49 bird species seen at Byers Woods Festival
Visitors to Byers Woods Park were looking up Saturday, June 24.
They were there for the 16th annual Bobolinks and Butterflies Festival, an event held by the Greater Mohican Audubon Society (GMAS) and Ashland County Park District to celebrate one of the county’s most distinct birds.
The male bobolink is a small blackbird with a yellow cap and white on its wings, while female and nonbreeding birds are mostly brown. Several males were seen performing a courtship behavior colloquially known as parachuting. A male bobolink flies out of the grass and sings in flight. Then the bird folds his wings over his head in a steep “V” shape and drops slowly to the ground.
While bobolinks were the highlight of the festival — the group saw around 20 individuals — they were only one of 49 species of bird seen or heard. GMAS member Christina Stump was encouraged by the attendance, a total of 38 guests and volunteers. “My goal was to overflow the parking lot,” she said, “and we accomplished that.”
After the morning walk, visitors heard two presentations on wildlife conservation.
Louise Fleming-Dufala shared her journey to attract pollinators by planting pocket gardens. She explained that it is important to grow both host plants, which are used by caterpillars, and nectar plants, which are used by adult butterflies.
Something to avoid are nonnative cultivars, or hybrid species, which may be unclearly labeled. “Avoid native seed packs,” Fleming-Dufala said, “unless they are guaranteed native [to Ohio].” Fleming-Dufala recommends Natives in Harmony as a source for Ohio genotype plants.
Stump spoke about the impact of solar panels on grassland birds. “This is a growing concern, especially in the great plains region,” she said, referencing a recent article by the National Audubon Society. “We need to be working with our local officials to protect important habitat and find alternatives,” Stump said. She proposed functional solar, such as solar carports, as alternatives to using grasslands for solar projects.
Stump encouraged attendees to sign a community-organized petition opposing solar at Byers Woods, linked here: bit.ly/ByersWoodsPetition.
Also assisting with the festival were members of the Ohio Ornithological Society, Friends of the Ashland County Park District, and Ashland County Public Library.
As the group prepared for the afternoon butterfly walk — which included two uncommon dun skippers — GMAS member Gary Cowell Jr. spotted a young bald eagle flying over the park. One more reason to look up.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: 16th annual Bobolinks and Butterflies Festival celebrates area birds
