Bird Walk

The Lake Erie shoreline is a renowned location for viewing all kinds of birds, attracting birdwatchers from around the country, especially during the spring and fall migrations. Join local birding experts, Martyn and Morgan Drabik-Hamshare, to learn why the region is so important for birds. We will hike Lakeside’s trails and parks, help you find and identify birds, and learn interesting facts along the way. Some of the species you may expect to see include Bald Eagles, Baltimore Orioles and Northern Cardinals. If we’re lucky, we may also find Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Purple Martins and any of the 40 species of neotropic warblers that migrate through the region.

Please bring a pair of binoculars (a small number will be available to borrow). Suitable footwear should be worn for this walk. Appropriate clothing should be selected based on weather conditions that day.

Martyn and Morgan Drabik-Hamshare (birding life lists of over 800 species each) met in South Africa where they both completed their postgraduate degrees in ecology and Zoology studying under the same professor. Martyn is an ecologist from England who has been living in Ohio since 2018. His main passions are with reptiles and amphibians, but he has quickly become well-known within the local birding community. He works as a full-time naturalist, providing nature education and recreational programs for the Erie County community. Morgan is an ornithologist from Pittsburgh who has lived in the region since 2016 and has been birding since a very young age. Morgan works for the USDA as a scientific researcher studying human-wildlife interactions, specifically relating to preventing aircraft collisions. Morgan has a PhD, has provided talks for international birding conferences, and has over 20 scientific papers to her name.