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Lake Erie Birding Trail Guidebook collects best birding locations in Ohio | Ohio Sea Grant

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Lake Erie Birding Trail Guidebook collects best birding locations in Ohio

2:58 pm, Tue May 17, 2016 – The second edition, in individual and wholesale books, is now available from Ohio Sea Grant

Columbus, OH The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife and Ohio Sea Grant at Ohio State University have released the second printing of the Lake Erie Birding Trail Guidebook, a 232-page compilation of 88 popular and less well-known birding locations all along Ohio’s Lake Erie coast, from Ashtabula to Toledo. In addition to locations of parks and other birding spots, the book lists commonly sighted species and noteworthy rarities, park amenities, and online resources for visitors.

“Lake Erie and its environs are the premier birding destination in Ohio, and in the entire Great Lakes region” says Jim McCormac of ODNR. “Nearly 400 species have been found along the Ohio shoreline, and migration periods see enormous numbers of songbirds and waterbirds. Many Lake Erie birders are from out-of-state or elsewhere in Ohio, and the Lake Erie Birding Trail helps visitors navigate the best hotspots.”

Birding along the Lake Erie coast contributes $30 million to the local economy every year, and Ohio’s 1.6 million self-identified birders alone spend over three quarters of a billion dollars annually on their pursuits. The Lake Erie Birding Trail Guidebook not only makes it easier for them to spot both common and rare birds when visiting parks and preserves in northern Ohio, but it also gives birders the opportunity to point out their economic contribution to local businesses with a set of “birder calling cards” that link owners to more information.

“Every visitor to Lake Erie will consider this book an incredible resource and a must-have for their libraries” says Jeff Reutter, director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab. “We were very pleased to partner with ODNR Division of Wildlife, with funding from Wildlife, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Ohio Sea Grant, to develop this guide.”

The book itself is a companion piece to the ODNR Division of Wildlife and Ohio Sea Grant website lakeerieohiobirding.info, which showcases birding sites across the Ohio Lake Erie coastline to residents and visitors alike.

“Connecting birders to birding and other tourism amenities in local Ohio communities will not only help attract more visitors to Ohio, but will also help us provide exceptional experiences to our guests” says Melinda Huntley, executive director of the Ohio Travel Association.

The guide is available online through Ohio Sea Grant for $13 per book and wholesale at $250 per case of 20, plus shipping and handling costs. To order, download the order form or contact the Ohio Sea Grant office at 614-292-8971 with questions.

More information about birding in northern Ohio and a list of recent sightings is available at lakeerieohiobirding.info.

ARTICLE TITLE: Lake Erie Birding Trail Guidebook collects best birding locations in Ohio PUBLISHED: 2:58 pm, Tue May 17, 2016
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Jill Jentes Banicki
Assistant Director, Communications, Ohio Sea Grant College Program

Jill Jentes Banicki is the Assistant Director and Communications Coordinator of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory.