Birding at Oak Openings Preserve Metropark

Winter

This area is among the best in Ohio to search for winter finches such as Evening Grosbeak, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, and Red Crossbill. This is also one of the very few sites in northwest Ohio in which Pileated Woodpecker is seen year around. The newly-opened Window on Wildlife, within the Buehner Center at Mallard Lake, is the single best place to check for both expected and unusual Oak Openings winter birds.

Spring

Migration through Oak Openings is often quite good. However, since the park is so large, a bit of luck is sometimes involved in happening upon migrating flocks of warblers and other species.

Summer

Late spring and early summer is the most productive season for birders visiting OOPM. The most sought-after species include Lark Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, and Summer Tanager. Other summer specialties include Broad-winged Hawk, Barred Owl, Whip-poor-will, Red-headed Woodpecker (a few stay all year), Alder Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, and a variety of warblers including Pine, Prairie, Hooded, Chestnut-sided, and Louisiana Waterthrush, along with the occasional Yellow-throated, Black-throated Green, and Northern Parula, and Henslow’s Sparrow.

Practically anywhere in the park may be productive at this season. However, to accumulate a list of sought-after species, it’s very helpful to know specifically where to seek them. A great place to start is the Oak Openings lodge, which is at the intersection of Oak Openings Parkway and Wilkins Road. This is one of the best spots to search for all of the following: Blue-headed Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Pine Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and Yellow-throated Warbler. Look/listen for the Hooded Warbler just east of the lodge; all of the other species seem to be partial to the stand of pines near the lodge. Many of the same species can also be searched for just west of the lodge, near Mallard Lake. Again, search the pine stands near the lake and also take the short hike to Gail Run just north of Mallard Lake. Gail Run is the swale that cuts across the old abandoned section of Reed Road. Listen for Acadian flycatcher, and Kentucky, Hooded, Blue-winged Warblers here. Louisiana Waterthrush is also a possibility.

Maybe the single best birding spot during the breeding season is the area where, a bit further west, Oak Openings Parkway ends at the intersection of Reed and Girdham Roads. The open fields and scrubby areas here attract all kinds of good birds. The stretch of Girdham Road from Reed to Monclova Road is a good spot to look for all of the following: Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Vireo, Eastern Bluebird, Summer Tanager, Blue Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, and Lark Sparrow. Your chances for Pileated woodpecker may also be as good along this stretch as anywhere else. From dusk until dawn, your chances for finding American Woodcock and Whip-poor-will are good in this area.

At night, listen for Barred Owls at any of the sites mentioned above.

Along the park’s northeast boundary, Sager Road also represents an excellent stretch of roadside birding opportunity. Additional species to search for here include Alder Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, and Yellow-breasted Chat. North of Sager, at the eastern end of the road, is a large and open field which is opposite the west end of the runways of the Toledo Express Airport. All property on the north side of Sager Road is just outside of OOPM bounds, so be sure to heed any postings. While air traffic often makes this a noisy spot, the field is excellent for birds. Grasshopper Sparrows and Eastern Meadowlarks are regular, and a Henslow’s Sparrow has frequented the field in recent years. Sedge Wrens, Bobolinks and Dickcissels have also occasionally been found here as has Blue Grosbeak.

Once you’ve covered the spots described above, the lengths of Jeffers and Manore Roads, within the park, are also worth exploring.

Finally, an excellent way to cover the park is by bike. In addition to the sites mentioned, the park’s wonderful bike trails (including the Wabash-Cannonball Trail) can then get you to very good birding spots otherwise hard to reach without extensive hiking.

Fall

OOPM is possibly the best fall raptor migration spot in the state with chances to see all regularly occurring raptor species including Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin, and Northern Goshawk.

The best hawk-watching strategy is to pick a spot with wide-open vistas of the sky and park yourself there for several hours. The big field at the intersection of Girdham and Reed Roads is a favorite choice. The last two weeks of October and first two weeks of November are best for Golden Eagles and Northern Goshawk.