Birding fans expected to flock to Lakeside this May

Sheri Trusty
Updated ·4 min read
Lakeside’s Vice President of Programming Jeannie Fleming-Gifford, left, and Lakeside Director of Education John Mann, along with the Lakeside staff, have scheduled a number of free birding events for the Biggest Week in American Birding.
Lakeside’s Vice President of Programming Jeannie Fleming-Gifford, left, and Lakeside Director of Education John Mann, along with the Lakeside staff, have scheduled a number of free birding events for the Biggest Week in American Birding.

LAKESIDE - A chance meeting between Lakeside Chautauqua’s Vice President of Programming Jeannie Fleming-Gifford and Willoughby bird photographer Randy Zilenziger opened the door to bring Zilenziger and his photography to Lakeside during the Biggest Week in American Birding.

Zilenziger’s warbler photos will be available for purchase during a multi-artist birding display in the Orchestra Hall lobby. The display is one of many free birding events at Lakeside from May 8 to 13.

Zilenziger was photographing a screech owl at Chagrin River Park when he struck up a conversation about birding with Fleming-Gifford. She told him that Lakeside would be hosting bird events for the first time in many years, and she promised to email event information to him.

“My sister sent my nieces to Lakeside for Methodist retreats for many years,” Zilenziger said. “When Jeannie sent the email, it talked about fostering Christian values and growing spiritually. That’s exactly why I signed up. It’s amazing how God works. I told my sister that I have to go.”

Zilenziger has been attending Biggest Week in American Birding events for about eight years, but this year is the first time he will stay an entire week.

Lakeside's Birding Week includes special programs in May

“I always drove back and forth from home during the Biggest Week, but this was a great opportunity to stay longer,” he said.

Randy Zilenziger took this photo of a Yellow-rumped Warbler at Magee Marsh in 2016. Zilenziger’s bird photos will be part of a display at Lakeside during the Biggest Week in American Birding.
Randy Zilenziger took this photo of a Yellow-rumped Warbler at Magee Marsh in 2016. Zilenziger’s bird photos will be part of a display at Lakeside during the Biggest Week in American Birding.

While he is here, Zilenziger can enjoy the many free lectures and films at Lakeside that are open to the public. During the Biggest Week, entrance to Lakeside is free.

“There are no gate fees, no parking fees and no preregistration required,” Fleming-Gifford said. “If you’re a lover of birds and curious about Lakeside, you can get a taste of what we do during the core season. Many of our shops and restaurants will be open, the pickleball nets will be up, the gaga pit will be open, and guests can play basketball and volleyball.”

Free birding events include the documentary “Birders: The Central Park Effect” about Manhatten birds and birders on May 8; a lecture on “Owls of Ohio” by Jim Tomko on May 9; and a “Warbler Warm Up” with Matt Valencic and Kelly Stanek on May 10 that will discuss warbler spotting and warbler behavior. Tomko and Valencic are guest speakers of Lakeside thanks to the efforts of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland.

A bird walk is planned for May 13

A lecture on “Mammals of Ohio” by John Harder will take place on May 11, and a lecture on “Gardening for Moths” by Chelsea Gottfried will be on May 12. The popular birding movie “The Big Year” starring Steve Martin and Jack Black will be shown on May 13. All lectures and movies will be at Orchestra Hall at 7 p.m.

Martyn and Morgan Drabik-Hamshare will lead a bird walk through Lakeside on May 13. The walk will begin at the train station at 2 p.m.

Birding events continue at Lakeside when the summer season begins on May 26. The season’s educational programming series kicks off with Ornithology Week from May 30 to June 2. Because Ornithology Week falls within the regular summer season, gate fees will apply.

Lakeside’s free birding events during the Biggest Week in Birding give visitors an opportunity to experience Lakeside during the offseason when there are no gate or parking fees.
Lakeside’s free birding events during the Biggest Week in Birding give visitors an opportunity to experience Lakeside during the offseason when there are no gate or parking fees.

The week will have a full schedule of bird programs. The Drabik-Hamshares will return to lead two more birding walks, and Back to the Wild will present a program on animal and bird rehabilitation. Valencic will return to give lectures on summer birds, wetland birds and raptors. Speaker and artist Julie Zickefoose will discuss the development of hatchlings, a subject she learned by documenting, with pencil and paintbrush, the daily changes of 17 bird species.

Author Elizabeth J. Rosenthal will discuss her book, “Birdwatcher: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson.” Peterson, a renowned ornithologist, is well-known for his Peterson Field Guilds and his association with Audubon Societies, the National Wildlife Federation and the World Wildlife Fund.

“He is really fascinating. He started with drawing different species of birds, and he studied how toxins led to dwindling bird species,” said Lakeside Director of Education John Mann. “I think this will play really well into Ornithology Week at Lakeside.”

For more information on birding events at Lakeside, visit www.lakesideohio.com. The Fountain Inn will have a special Big Week hotel rate from May 6 to 15 of $119 plus tax per night, plus buy two nights and get the third night half-off. For reservations, call 419-798-4461, ext. 230, and ask for the birding discount.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at  sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Birding fans expected to flock to Lakeside this May