Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Cane Creek

Cane Creek State Park, in northern Ohio, sits on the south shore of Lake Erie, between Toledo and Sandusky. This relatively small Park, which lies along the east border of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, harbors a tract of forest which fills with migrant songbirds in early May; it is especially well known for its large number and variety of migrant warblers.

Streaming north toward their Canadian breeding grounds, these birds suddenly encounter the broad expanse of Lake Erie and stop to rest and feed in the Cane Creek woods. A boardwalk leads birders and photographers through this lakeside woodland, yielding close encounters with an amazing variety of migrants. So, if you don't mind birding in a crowd and are still missing a few warblers from your life list, you should consider a visit to Cane Creek!

Cane Creek State Park is accessed off State Route 2, near Oak Harbor, Ohio. The Park lies at the northwest corner of the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area.