sites mentioned here include:
WILLIAMS COUNTY at the corner of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. East/West roads are lettered and North/South roads are numbered.
1. Lake LaSuAnn LongEared Owls a sure thing every winter, and amazing nesting Prothonotary Warblers and Redstarts and Pileated Woodpeckers etc in the summer.
2. County Road 16 and C intersection great marsh with ducks, SANDPIPERS, TERNS, gulls, geese, PHALAROPES, even once an IBIS! From Bryan, take County Road C (near Walmart and Kmart on the south side of town) about two miles east, to the park.
From here, go west two miles back to State Route 15, turn right and follow State Route 15 about 10 miles south to the first stop on the Defiance County tour...
DEFIANCE COUNTY is on the Indiana state line, the second county down from the Michigan state line. Roads are named, not numbered, in this county. In summer, Bobolinks are likely at Glenburg/ Lockwood. In winter, Short-Eared Owls and Harriers are likely at Glenburg/Lockwood, Jericho/Wonderly Roads, Jericho/Rosedale, as well as Krouse/Powers Roads, with RoughLegged Hawks also likely at Glenburg/Lockwood. A tour of some of the Defiance County birding spots might include:
1. Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area (State Route 15 at Shick Road, half-way between Defiance and the small town of Ney, watch for the sign on SR15) heavily hunted and fished, but few birders. Nesting BlueWinged Warblers and Willow Flycatchers, Indigo Buntings, both Cuckoos. Ospreys and migrating warblers in spring and fall. Has had Snow and White Fronted Geese.
2. Independence Dam State Park, (State Route 424 at Independence Road) 1.from Oxbow Lake, take State Route 15 Southeast, about 5 miles back to Defiance, hopping for two miles onto 2. US 24 East, to the next road past the State Route 66 exit 2.taking a right onto Carpenter Road. This road deadends at the river in a mile. 3. take a Left onto State Route 424 watching the river on your right until in a couple miles you reach the park. Sometimes way too crowded with people in summer, it is best when all the river is frozen except for at the dam. Huge numbers of waterfowl, including swans and eagles, congregate at what is sometimes the only open water locallly. The park road deadends where you can bird a 3-mile trail between a canal and the river, or when you're finished in the park, return to the entrance and continue east six miles on SR 424 to the small town of Florida. 4. There, turn right to cross the bridge in the middle of Florida. Cliff Swallows nest under the bridge, and almost always 50 or so Wild Turkeys can be seen from the bridge. 5. Cross the bridge and turn left at the deadend. You will see a pull-off on the left before the next intersection, where you can spy the Bald Eagle nest on the opposite shore in a tall tree! When finished, head to tiny...
3. Bronson Park by getting back on SR 424, heading back into Defiance (west) to the deadend of SR424, 1. turning left onto Clinton Street, the main street through Defiance. Follow Clinton all the way through town, past Kentucky Fried, past Subway, past a cemetery, to little Anthony Wayne school at the intersection of Clinton and Harding Road, just before leaving Defiance. 2. turn left (south) onto Harding also known as Power Dam Road for a block, where at the river is Bronson Park. Watch for a dozen Mute Swans and maybe six Eagles among the birds here in the winter. A mile further is....
4.Power Dam a functioning power dam, by 1. following Harding Road over the river at Bronson Park, stopping at the stop sign at the dead end, and 2. turning right onto Power Dam Road. Watch for zillions of ducks and gulls in winter, since the open water is precious to them. GreatBlackBacked Gull seen here, as well as RedNecked Grebe! One could follow the river by following Power Dam Road all the way to State Route 111, watching for Caspian Terns along the way. Turn right, over the bridge when you see it (this is State Route 111 in Paulding County), following it perhaps 10 miles to County Road 119, turning left. When you reach the dead end of County Road 119, you are at the first stop in the Paulding County tour:
PAULDING COUNTY is the third county down from Michigan on the Indiana state line. Roads are numbered on the road signs in this county should you come to visit, although they are named in DeLorme. This is a tour you might want to take of some of this county's birding spots:
1. "Sewage Lagoons" or "Ponds-by-the-Commissioner's Woods" (the two blue squares just south of the Paulding Airport, northeast of Paulding, as illustrated in DeLorme's). 1. Take State Route 127 to the first country mile north of Paulding (about a mile north of the only McDonald's in Paulding). 2. Then turn EAST onto County Road 162. There will be a blue airport sign to direct you the right direction 3. Two country miles and you will be at the Paulding County Airport. This is your clue to turn right onto County Road 119. There's where you see the two lagoons; the North one is usually full of ducks. Every 10 years they drain them, and they become a mecca for hundreds of shorebirds including Avocets and Black Terns! Nothing there? Don't fret. Keep on the tour and go next to:
2. Stokely Ponds (4 ponds within that little square west of Paulding where DeLorme's says "County Hosp") from the above ponds, at the southern dead end of County Road 119 1. Take a right on Johnson Road, which also dead-ends at the Sewage Lagoons. Johnson Road also dead-ends at its other end! <grin> 2.So turn Left (or South) onto Emerald Road. Only two blocks and you will 3.Turn Right onto Dooley Road, which deadends on Emerald Road. Continue West across State Route 127 (and the only McDonald's in Paulding) where Dooley Road changes it's name to Gasser Road. Continue past the small residential section less than a mile. 4. Then turn left (ie South) onto county Road 103 (which dead-ends on Gasser Road). It is the first county road you will see once you get past US 127, and past the residential section of Gasser. 5. Then take the very next left. This is what Doug calls County Road 148. I don't know what this road is commonly called, but it has 4 small ponds on it, commonly called "Stokely Ponds," after the Stokely Catsup Plant that used to be there. Watch for Scoters! After checking these four ponds, continue south, where the road twists a tiny bit to become Grant Street, crosses State Route 111 and becomes McDonald Pike. Continuing South on McDonald Pike at the very next block (ie the intersection of County Road 132 and County Road 107) you will find
3. Black Swamp Nature Center (see that little blue dot just above the Paulding Reservoir in DeLorme's?) This has three small ponds, one very woody and the other full of cattails and the third simple and small. The trails are superb and the place is small so please do take the time to walk all of them. This is excellent for warblers in spring and fall! When you're done here, exit and turn left, back on County Road 107, also known as McDonald Pike. Cross the creek and you'll be at the entrance of
4. The Paulding Reservoir (well-marked in DeLorme's, just south of Paulding) Bring a scope and you're likely to see lots of ducks! And probably Loons and Mergansers, and maybe Gulls. When you've had your fill, exit and turn right, back on County Road 107, also known as McDonald Pike. Cross the creek, pass the Nature Center again, but enroute to
5.St Paul Cemetery Pond aka Cozier Pond 1.Turn LEFT at the Nature Center off Country Road 107 and onto County Road 132 (also known as Fairground Drive) for just one block. At the stop sign, 2. turn Left onto State Route 500, continuing for a few miles to 3. Turn left onto Hazelet Road, also known as County Road 87. Cross the creek only a half-mile down the road and watch for Greater Yellowlegs and Great Egrets. Done? Turn around and head north instead of south on Hazelet Road. Continue North on County Road 87 until you reach
6.Thomas Wetlands (County Roads 176/61, or Harmann/Gonser as the roads are called in DeLorme's Gazetteer) outside the village of Antwerp, about 10 miles from Paulding. 1.County Road 87 north until you reach 2. County Road 162 and turn Right, onto it. Continue West on CR 162 until you reach 3. and turn Right, or North, onto County Road 61. Once you cross the bridge be on the look-out on the left side of the road for the marsh which could hold anything. Drive slowly for this half-mile and once you reach 4. County Road 176 drive slowly again, watching the marsh on your left for birds. Sometimes the best is at the little pond past the creek.
7.Black Swamp Audubon Sanctuary If you're on US 24 in downtown Antwerp, turn west onto State Route 49, and continue out of town to the first road past the bridge over the river. Then a right at what seems an unlikely drive into the Sanctuary.
FULTON COUNTY is on the Michigan state line, the second county over from Indiana. East/West roads are lettered and North/South roads are numbered in this county.
Birding spots include:
1.Wauseon Reservoir near the intersection of State Route 108 and County Road C, just outside the town of Wauseon. RedBreasted Mergansers, Bonaparte's Gulls, lotsa ducks.
1.Archbold Reservoir 1.Find yourself in downtown Archbold at the junction of State Route 2 and State Route 66. 2. Find yourself turning south onto SR66, go over the railroad tracks and take an immediate left. 3.Two blocks and you're at a dead-end so turn right. 4.When the street sign says "Reservoir Street" turn left. At the dead end is Archbold Reservoir, two reservoirs actually. Ducks and snow buntings likely in season. Then go back to town, heading north over the railroad tracks...
3.Delta Reservoir
2.66/Turnpike Swamp north of Archbold 1.State Route 66 North through Archbold, and the small towns of Burlington and Elymira, across 20A and the Ohio Turnpike. Follow SR66 as it turns left onto County Road J. Watch the water on the right for ducks, gulls etc 2.At the stop sign, turn right onto County Road 24. The marsh is on the left, too big to miss, just before the Turnpike exit. After you're done scoping the swamp, head south on County Road 24. Next stop...
3. Goll's Woods 1.Stay on County Road 24 north to 2. Turn right onto County Road F, staying until you 3. turn left onto Fulton County Road 26. That's the place. Watch for Wild Turkeys, Pileated Woodpeckers and Barred Owls.
5.Fulton Pond north of Delta