Howard Marsh- the excitement begins.

This week the Division of Wildlife held their annual Wildlife Diversity Partners' meetings.  It is an opportunity for the birders, butterfliers, snake handlers and nature center representatives from all across Ohio to get together and share ideas and learn the latest offerings by Division of Wildlife.

We also vote on the photo that will be on the Wildlife Diversity Stamp.  This year's winner is a garter snake, but oh, what a snake it is!  You'll be proud to display it as a sign of your commitment to non-game species being helped by Wildlife dollars in Ohio.

We also took a tour of a wetland complex the Toledo Metroparks has teamed with the Division of Wildlife to create.  Next spring when you are at Magee Marsh and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, go a few miles more to the west and your find the newly created Howard Marsh Metropark.

Howard Marsh as seen from Metzger Marsh causeway.

If you drive down the causeway at Metzer Marsh, look to the west and you'll see some newly created impoundments and water handling systems.

Sign of the times.

The sign for Howard Marsh includes the many partners that have given this 700 acre project a boost.

 Dave Sherman from Division of Wildlife and Dennis Franklin from Toledo Metroparks carefully explained the project with the aid of detailed map and artist's renderings.

Newly created topography.

Howard Marsh will offer miles of hiking trails, a kayak launch, and multiple bridges and observation decks.  The first stage was to create some depth and topography in the fields which were once known as Howard Farms. Restoring this area back to a marsh is far closer to the original form of the land when the Black Swamp occurred here.

Black Saddlebags dragonfly

 Wetlands are filled with biodiversity, from the blue Asian day-lilies to the myriad of dragonflies species that will immediately begin to use the impounded water as breeding grounds.  Wetlands are the cradle of life in northwestern Ohio.

Big cloud drama, provided by stormy skies.

Wetlands reflect light and color back to the cloud-filled skies on a September afternoon.  If you aren't a huge fan of wetlands yet, just try spending one afternoon in their appreciation.  Once you've found a couple frogs and hear the Sandhill Cranes calling as they wing across the sky... you may never be the same again.

Marshes and Migration

Lake Erie and the surrounding marshes are magic- and just like magic- they are disappearing before our very eyes.



Think of the incredible pressure development has put on these natural bird and wildlife sanctuaries. Cedar Point Amusement Park- home of the Blue Streak was once home of the Great Blue Heron. Condos, marinas, restaurants- all concentrated on the lake shore- have certainly made a tremendous negative impact on our wildlife.

Here is the original vegetation map of Ohio- purple indicates wetlands. See the purple stuff in the Northwest corner? That was the Great Black Swamp; now only 5% of that area remains wetland. Perhaps it is due for a name change: The Little Black Swamp. Were it not for Ottawa National Wildlife and the State of Ohio's holdings, I fear our migrating birds would have no place to "fall out" during migration.

Here is a "bird's -eye-view" of the Marblehead Peninsula from the sky- (shot out of the airplane window as we were headed west on vacation)

...

Spring and fall each year, a miracle goes on above our heads. Birds migrate to and from their breeding grounds in Canada and beyond. Their only hope for continued survival is to cross that lake in hope of successful nesting. Each year hundreds of thousands of birds need to make a critical "re-fueling" stop at the wetlands along Lake Erie: Metzger Marsh, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Magee Marsh, Sheldon's Marsh, and Old Woman Creek.

...

These are all critical habitats for our avian species.

And now, these birds are being handed an obstacle course to maneuver on take-offs and landing. Radio towers, buildings and a new danger- wind power.

...

The thought of greener, cleaner energy is music to any environmentalist's ears. But if wind turbines are placed at the intersection of two major migratory flyways, it is hard to believe it won't become a massive slaughter. This is not something that could happen in the future- this is happening NOW. The Black Swamp Bird Observatory needs our help to put the brakes on this wholesale disaster- before it happens.

...

• Please sign their petition for a 3 year moritorium to study the effects on wind turbines on the birds passing through the Great Lakes. Please go here.
• If you really want to make an impact- Send a check to BSBO to help them protect these birds.

For more information- go to the BSBO website or read Kenn Kaufman's blog post.

....

IF we do not act now, who will speak up for the birds? An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure- and once wind power comes- it will be too late to stop it.

* I would be ALL FOR WIND POWER as long as it is properly sited. A migratory path is NOT a proper site.

Railing about the Great Black Swamp

Friday's gloomy fall weather did nothing to dampen the diversity of the Lake Erie marshes, pictured here off the drive at Metzger Marsh. Between the Ohio Division of Wildlife marshes and the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge system, northwestern Ohio retains most of the 10% of wetlands remaining in our state. These areas are teaming not only with hunters fare, such as ducks and geese, but every imaginable wetland creature finds a niche here. Flycatchers to dragonflies, and every wetland species in between, benefits from the vast areas preserved with Duck Stamp dollars and it is not only hunters who purchase them. More and more, birders are flocking to show their support for these habitat conservation programs.

My trip to the heart of the marshes was to visit one of Ohio's most knowledgeable bird-banders. But, calling Mark Shieldcastle a "bird- bander" is almost laughable faint praise.

Mark is a recent retiree from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the go-to man for all things Bald Eagle, duck and rail related. The data collected by Mark's efforts could probably go to the moon and back and for many years his wife Julie has been one of the main driving forces behind the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Their combined scientific collection of bird data is mind-blowing. They are experts, usually very damp and soggy experts I might add, in these parts.

King Rail and Virginia Rail banded by BSBO Photo by Hugh Rose

Mark has studied the migration of rails through the marshes of Lake Erie and was kind enough to share information about these secretive birds in decline due to habitat loss. Spring is our best chance to hear the calls of rails as they seek mates in cat-tail marshes and margins of our once Great Black Swamp. Along with collecting scientific data, education and conservation are two of the main components of BSBO, and I hope you will visit and support them in their efforts, whenever you are in the Lake Erie marsh regions.

Their gift shop is a great place to buy a Federal Duck Stamp. It is also chock-full of warm clothes, fun birding novelties, and even plant and insect books! Kim Kaufman, Hugh Rose and many other gifted volunteers keep this place bustling with activity.

So stop by soon and peek out the window-on-nature, browse the books and tell them "Weedpicker" sent you!