The OOS will return to The Wilds on January 21, 2023 for our trip to find wintering raptors!

This event is a big THANK YOU to all of the OOS members that help support our great organization. Because of you, we were able to provide over $20,000 in conservation funds over the last few years to organizations in Ohio for the protection of our birds and their habitat.

And the Youth Education Committee is currently working on providing Ohio’s youth with opportunities through scholarships, educational opportunities, etc. in order to further their interest/passion to help Ohio’s bird conservation for them and future generations.

This is a members-only event, please sign up today to become eligible to join us! Signing up as a member (or renewing your membership) is easy, just click on the link below to join the OOS today! Become an OOS Member or Renew Here 

Once you’re a member, register for the 2023 OOS Winter Raptor Extravaganza by sending an email to Jason Larson at bairdstrogon@yahoo.com and join us for a fun day of birding! It’s free to members (although with rising costs we kindly request a small donation of $10 to help defray our costs). Read more below.

The Wilds is a large reclaimed surface mine grassland area that has abundant wintering raptors and grassland nesting birds. While most of the region is rolling grassland, there are also areas of ponds, lakes, wetlands, spoils forest and remnant hardwood forests. Wide-open vistas make this a great raptor-watching spot. Special species that we may find are: Golden and Bald Eagles, Rough-legged Hawks (light & dark morphs), Northern Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Northern Shrike and Eastern Meadowlarks. Open water areas can also attract a large variety of waterfowl. In the past we have seen such rarities as Long-tailed Duck, Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose and Green-winged Teal. If we are very fortunate, we might get to see something like the Prairie Falcon that spent the winter in 2003-2004.

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE! REGISTRATION IS LIMITED!

To register, send an email to Jason Larson at: bairdstrogon@yahoo.com

Include the names and emails of all the members of your group. Once you’re on the list, you will receive an email prior to the event with final instructions. If you register for your entire group, you will be the primary contact person and you are responsible for forwarding all information to those participants, if we are not provided with an email address for them.

If you know someone who is not a member and they would like to attend the event, simply have them sign-up for an OOS membership! Members may also invite non-members to attend the event, but an OOS member must make the reservation.

Watch your emails for final information soon!