West+Branch+State+Park--Wayland+Tailwater+Trails

Also, see West Branch State Park, Ravenna Arsenal Important Bird Area, and Portage County South Birding Drive
 * =Birding in Ohio=

Portage County
=West Branch State Park--Wayland Tailwater Trails= Ravenna, Ohio 44266 West Branch State Park website West Branch State Park map

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West Branch SP--Wayland Tailwater Trails
Coordinates: 41.1574451, -81.0754752 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Tips for birding Wayland Tailwater Trails
There is a parking spot on Wayland Road adjacent to the West Branch that has a trail leading in for about a .25 mile. This area is mature hardwoods and has good habitat for species that utilize this habitat, as well as some riparian vegetation, although that is thickest just below the dam. After that .25 mile trail, it connects in with trails all around the tailwater area below the dam. Here there is a lot of great edge habitat that would be suitable for some early growth species, as well as brush and some field species. It was a superb area for migrants as well and is probably a huge hit for sparrows later in the fall. Overall it had a lot of habitat overlap in a small area providing very high species diversity with a walk of a mile or less. From Tom Forwood

About West Branch State Park
West Branch State Park in Portage County is situated on the glaciated plateau of northeastern Ohio. Although the land was uplifted as part of the Appalachian Mountain building process, the glaciers were able to override the gentle hills of the plateau. Huge ice blocks broke free from the glaciers and kettle lakes formed as the blocks melted. Eventually, these lakes filled with sediment leaving boggy wetlands with unique assemblages of plants. The West Branch area contains numerous bogs filled with buttonbush, alder, skunk cabbage, and swamp white oak.

Another natural feature of the park is the stand of beech-maple forest. In pioneer times, the beech-maple belt in Ohio was very extensive and stretched across the plateau from Mansfield to Pennsylvania. These woodlands harbor a variety of plant and animal life. Woodland wildflowers such as Dutchman's breeches, bloodroot, and trillium are found here. Red fox, skunk, opossum, and raccoon find the park's habitat suitable. Songbirds occupy the leafy canopy of the woodlands while waterfowl and shorebirds dabble in the reservoir. From West Branch State Park website

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|| L3080860 US US-OH US-OH-133 41.1574451 -81.0754752 West Branch SP--Wayland Tailwater Trails