I will be the first to tell you I am not a morning person. But I do like new experiences and learning new things. When the Portage Park District hosted a bird watching event at the new Trail Lake Park I signed up. The best time to go birding is early in the morning so I made sure to have a lot of coffee.
Education Program Coordinator, Jennifer White led the two-mile expedition around Osprey Loop and Kingfisher Way. These are recently built trails some asphalt and some natural in the park for visitor. With binoculars in hand the group started out spotting common birds in the area such as field and song sparrows, Red Wing blackbirds, Blue Jays and Cardinals. Blue Jays could be seen flying back and forth picking up nesting material preparing to lay their eggs. It is Spring after all and the migration season is in full swing.
Photos by Aditya Prahalad
“The 222-acre park and its 30-acre lake are named for the historic Native American Mahoning Path Trail that traversed the property. Situated in the City of Streetsboro bordering Franklin Township, Trail Lake Park offers a variety of natural resources for visitors to appreciate and explore.” One interesting site we saw while birding was one of the largest Sugar Maples in the state of Ohio. It can be found about 1/2 of a mile down Osprey Loop on the right. White explained they did not create a path going over to it because with large trees like this you have to worry about soil compaction affecting their growth. “Soil compaction can be detrimental.” They do not want a lot of people going up to it, but it can be seen quite clearly from the trail.
If you are starting out as a beginner like me Trail Lake Park is a good place to start. White said because its migration season birds are trekking up from South America and they stopped to rest here in the Lake Erie areas. One oddly named species we saw was the Brown Headed Cowbird. It is associated with herds of cattle because they eat the insects that surround the cattle. Then move with the cattle so they do not stop to build nests. They will lay their eggs in the nest of other birds. White said, “It is an interesting adaptation to their way of life, but it’s catastrophic for other birds.”
We were also lucky enough to see an Osprey flying overhead. You can tell it is this bird because of the little kink in its wing. It is similar to the human elbow in reverse.
The sounds of nature will engulf you as the beautiful scenery unfolds its delights before for your eyes. The wildflowers of Spring are pushing their way up toward the sunlight. A pretty one you might see along the pathways are May Apples. “They are edible, White said, but you’ll have to beat the wildlife to them first.”
Lastly, the park which just opened in November 2020 also has habitats for owls. Eastern Shriek owls, Barred and Great Horned owls can be seen in the patches of pine trees that dot the landscape. If you are interested in trying out a new hobby and exploring nature the park can be found at 605 Ravenna Rd., Streetsboro, OH 44241. Just don’t forget your binoculars!
