Warblers & Wildflowers at Shawnee State Park

April 26-28, 2024

Warblers & Wildflowers is just around the corner. Your committee is working diligently to make this an event to remember and we can’t wait to see everyone!

Please note that registration deadline was April 19 at 5:00 PM and registration fees will be non-refundable after March 31 (extenuating circumstances may be considered.)

Join the OOS Shawnee State Park Lodge in Scioto County, OH for a celebration of Warblers and Wildflowers! The last weekend in April gives you a chance to meet the first big wave of spring migration, enjoy excellent presentations and experience the fellowship of fun and avid birders! Rooms and cabins available at Shawnee Lodge until full, and also at the Holiday Inn in Portsmouth view details on the registration page.

Shawnee State Forest, and surrounding areas in Scioto and Adams Counties, is well known among Ohio birders as the place to get a head start on spring. Our tropical migrants arrive here well before they make their way to Ohio’s northern reaches. Some, such as Worm-eating Warbler, Blue Grosbeak and Summer Tanager, seldom make it to Lake Erie, as their breeding range is limited to the southern part of the state. One in particular, Chuck-wills-widow, is confined to a small area in southern Adams County. So, if you want to compile a large Ohio list, you will need to visit here.

Friday night will begin with registration in the lodge lobby beginning at 3 pm. A happy hour cash bar with a presentation by Shawnee State Park Naturalist Jenny Richards highlighting the wonderful biodiversity of the State Park and Forest. After a delicious buffet dinner, Avian Ecologist Dr. Kelly Williams will present on Leveraging movement ecology research to conserve birds across the landscape. Afterward, there will be an evening outing to listen for Chuck-will’s widows.

Saturday we’re up early for morning field trips, lunch in the field, then back to the lodge. Afternoon will be on your own. After a buffet dinner, Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist Tim Jasinski will present on the intricate world of wild bird rehabilitation and Lights Out Cleveland. Once again, there will be an evening outing to listen for Chuck-will’s widows. Both nights you will have an opportunity to visit the cabins where Mothing stations will be set up for those interested.

Sunday morning birders will be on their own with the possible option to bird with guides remaining for the morning. We will share a map of Shawnee Forest for you to explore on your own.

Just as spring comes earlier for the birds in the Shawnee region, the same is true for wildflowers. The south-facing slopes along the shore of the Ohio River warm up first, kicking off the northward march of spring. The timing of wildflower blooming is tied to the weather much more than the timing of avian migrant arrival, so it is hard to predict what you can find in late April. But the diversity of habitats in this area guarantees that there is sure to be a correspondingly wide diversity of blooms.

PLANNED FIELD TRIPS

5. Birding 101
6. Thru the Lens: Photographic Birds
7. Birds & Wildflowers of Adams County – Edge of Appalachia
8. Birds & Botany of Adams County – Lynx Prairie