Carroll+County+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=

Carroll County
=Carroll County 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 Carroll County. When you submit checklists here you help to add to the data about birds in this region of Ohio.

@Fargo Road
Mineral City, Ohio 44656

From Mineral City,take OH-800 south for .2 mile. Turn left onto New Cumberland Road Northeast and drive for 4 miles. Turn left onto Briar Road and go 1.8 miles. Make a slight right onto Fargo Road. Fargo Road runs 2.6 miles between Briar Road and Magnolia Road.

Fargo Road traverses private property. Please, view birds from the roadside only.

Fargo Road, southeast of Mineral City in Carroll County, is an incredible grassland habitat On a visit in early June there were multiple Dickcissels and a high density of Grasshopper Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Bobolinks. Also seen were Henslow's and Savannah Sparrows and a Blue Grosbeak. From Carlton Schooley

Atwood Lake--Magnolia Road East Causeway
Dellroy, Ohio 44620

The next four eBird hotspots are on the east end of Atwood Lake. Stop at one or more of these, depending on the season, to check for birds on Atwood Lake. From the east end of Fargo Road turn right onto OH-542 south and go 4.7 miles. The first three hotspots are accessed from OH-542 before you cross Atwood Lake. After crossing Atwood Lake, turn left onto OH-39 east in Delroy and go .5 miles. Turn left onto Glendale Road Southwest. Atwood Lake Marsh is just ahead on this road.

Atwood Lake is located at the western edge of Dellroy in western Carroll County along OH-542. The dam is in Tuscarawas County on OH-212. The eastern part of Atwood Lake Park is in Carroll County and the western part is in Tuscarawas County.

The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District was organized under state law in 1933 for the primary purpose of flood control, conservation, and recreation. The first waters to form the permanent lakes were impounded in 1938. In 1939 the flood control aspect became the responsibility of the United States Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Ohio-Mississippi Flood Control Program. From Atwood Lake webpage

The Conservancy District runs Atwood Lake Park which could also be visited by making a detour from this birding drive route.

@Leesville Lake
Sherrodsville, Ohio 44675

From the east end of Atwood Lake, take OH-39 east for 1.2 miles. Turn right onto Cactus Road Southwest and drive 1.5 miles. Turn right onto Antigua Road Southwest and go 2.2 miles. Turn left onto Dyewood Road Southwest and then continue straight onto Caddy Road Southwest and 1.7 miles. Turn left onto Dublin Road Southwest and go .6 miles. Turn right onto Revere Drive Southwest and arrive at Leesville Lake in .5 miles.

Leesville Lake is located in southwestern Carroll County and is approximately two miles southeast of Sherrodsville on County Road 22 and five miles south of Carrollton on OH-332. The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District was organized under state law in 1933 for the primary purposes of flood control, conservation, and recreation. The first waters to form the permanent lakes were impounded in 1938. In 1939, the flood control aspect became the responsibility of the United States Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Ohio-Mississippi Flood Control Program. From Leesville Lake webpage

There a number of eBird hotspots in this area. Explore as many as time allows.

@Leesville Lake Wildlife Area
Sherrodsville, Ohio 44675

Return to Dublin Road by going .5 miles west on Revere Drive Southwest. Turn left onto Dublin Road Southwest and go .6 miles. turn right onto Caddy Road Southwest and drive 1.7 miles. Turn left to stay on Caddy Road and then turn right onto Antigua Road Southwest and go 3.7 miles. Turn right onto Canyon Road Southwest and go 2.4 miles. Turn right onto OH-332 south and go .7 miles. Turn right onto Autumn Road Southwest and go 3.8 miles. Turn right onto Delta Road Southwest and arrive at Leesville Lake Wildlife Area in .4 miles.

Leesville Wildlife Area is located in Carroll County. Three separate parcels, totaling 394 acres, make up this wildlife area. Access to the public land is from OH-164, Delta Road, and Edgewood Road. Purchase of the land for this wildlife area began in 1944 and additional land was obtained as funds became available. Management work has included the planting of thousands of conifers, protection and improvement of the woodlands, selection of areas which will be allowed to return to woodland through natural succession, clear-cuts on small blocks of older timber, and management of existing open fields, all to maintain habitat diversity. Hunting is the major recreational use of the area; sightseeing, hiking, fishing, nature study, and bird watching are the other popular recreational uses. From Leesville Lake Wildlife Area webpage

@Carroll Community Park
Carrollton, Ohio 44615

From Leesville Wildlife Area, take Delta road Southwest for .4 miles and the continue onto Autumn Road Southwest for another 3.8 miles. Turn left onto OH-322 north and drive 5.2 miles. Turn left onto South Lisbon Street and then right onto East Main Street to continue on OH-39 east. Carroll Community Park is on the left in .6 miles.

Carroll Community Park is managed by the Carroll County Park District.

@Valley Run Wildlife Area
Bacon Road (County Road 24) New Harrisburg, Ohio 44615

From Carroll Community Park, go west on OH-39 for 2 miles. Make a slight right onto Fisherman Road Northwest and go 1.2 miles. Make a slight left onto Bacon Road Northwest. Valley Run Wildlife Area is on the left in 1.7 miles.

This 304-acre wildlife area is located in central Carroll County, 2.5 miles northwest of Carrollton and 1.0 mile southeast of New Harrisburg on Bacon Road (County Road 24). The area lies in the unglaciated foothills of the Allegheny Plateau hill region of Ohio.

The topography is best described as gently to moderately rolling. The soils are mostly well drained and of medium productivity. Second growth hardwoods occupy 80 percent of the area.

This wildlife area was originally part of the adjacent Harrison Hills Campground and was originally slated for development as campsites. Most of the wildlife area was purchased from the county in 2000. Carroll County retained timber rights and selectively cut timber on the wildlife area in 2001. Presently the area is primarily wooded, although 15 percent is in a brushy or open habitat. The woodland consists of mainly mixed oak, hickory, cherry, and maple of mostly mature size trees. The land slopes moderately towards a small stream known as “Valley Run” by the local residents. This stream flows through a narrow bottomland dominated by young walnut and ash trees. From Valley Run Wildlife Area webpage

@Bellflower Road
Carrollton, Ohio 44615

From Valley Run Wildlife Area go north on Bacon Road Northwest for 1.1 miles. Turn right at Arrow Road Northwest and then turn right onto OH-171 east. Drive 4.1 miles and turn left onto OH-9 north. Drive 4.1 miles and turn left onto Arbor Road Northeast. Continue on Arbor Road for 1.3 miles to Bellflower Road. Bird from this intersection for 1.6 miles along Bellflower Road.

Bellflower Road traverses private property. Please, view birds from the roadside only. The fields along Bellflower Road can attract geese when the fields are wet. Watch for Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs in the winter. Traffic is light along this road, but please use care to pull off to the right and use hazard lights if you do stop. From Jon Cefus

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