This unparalleled opportunity to learn about Ohio's migrant shorebirds will bring together some of the region's experts in shorebird ecology, conservation, and field identification. Ottawa National Refuge will be timing draw-downs on public and off-limits properties specially to coincide both with the Symposium and with peak southward migrations of these species; the resulting habitats should produce a bounty of shorebirds for admiration and study.

Six presentations, by Jon Dunn, Bob Russell, Douglas Helmers, Bob Royse, Mark Shieldcastle, and Caleb Putnam on the 27th will be followed by an extended field trip to three Ottawa sites that should be extremely attractive to migrant shorebirds. Our speakers and a team of local experts will be on hand. Coffee and snacks and lunch are provided at the comfortable lodge at Maumee Bay State Park, adjacent to the Refuge and a shorebird spot in its own right.

On the following day, small expert-led field trips will be led into Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge for a limited number of participants. Cedar Point is seldom accessible to the public, and has a rich history of bird sightings; it is home to Ohio's most reliable black tern colony and our largest stand of wild rice, as well as other unique biological features. These four walks are limited to ten Saturday registrants each, and are available first-come, first-served. Larry Rosche will lead a walk for dragonflies and damselflies, Jim McCormac one for local botanical treasures, Kent Bekker another looking for reptiles and amphibians, and Tom Kemp a search for non-shorebird breeders and migrants.

Reservations received before 15 August are $35 for OOS, TNA, or ONWRA members, and $40 for others for the presentations and field trips on the 27th. Spots on the ten-person walks in Cedar Point are $15 for members, $20 for others-first come, first served.

Click Here for a registration form in PDF format.