Monday, June 05, 2000

Searching for birds' best spots

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Ohio joins national effort

By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Redwinged blackbird flies over wetlands at Miami Whitewater Forest. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        Audubon Ohio is taking part in a national effort to identify birds' favorite spots.

        These spots — called Important Bird Areas (IBAs) — could be several acres or several thousand acres.

        “In Ohio, we really have a wide variety — forests, wetlands, grasslands,” said John Ritzenthaler, president of the state group. “I think we're going to see all three areas.”

        The areas' aviary credentials may be varied, too, he said. They could be spots of special interest to breeding birds, migrating birds or species at risk of becoming endangered.

        Many IBAs likely will be refuges or parks but private land could make the list with the owner's support.

        Right now, Audubon Ohio is in search mode, taking nominations for possible IBAs. The next steps will be to study the nominees, make the picks and start spreading the word.

KNOW A SPOT?

To get nomination forms:   • E-mail: jritzenthaler@audubon.org.   • Phone: (614) 224-3303.   • Fax: (614) 224-3305.   • Mail: Audubon Ohio, attn: John Ritzenthaler, 692 N. High St., Suite 208, Columbus, OH 43215.

        Being chosen as an IBA does not protect a piece of property although the designation could be used to argue for greater protection.

        “If they can recognize areas that are important, more people will become aware of them and political decisions that get made would take into account that they are important bird areas,” said Dave Styer of Glendale, a former University of Cincinnati professor and a member of Audubon Ohio's IBA committee.

        Good candidates in the Greater Cincinnati area, Mr. Styer said, include:

        • Miami Whitewater Forest in western Hamilton County. Its 4,000 acres include woods, grasslands and wetlands.

        • Oxbow, a region that straddles the Ohio-Indiana border at the mouth of the Great Miami River. It includes the 1,000-acre Shawnee Lookout Park — a favorite with herons and egrets.

        • Burnet Woods in Clifton, a favorite with migrating songbirds. “These birds migrate at night and they're flying along and getting ready to stop and they find themselves over Cincinnati and they see UC and Good Samaritan, and, oh, there's a nice woods, right in the middle.”

        • East Fork State Park in Clermont County.

        • Fort Ancient State Park in Warren County.

        • Gilmore Ponds Park in Butler County.

       

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