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.
Ashland County Birding Drive
Click on the hotspot names below to view the page about that hotspot.
This Birding Drive explores eBird hotspots in Ashland County. When you submit checklists here you help to add to the data about birds in this region of Ohio.
671 County Road 1754 Ashland, Ohio 44805
From Ashland, drive southeast on OH-60 for 5.1 miles. Turn left onto County Road 1754 and go .6 mile. Arrive at Byers Woods on the right.
Byers Woods, a 130-acre Ashland County Park, is located at 671 County Road 1754. Four main trails traverse the Park and the adjacent Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center: Prairie Trail, Woods Trail, Career Loop Trail, and Pine Loop Trail. In addition, a Bluebird Trail runs throughout the park. Each trail offers a diversity of flora and fauna. There are six ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools that contain 7 types of fish, salamanders, and frogs. The Big Tree Loop, a 13-acre wetland forest area, is dominated by massive Swamp White Oaks estimated to be approximately 200 years old, specimen Black Swamp Ash, and record Green Ash. Some less common animal species in the wooded areas are Southern Flying Squirrel, Pine Vole, Jumping Mouse, Dekay Snake, and Copper belly Snake. Over 100 species of birds have been recorded at Byers Woods.
Lucas, Ohio 44843
From Byers Woods, drive west on County Road 1754 for 2.4 miles. Turn left onto OH-511 south and drive 1.5 miles. Turn right onto US-30 west and drive 3.8 miles. Turn left onto OH-603 and follow OH-603 for 4.7 miles. Continue straight onto County Road 1217 for 1 mile and arrive at Charles Mill Lake.
Charles Mill Lake is located on the Richland-Ashland County line, on OH-603 off US-30, approximately 1 mile west of Mifflin. There are two boat ramps both off OH-430. The Black Fork of the Mohican River flows into the north end of the reservoir and flows out over the dam on the south end of the reservoir.
The Black Fork of the Mohican River flows into the north end of the reservoir and flows out over the dam on the south end of the reservoir. The reservoir is divided up into three basins: one north of OH-430, the second south of OH-430, and the third to the east of the second basin. The basin north of OH-430 is very shallow. Channels to the boat ramp in this basin are kept open by dredging. This north basin is frequently very turbid. The basin south of OH-430 is again relatively shallow; most of the southern basin is around 6-feet deep. The narrow passage leading from the southern basin to the eastern basin is about 15-feet deep. The eastern basin is the deepest part of the reservoir with several deep holes including a hole 27-feet deep. The eastern basin generally has the clearest water in the reservoir.
1277A OH-430 Mansfield, Ohio 44903
From Charles Mill Lake on County Road 1217, drive southeast on County Road 1217 for 1 miles. Merge onto OH-603 north and drive 1.4 miles. Turn left to stay on OH-603 for .3 mile. Turn left onto OH-430 and go .3 mile. Arrive at Charles Mill Lake Park.
Charles Mill lake Park is situated on 2000 acres in Richland and Ashland Counties. Charles Mill Dam was constructed in 1935 on the Black Fork Creek for the purpose of flood control. The lake has a surface area of 1350 acres, a maximum depth of 24 feet and 34 miles of shoreline.
The park features two campgrounds (Main Camp and Eagle Point) with a combined total of 457 campsites and three patio cabins. During the camping season, access to the campgrounds is limited to campers and their guests.
Perrysville, Ohio 44864
From Charles Mill Lake Park, drive east on OH-430 for .3 mile. Turn right onto Maine Street and go .6 mile. Continue onto County Road 30A for .2 mile. Turn right onto County Road 2075 and drive 2.9 miles. Turn right onto OH-511 south and drive 4 miles. Turn left onto OH-39 east and drive 3.4 miles. Turn right onto County Road 917 and drive 2.1 miles. Turn right onto County Road 3006 and drive 1.1. miles. Turn left to stay on County Road 3006 for .5 mile. Arrive at Pleasant Hill Lake Dam.
The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) owns Pleasant Hill Lake. The lake was constructed in 1938 by damming the Clear Fork Branch of the Mohican River. The lake was originally constructed primarily for flood control in the Muskingum River watershed. Today, recreation is one of the biggest public benefits. The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages the lake under an agreement to provide public fishing and hunting.
US-224 Greenwich, Ohio 44837
From Pleasant Hill Lake Dam, drive east on County Road 3006 for .5 mile. turn right to stay on County Road 3006 for 1 mile. Turn left onto County Road 917 and drive 2.2 miles. Turn left onto OH-39 west and drive 3.4 miles. Turn right onto OH-511 north and drive 11.2 miles. Turn left toward US-42, then turn right onto US-42 north and drive 2.5 miles. Turn left onto US-250 west and drive 2.2 miles. Turn right to stay on US-250 west and drive 11.2 miles. Turn left onto US-224 west and drive .9 mile. Turn left onto Greenwich East Town Line Road and arrive at Crall Woods in .1 mile.
Crall Woods is known regionally through an extensive study performed by the Ohio Biological Survey (1964) that resulted in the publication of the Ohio Biological Survey book entitled An Ecological Study of Crall Woods: A Remnant of Forest Primeval in Ashland County, Ohio. It is also known nationally through the designation of the area as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service (1974).