presentation about birding at Tuesday’s meeting, which was held at Otsego Park.
“We are one of the best places really in the country to see spring migration,” Witter said. “It’s kind of a big deal.”
Many birders will be passing through the area to see the migration at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area in Oak Harbor or Maumee Bay State Park in Oregon.
Some will stay to see birds in a quieter setting at Cedar Creeks Preserve in Northwood or the Bradner Preserve.
“We have all these different types of habitat,” Witter said. “There are so many folks … for our bird people it can get a little crowded.”
Wood County’s diverse habitats attract a lot of birds, he said. There are grasslands, woodland riparian zones and rivers, and the area is an Oak Openings remnant.
Some of the birds that can be seen locally are the Henslow’s sparrow, dickcissel, northern parula and scarlet tanager.
The Biggest Week in American Birding runs through Sunday in Northwest Ohio.
The park district is also offering a field trip at Cedar Creeks on May 20 from 9 a.m.-noon.
Join the Friends of the Parks on a tour in search of migrating songbirds. Travel to Cedar Creeks Preserve and Sawyer Quarry Preserve in Perrysburg before concluding the trip at W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, also in Perrysburg.
Sign up by calling 419-353-1897 or visiting wcparks.org.
Also at the meeting, the board:
• Renewed membership with the Public Entities Pool of Ohio for $74,097 PEP renewal. This is for liability, vehicle and property insurance coverage.
• Approved an architectural services agreement with Scott J. Heacock for a $5,000 entrance ramp project at W.W. Knight Nature Center.
• Approved park police policy updates, which were mostly changes in language and terminology, according to Chris Smalley, park district director.
• Heard that Corinne Gordon, the historic farm and history specialist is moving out of state.
• Went into an executive session to discuss possible land acquisition. No action was taken.
Board member Bill Cameron was absent.
