A Photo Tour of Cole Road
By Cam Lee
(see photos in gallery)

There are two eBird hotspots associated with Cole Road.

Cole Road is a loop road that provides access to the Delaware Reservoir. Use the Cole Road hotspot to report birds seen along the road or on the reservoir. See the photo tour below for a description of driving the loop on Cole Road.

The second hotspot may be used to report birds seen on or near the ponds south of Cole Road. There is an old gated road going south from Cole Road which provides easy walking access to the ponds. A scope may be helpful in viewing birds on the larger pond.

The 4,670-acre Delaware Wildlife Area is situated in central Ohio eight miles north of Delaware, 10 miles south of Marion, and between US-42 and US-23. The wildlife area is adjacent to the Delaware Reservoir and Delaware State Park and can be reached from the east and west by OH-229 and from the south and north by US-23 and County Road 220.

The topography of the area ranges from flat to slightly rolling. The soils are generally well drained and of medium productivity. Approximately 350 acres are under cultivation in row and small grain crops annually. Approximately 50 percent of the wildlife area is in old field habitat consisting of mixed grasses, briars, and small shrubs. Over 10 percent of the area has been planted with prairie grasses, timothy, and clover to provide grassland wildlife habitat.

Nearly 40 percent of the wildlife area consists of second-growth hardwoods and brush in advanced stages of succession. The timber stands consist of cottonwood, ash, elm, beech, maple, hickory, oak, and black walnut.

Restrooms at locations identified on Delaware State Park map.