Headlands Birding Festival

Headlands Birding Festival September 20-22, 2024

The inaugural Headlands Birding Festival will take place September 20 – 22, 2024, at Headlands Beach State Park.  The event will celebrate the fall migration of bird species as they travel to their wintering grounds as far away as South America.

The Headlands / Mentor Marsh region hosts some of the highest diversity and volume of migratory birds in the state, with 352 species documented in Lake County.

Bird experts will lead field trips to some of the region’s best migratory bird hotspots as well as a boating ‘pelagic’ on Lake Erie. There will be presentations on bird identification, migrations, and related topics.

Jim McCormac, author of ‘Birds of Ohio’ and renowned nature photographer will give a keynote speech at the Springbrook Gardenhouse on Friday night. Greg Miller, known for breaking the record for most bird species seen in North America in a single year, will give the keynote speech on Saturday night. Greg’s record-breaking year was adapted into the film “The Big Year” starring Jack Black and Owen Wilson. Participation from a wide range of experience levels is welcomed.

Headlands Beach Park is located at 9601 Headlands Road, Mentor, OH 44060.

The Headlands Birding Festival is hosted by Headlands Beach State Park, Lake Metroparks, City of Mentor, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Blackbrook Audubon Society, Tour Lake County, and Friends of Headlands Beach State Park. 

For detailed descriptions and registration, check Eventbrite)

*Free events do not require registration unless otherwise noted.

Friday September 20th
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Friday Keynote Address with Jim McCormac              $15
Location: Springbrook Gardenhouse, 6776 Heisley Rd. Mentor, OH

Saturday September 21st
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM (please arrive by 7:00 AM at the latest)    $80
Lake Erie Pelagic
Location: Headlands Beach State Park Pavilion; Buses will shuttle guests to Mentor Harbor.

7:30 AM – 9:30 AM                            Free, Registration required
Searching for Fall Migrants Behind Locked Gates
Location: Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, end of Woodridge Ln, Mentor

7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Beginner Bird Walk 1                       Free
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, 9601 Headlands Rd, Mentor, OH- Parking lot 12

8:00 AM- 10:00 AM                        $20, kayak included
Mentor Lagoons Kayak Excursion
Location: Mentor Lagoons Marina, 8365 Harbor Dr., Mentor OH

8:00 AM- 12:00 PM
Blackbrook Audubon Big Sit          Free
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, 9601 Headlands Rd, Mentor, OH- Parking lot 1

10:00 AM- 12:00 PM                       Free
Lake Metroparks Beginning Bird Outing
Location: Veterans Park, 5730 Hopkins Rd. Mentor, OH

12:00 PM- 4:00 PM                      For Purchase
Food Trucks and Vendor Tents
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, 9601 Headlands Rd, Mentor, OH

Saturday Talks
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM                          Free
Learning shorebird identification: There’s one hard way and many very hard ways
Speaker: Sean Williams
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, Tent 1

1:00 PM-1:50 PM                           Free
Mentor Marsh: History, Tragedy, Recovery
Speaker: David J Kriska, Ph.D.
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, Tent 2

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM                        Free
Using Technology to Enhance the Birding Experience
Speaker: Buster Banish
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, Tent 2

2:00 PM – 2:50 PM
The Subtlety of Sparrows            Free
Speaker: Anthony Gazo
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, Tent 1

3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
Demystifying Gulls in 1, 2, 3 with John Pogacnik               Free
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, Tent 1

3:00 PM – 3:50 PM
How To Take Better Images In The Field                              Free
Speaker: Alex Eisengart
Location: Headlands Beach State Park, Tent 2

6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Saturday Keynote Address with Greg Miller                       $15
Location: Springbrook Gardenhouse, 6776 Heisley Rd. Mentor, OH

Sunday September 22nd
7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Secrets to Lake Watching 1                      Free, Registration Required
Location: Lake Erie Bluffs- 2901 Clark Rd. Perry Twp,. OH 44081

7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Bird Banding 1                                             Free. Registration required
Location: Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve- 8365 Harbor Dr, Mentor

7:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Headlands Beach Bird Walk 1                  Free
Location: Headlands Beach State Park- lot 12

8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Blackbrook Audubon Monthly Bird Walk                 Free
Location: Veterans Park-  5730 Hopkins Rd. Mentor

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Secrets to Lake Watching 2                        Free, Registration Required
Location: Lake Erie Bluffs- 2901 Clark Rd. Perry Twp,. OH 44081

9:00am-11:00am
Bird Banding 2                         Free, Registration required
Location: Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve- 8365 Harbor Dr, Mentor

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM                                   Free
Headlands Beach Bird Walk 2
Location: Headlands Beach State Park- lot 12

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM                                   Free
Lake Metroparks Beginning Bird Outing
Location:Painesville Township Park- 1025 Hardy Rd. Painesville Twp.

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM                                  Free
Lake Metroparks Beginning Bird Outing
Location: Chagrin River Park- 3100 Reeves Rd. Willoughby

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM                                       Free
Mentor Marsh Birding Bonanza
Location: Carol H. Sweet Nature Center, 5185 Corduroy Rd. Mentor

OHIO’S NATURALIST TO KICKOFF HEADLANDS BIRDING FESTIVAL
Jim McCormac probably knows more about Ohio’s Natural History than anyone…and he will kick off the Inaugural Headlands Birding Festival as its first Keynote Speaker.   

During his 30+ years with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Jim developed a comprehensive knowledge of the nature of Ohio that is truly unsurpassed.  He is a multi-award-winning naturalist, botanist, photographer, presenter, and writer.  He is an exceptional birder, and the founder of the Ohio Ornithological Society. 

Tickets are still available for Jim’s presentation Headlands Dunes and Vicinity: The Lake Erie Birding Hotspot.  The presentation will take place on Friday, September 20th, at 7:00pm at the Springbrook Gardenhouse.  

WILL THE REAL BIG YEAR BIRDER PLEASE STAND UP?
Sure, Jack Black is a celebrity, but he only pretends to be the characters he portrays.  When it comes to the inaugural Headlands Birding Festival, we have the REAL Big Year birder…that being Ohio’s own Greg Miller.  

In 1998, Greg Miller maxed out 5 credit cards, travelled over 130,000 miles, held down a full-time job, and still managed to see 715 different bird species in North America.  Shortly thereafter, Miller’s great year was turned it into a great book…then Hollywood turned it into a great movie – The Big Year!    

Jim is not only well known for his birding capabilities, but also for his contagious ability to share his love of birds.  On Saturday, September 21, at 7:00pm at the City of Mentor’s Springbrook Gardenhouse, Greg will present Living the Big Year. 

Click HERE for more information, or to purchase tickets.   

Headlands Birding Festival Hosts

Register at eventbrite.

Sponsors

Participating Hotels

Residence Inn Mentor
5660 Emerald Court
Mentor, Ohio 44060
(440) 392-0800

Other Attractions

Mentor is centrally located in Lake County and a wide array of other local attractions are mere minutes away. From the vineyаrds аnd the wineries of the Grаnd River Vаlley to the world-clаss fishing аnd beаches of Lаke Erie, Lаke County, Ohio is truly remаrkаble! Check out nearby Lake Metroparks Farmpark, Historic Kirtland, Holden Arboretum, Lake County Captains, and all of the REMARKABLE things that Lake County has to offer.

Learn more at tourlakecounty.com.

Tour Lake County