Birds in the Hills 2026

Birds in the Hills 2026

by | Feb 26, 2026 | Current News and Events, OOS Events

Artwork by Ann Geise - prints available at anngeiseart.com

Birds in the Hills in Hocking County

May 1-3, 2026

Register Here!

This year, the OOS has partnered with Appalachian Understories, to sponsor the Birds in the Hills festival instead of hosting Warblers and Wildflowers as a separate event. This experimental sponsorship will allow the OOS to continue to provide birding events to our membership and support (instead of compete) with a similar birding event while also reducing the administrative overhead for our volunteer board.

Birds in the Hills is family friendly and takes place in the Hocking Hills. Join us on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 5 p.m., at the beautiful Camp Oty’Okwa in Hocking Hills for a fun-filled weekend celebrating the natural world and the spring migration, with Keynote speaker, Nicole R Jackson How Birds Connect People to Place, Community, and Care. 

Birds in the Hills welcomes individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds, providing a chance to explore the biodiversity of the Appalachian region through interactive nature activities led by local guides and naturalists. 

If you’ve attended Warblers and Wildflowers in the past, the structure of Birds in the Hills is a bit different, with events and field trips throughout each day. For those who prefer a full day field trip, there will be a “Warblers and Wildflowers” track on Saturday May 2, at no additional cost to OOS members (use “OOSMember” discount code at checkout).

Lodging

Onsite lodging options are available with registration: 

  • Heated dorm-style bunk lodges
  • Rustic cabins with electricity and heating
  • Tent camping in an open field or hammock garden
  • Car camping, van camping, and small RVs are welcome (no hookups available).

There are also many lodging options throughout the Hocking Hills area:

If you have questions about the event reach out to Madison@RuralAction.org 

2026 Regional Director Birdwalks

2026 Regional Director Birdwalks

by | Feb 24, 2026 | Current News and Events

Join the OOS Regional Director Birdwalks!

Every year, the Regional Directors of the Ohio Ornithological Society lead a birdwalk in their region.

Mark your calendars and join them for a fun morning of birding. Learn about birds and birding areas in your region OR venture outside of your region and see what great birding areas are available within our beautiful Ohio.

Regional Directors are working on setting up their walks for 2026. 

 

Be sure to check our website, Facebook and your email for continuing information on these walks as they develop.

Spring Migration Walk at Oak Openings
with Lindsey Kunkel – Northwest Regional Director

Where: Oak Openings 
When: Saturday, May 23, 2026 – 9 to 11 am
Register: with Lindsey Kunkel

We’ll meet at Buehner Center on Mallard Lake address: 5240 Wilkins Rd. Whitehouse, OH. 43571. This walk will be about 2.5 miles on paved and well-kept dirt trails. There is also a window on wildlife at this location to view birds at their feeders. There are bathrooms on site, and shelters to eat a packed lunch. Nearest other food is in the town of Swanton or Holland off Airport HWY. The walk will be during migration right after The Biggest Week in American Birding. Oak Openings has alot of great special warblers that call it home for breeding seasons including Hooded Warblers, Kentucky Warblers, Yellow Warblers, and Ovenbirds. We will have many other birds present at this time of year as well like Lark Sparrows, vireos, and many woodpeckers. Many other birds are there year round including different raptors, owls, etc.

Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge (restricted area)

Summer Grassland & Wetland Birds 
with Leigh Casal, Northeast Regional Director

Where: Bath Nature Preserve, Summit County
When: Friday, June 19 from 8:00 am to 11:00 AM
Register: leigh.casal@ohiobirds.org

Join us for a morning of birding through the diverse habitats of Bath Nature Preserve in Summit County! We’ll explore prime grassland in search of Bobolinks and Henslows’s sparrows and venture into wetlands where we’ve encountered Least Bittern, Marsh Wren, Common Gallinule, Trumpeter Swans and more. Time permitting, we may also explore the tamarack bog and old-growth forest.

Expect to walk around 2 miles on mostly flat terrain, with a few hills. Directions, parking details and more specifics to come. Register with Leigh Casal at leigh.casal@ohiobirds.org.

Bobolink in flight

Late Summer Birding and Botany
with Rick Luehrs, Southwest Regional Director

Where: Huffman Prairie Flying Field
When: Saturday, August 1, 2026 – 8 to 10 am
Register:  Register with Rick

We’ll meet at the restroom parking area on Marl Rd. and walk the prairie in its full “superbloom”. We’ll be hoping to see Bobolinks, Henslow’s Sparrows, Orchard Orioles and plenty of Common Yellowthroats. Enter the area off of route 444 via Communications Blvd. right beside the Golf course. Make a left on Hebble Creek Rd., pass the shooting range on the right. Next make a right on Marl Rd. and the parking area will be about a half mile up the road on the left. It will most likely be hot so dress cool and bring water. I recommend spraying your legs with deet as the Chiggers thrive in this habitat. Experienced, non-experienced, young and seasoned birders all are welcome to join us!

HuffmanPrairie

Fall Shorebirding at Hoover Reservoir
with John Kuenzli – Central Regional Director

Where: Hoover Reservoir
When: Mid/late September
Register: RSVP to John Kuenzli

Depending on local conditions related to drawdown of the reservoir, the north end of Hoover Reservoir can be a gem for shorebirding enthusiasts! We will walk along the edge of whatever mudflats are available (mud boots strongly suggested) and focus on finding shorebirds (spotting scope suggested). There will also be migrant songbirds to sort through, so be on your toes!

More details to follow about exact meeting location and date since the reservoir conditions may dictate a change in plans (watch your emails early Fall). Walking is flat and easy, though we may end up covering close to 2 miles. We’ll meet at about 8 AM and will plan on birding for a few hours.

lake snowden