Conneaut+Birding+Drive

=Ohio Birding Drives= Ohio Birding Drives are routes for birding trips which can be accomplished in one day, stopping to walk and bird at various eBird hotspots. For each birding drive, a Google map is provided with the route and suggested stops at eBird hotspots. You may save the link to the Google map on your smartphone or tablet, or print a copy on paper to take with you. Links are provided with information about each eBird hotspot. Follow those links for more information about birding each location.
 * =Birding in Ohio=

Ashtabula County
=Conneaut Birding Drive= Click on the hotspot names below to view the page about that hotspot in a new tab or window. You can click on the thumbnail maps below to view a larger version in a new window or tab.

This Birding Drive explores eBird hotspots in Conneaut. When you submit checklists here you help to add to the data about birds in this region of Ohio.

@Conneaut Harbor
Marina Drrive Conneaut, Ohio 44030

From the intersection of I-90 and OH-7, drive north on OH-7 for 2.4 miles. Turn right onto Liberty Street, turn left onto Broad Street, and drive 1.7 miles. Continue onto Lakeside Drive and in .1 mile continue straight onto Mariana Drive.

You can drive to the end of Mariana Drive for excellent views of the harbor and breakwalls.

The 53.1-acre Conneaut Port Authority’s Access is comprised mostly of accumulated sand and fill material. However, the boat launch, fishing, walking pier area, and the beach area appear as if they have always been a part of the inner areas of Conneaut Harbor.

The nearly 40-acre beach area has around 1 mile of waterline located east of Conneaut Harbor’s west breakwaters. Massive amounts of sand have accumulated on both sides of the breakwaters with the sand in the inner harbor forming a vegetated boot-shaped oasis of trees, scrub-shrub and wetlands edged with a sand shore. The site is a very popular birding location. Foot-paths crisscross the inner areas of this sand peninsula. A wooden observation deck is onsite. Access to the beach is at the west terminus of the Lakeside Drive/Erie Street intersection.

The Conneaut Port Authority has two launch ramps with a total of five lanes. Both ramps are located at the public docks on Naylor Boulevard. The fishing/walking pier’s 800 feet of waterline surround an asphalt-paved parking lot with car-trailer spaces along the south and car only spaces to the north. A small area of green space with a few trees is near the lot’s north end. From Conneaut Port Authority (Coastal Access) webpage

@Conneaut Marsh
Lakeside Drive Conneaut, Ohio 44030

[[image:https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/617/20662426465_9bf7622017_b.jpg width="200" align="right" link=" @https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/617/20662426465_9bf7622017_b.jpg"]] From Conneaut Harbor, turn right onto Lakeside Drive. Turn right to go around the perimeter of the parking lot for a view of birds on the water. Turn right on Lakeside Drive. Arrive at the observation deck for Conneaut Marsh in .2 mile.

The marsh is located along Lakeside Drive in Lakeview Park. There is an observation deck along Lakeside Drive.

The 8.7-acre Lakeview Park is at the northwest corner of Erie and Sandusky streets four blocks west of the Conneaut River in the city of Conneaut. The park is bounded on the north by Lakeside Drive; Lakeview Park Drive loops through the southeast corner of the park.

Lakeview Park sits atop a high bluff and provides scenic vistas of Lake Erie, Conneaut Harbor, and the Conneaut Harbor West Breakwater Lighthouse. Due to the accumulation of sand inside Conneaut Harbor’s breakwaters, this coastal access site may appear to be an inland park. Park benches overlook the harbor and Lake Erie.m.

Lakeview Park is mostly mowed grass green space with a few clusters of deciduous trees. The site features a picnic area, playground, baseball field and a basketball court. From Lakeview Park (Coastal Access) webpage

@Conneaut Sandspit
Conneaut Township Park Conneaut, Ohio 44030

From the Conneaut Marsh observation deck, continue west on Lakeside Drive. Turn right to drive out onto the sandspit if conditions permit.

The sandspit is accessed from the parking area in Conneaut Township Park. Vehicles do drive out onto the sandspit here if conditions allow. There is an observation tower on the sandspit.

@Conneaut Township Park
480 Lake Road Conneaut, Ohio 44030

From the Conneaut Sandspit, return to Lakeside Avenue. Turn right and Lakeside Avenue becomes Erie Street which curves around to the east. Turn right on Wrights Avenue then turn right onto Pearl Street. Turn right and arrive at the main parking lot for Conneaut Township Park.

Extending west from the lighthouse is the park's .4- mile long foot-friendly sand beach. It ranges in width from more than 1,000 feet along the east side to around 200-feet wide at the park's west end. A series of wooden boardwalks, collectively called the Conneaut Township Park Boardwalk, connect parking areas to the beach and shore.

About half of Conneaut Township Park's acres are comprised of sand that has collected on the west side of Conneaut Harbor's west breakwater. The harbor's .3-mile long southern breakwater marks the east side of the beach. Sand covers all but the northern 600 feet of the breakwater, which is used for fishing access.

The nearly 60-acre Conneaut Township Park is on land north of OH-531 (Lake Road) from the Chestnut Street intersection east to Lake Bluff Way. The park has numerous parking lots including lots off of the Chestnut Street Extension, and Grove Street's north terminus which loops the southeast corner of the park. From Conneaut Township Park webpage

@Malek Park
Parrish Road Conneaut, Ohio 44030

From Conneaut Township Park, go to the park exit and turn right onto Lake Road. Go 1.7 miles and turn left onto Parish Road. Arrive at Malek Park in .7 mile.

Malek Park is a good location to view the hawk migration, September through November.

Malek Park is open year round and offers a wide variety of activities within its borders. There is a baseball field that plays host to several softball and baseball games in the area, a 1-mile paved track that can be used for exercising, a full jungle gym and swing area for children to play, as well as endless amounts of land to enjoy. It really is a gorgeous spot as occasionally you will be able to see some of the local wildlife wandering through the park as well as great places to sit and enjoy the atmosphere. Malek Park is a beautiful local attraction that has been a part of the local Conneaut community for many years. From Malek Park webpage

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