Infirmary Road is seldom-traveled, so traffic is not much of an issue. There is ample space to pull to the side and there are also 3-4 gravel pull-offs; just be sure not to block the gates. It is primarily good during migration and summer, pretty quiet in the winter.

Vinton County’s Infirmary Road (Count Road 14) is about 3 miles northeast of MacArthur, between OH-93 and OH-677. It is a hauntingly beautiful stretch of lonely gravel road through grazing fields on a high sloping ridge of what appears to be former strip mine land. There is little traffic and pull offs at field gates where you can safely park and bird. Which I did recently when I learned from former OOS Board Member Alex Eberts that Short-eared Owls were present in late November.

I observed upwards of five Short-eared Owls hunting the pasture land and occasionally barking at one another. I always marvel at their beauty – shades of warm brown, tan, yellow, and white and their graceful, low flight pattern over the fields. Northern Harriers were also present with their similar butterfly-like flight style.

I was informed by a local birder that you might also find grassland species there in other seasons, including Horned Lark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink, and Dickcissel. Keep birding!

Short-eared Owl, Horned Lark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Bobolink, Dickcissel

Infirmary Road traverses privately owned lands. Please view birds from the roadside only.