Birding at Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve

General Information

Address

2715 Cleveland Rd W, Huron, OH 44839

County/Counties

Erie

DeLorme Page Number and Coordinates

(7th Edition and earlier) Page 39, 4.5-A

Nearest Town or City

Huron to the east, Sandusky to the west.

Directions from Nearest Town or City

If traveling east on SR 2 from the Sandusky area, take the Rye Beach Road exit.

About Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve

This 460-acre state nature preserve contains upland fields in various stages of succession, hedgerows, pine plantations, mature upland forest with an abundance of edge, swamp forest, cattail marsh, open marshlands, a barrier beach, and Lake Erie shoreline beaches. This superlative mix of habitats provides for one of Ohio’s premiere birding locations. A walking trail runs through the hardwood successional plantings on the west side of the old Cedar Point roadway from the parking lot to the south edge of the mature woodland, or you can walk the old roadway through several distinct habitats on your way out to the lake. This area also features some observation platforms overlooking the marsh and a boardwalk, further north, that will take you west and out to the barrier beach. There is also another roadway along the east side of the preserve that provides excellent birding in the early morning. It is a full mile, south to north, from the parking lot to the Lake Erie shoreline.

Rare sightings for Sheldon Marsh include: Snowy Owl, Golden-winged Warbler, Piping Plover, Ruddy Turnstone, Black Tern, Purple Sandpiper, Harris’ Sparrow, Chuck-will’s Widow, American Woodcock, and Kirtland’s Warbler.

Visiting Information

Closed hours/season

Open all year during daylight hours.

Parking Areas

The parking area is near the entrance.

Fees/Permits

None.

Restroom Facilities

Portable only. Full facilities can be found at local fast-food locations.

Harmful Insects, Poisonous Plants, or Animals

Poison Ivy.

Restaurants in the Area

Sawmill Creek Resort; there are also numerous fast-food options on Cleveland Road (SR 6) where it intersects with Rye Beach Road.

Other Useful Information

There are numerous motel locations and other housing available in the Huron/Sandusky area.

Other Birding Spots in the Area

The McBride arboretum at Firelands College (BGSU branch), south of the railroad on Rye beach Road; The Cedar Point Chausee road; east Sandusky Bay marshes; the spoil fill site at Huron pier, at the mouth of the Huron River in downtown Huron; the Dupont Marsh off River Road south and east of Huron; the Huron River marshes, viewable from River Road near the railroad crossing; Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Sanctuary on Cleveland Road (SR 6), east of Huron; Riverside Cemetery, off SR 61, on the south side of Berlin Heights.