As the weather warms in Northeast Ohio, anticipation builds for the return of migratory birds to the area. Mentor’s prime location on Lake Erie provides some of the best birdwatching in the state. In fact, over 260 species of birds were identified in the area over the past year.
The Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve, Mentor Marsh, Headlands Beach and Dunes, and the open waters of Lake Erie are all part of the National Audubon Society’s Grand River-Lower Watershed and Lake Erie Central Basin Important Bird Areas (IBA).
We’re proud to also be a part of the Ohio Division of Nature Resources’ Lake Erie Birding Trail. The trail includes 84 sites along Ohio’s North Coast that attract and provide habitat for migrant songbirds as well as serving as a breeding ground for waterfowl and marsh birds.
If you’re new to birdwatching, start by exploring the locations close to home. As you become more knowledgeable, expand your horizons by visiting other locations along the Lake Erie Birding Trail.
If you’d like to learn more about birding in Mentor, naturalists from the City’s Natural Resource Division are offering a series of free guided bird walks and programs for those 10 and over. They include:
Seasons of the Marsh Spring Walk
April 28th from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve
Spring Bird Walk
May 4th from 8:00 to 10:00 AM
Springbrook Gardens Park
Spring Bird Walk
May 11th from 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve
Migratory Bird Banding
May 21st from 8:00 –11:00 AM
Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve
Registration is required. For more information or to register call 440-974-5720 or visit the Recreation Registration page.