‘Connect with nature’: Inaugural Headlands Birding Festival celebrates fall migration - Fox 8 News
MENTOR, Ohio (WJW) – The first-ever Headlands Birding Festival is taking place this September to celebrate and watch birds migrate this fall.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will be hosting the event from September 20-22 at Headlands Beach State Park. “We’re thrilled to bring this festival to life in a region that plays such a vital role in bird migration,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “The Headlands Birding Festival is a perfect opportunity for both novice and seasoned birders to connect with nature and deepen their understanding of all the different kinds of birds in Ohio.”
According to the ODNR, the Headlands Beach and Mentor Marsh region is known for hosting one of the highest diversities and volumes of migratory birds in Ohio. There are 352 migrating bird species documented in Lake County alone.
The ODNR said birding enthusiasts of all levels are encouraged to join in at the festival to witness and learn about the migrations up close.
The festival will feature expert-led field trips at birding hotspots, presentations on bird identification, migration patterns, and related topics, and a special boating tour on Lake Erie.
Presentations include:
Friday night: Author of Birds of Ohio and an acclaimed nature photographer Jim McCormac will share his insights at the Springbrook Gardenhouse
Saturday night: Greg Miller, famous for spotting more than 700 bird species in North America in a single year, which inspired the movie The Big Year, will captivate audiences with his incredible story.
The Headlans Birding Festival is presented by ODNR, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Lake Metroparks, the City of Mentor, Lake County Visitors Bureau, Friends of Headlands Beach State Park and Blackbrook Audubon Society.
Click here to register for the festival now to ensure your spot for field trips and presentations.