Leesville Lake Wildlife Area

Tips for Birding

Use the general hotspot for Leesville Lake Wildlife Area to submit checklists of birds seen in the Delta Road area.

Birds of Interest

The area can be very good during migration. Resident nesting species include Kentucky, Hooded, Black-throated Green, Yellow, Pine, and Black-and-white Warblers, as well as Ovenbirds, Common Yellowthroats, Louisiana Waterthrush, and American Redstarts. Blue-winged Warblers are there some years. There is the potential for Chestnut-sided and Cerulean Warblers as well. Other nesting residents include Red-shouldered Hawks and possibly Broad-winged, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, expected Woodpecker species including a healthy population of Pileated, Acadian Flycatchers, and Eastern Wood-Peewees, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, and White-eyed Vireos, Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Wood Thrushes, Cedar Waxwings, Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, and Eastern Towhees.

About Leesville Lake Wildlife Area

See all hotspots at Leesville Lake Wildlife Area

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 that 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.

There are additional hotspots on Leesville Lake outside of the wildlife area:
Leesville Lake
Leesville Lake--Autumn Rd. (view from roadside only)
Leesville Lake--Bramble Rd. and Dove Rd. (view from roadside only)
Leesville Lake--Rockwood Park (restricted access)

Notable Trails

Leesville Wildlife Area Trails
Delta Road
Delta Road is off of Autumn Road Southwest, then you turn right onto Delta Road Southwest and follow the gravel road straight up into the woods, then it dives down and to the right. At the bottom of that road, you officially enter the Wildlife Area. Past the sign for the Wildlife Area is a small parking lot on the right (marked with signs about Wildlife Area rules). Park there and continue walking on the gravel road all the way down to the lake level. Coming back up can be somewhat strenuous at times. This is an “out and back” type of walk.

There are a few little trails that shoot off to the left and right occasionally, but none are loops or go to any specific feature. In the summer, be aware of ticks if you walk in grassy or shrubby habitat. Depending on the time of year, it is an area that is hunted, so heed the signs that indicate hunting seasons.

Features

  • Roadside viewing

Content from Leesville Lake Wildlife Area Official Website and Jon Cefus