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.
Bellevue Birding Drive
Click on the hotspot names below to view the page about that hotspot.
Four counties–Erie, Sandusky, Seneca, and Huron–have corners which meet near Bellevue. See the birding drive map for county lines.
The farm fields around Bellevue, Ohio, flood during certain years, providing habitat for shorebirds, mostly in migration, but in some years there have been breeding records in this area.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
From Bellevue, drive north on OH-269 for 1.9 miles. You will pass Russells Flowers, Garden Center, and Gifts on the right shortly before you reach this skypool on the right (west) side of the road.
The agricultural field west of OH-296 near County Road 175 forms a pool in wet weather which can attract water birds. This is private property. Please, view birds from roadside only.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive south on OH-269 for .4 miles. Turn right at the first road and go .7 mile (this is the extension of Billman Road in Erie County). Make a jog on the county line road, right and then left, onto Billman Road. The skypool is on the left in .6 mile.
The agricultural field on Billman Road floods during wet weather and can hold waterfowl. The fields are private property. Please, view birds from the roadside only.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive west on Billman Road for .3 mile. Turn left at the first cross street onto Flat Rock Road and go 1 mile. Turn right onto Bonham Road and go 2.1 miles. The skypool is on the left just before you reach County Road 288.
The intermittent pond on the south side of Bonham Road often has ducks, grebes, and shorebirds. In dry years crops are planted in this agricultural field. The field is private property. Please, view birds from the roadside only.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive west on Bonham Road for .2 mile. Turn left at the first cross street onto Wales Corner Road and go .6 mile. Turn left onto US-20 east and go .3 mile. Turn right onto Riddle Road and drive 1.9 miles.
When there is high water in the area, the agricultural fields on both sides of Riddle Road flood near the railroad crossing, so it is worth checking both sides of the tracks. Sometimes high water will cover the road in this area.
Riddle Road traverses privately owned lands. Please, view birds from the roadside only.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive south on Riddle Road for .4 miles. Turn right at the first cross street onto Seneca County Line Road and go 1 mile. Turn left on Roy Myers Road and go .5 miles. The skypool is on the left side of the road.
Roy Myers Road traverses privately owned lands. Please, view birds from the roadside only.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive south on Roy Myers Road for .5 mile. Turn right onto Seneca County Road 34 and go .4 miles. The farm pond is on the right side of the road.
When the water levels are high in this area, the farm field pond can be a good spot to look for ducks, geese, and shorebirds. Use care when birding as this can be a busy county road. View birds from the roadside only.
Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive east on County Road 34 for .4 miles. Turn right at the first cross street onto Roy Myers Road and go 1 mile. Turn left onto Township Road 178 and go .7 mile. The agricultural fields on either side of the road flood during wet weather and sometimes the road is closed at this location.
This township road traverses privately owned lands. Please, view birds from the roadside only.
OH-547 Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive east on Township Road 178 for 3.4 miles. Turn right onto OH-269 south and drive 1.6 miles. Turn left onto OH-547 east and drive 3.5 miles. The reservoir is on the south side of OH-547.
Reservoir No. 5, constructed in 1946 has a capacity of 700 million gallons and is located about five miles southeast of the filtration plant on the south side of OH-547. Water for No. 5 Reservoir is obtained by pumping from Frink Run, where water passes through a traveling screen into a west well from which four vertical centrifugal pumps discharge through a 30-inch line into the reservoir. Water flows by gravity from No. 5 to a pool in the Miller Ditch adjacent to Reservoir No. 4. The flow is through a single main approximately five miles long and varies in size from 24 to 48 inches. Water from No. 5 can be pumped into No. 4 or can enter the other three reservoirs by gravity.
Monroe Street Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive west on OH-547 for .6 mile. Turn right onto Section Line Road 30 and drive 3.3 miles. Turn left onto US-20 west and go 1.2 miles. Turn left onto Prairie Road, go .1 mile, turn right onto Bauer Road and go .4 mile. Continue straight onto Monroe Street. The reservoir is on Monroe Street.
Reservoir No. 4 which is located a half mile southeast of the filtration plant along Monroe Street has a capacity of 150 million gallons and was constructed in 1919. Reservoir No. 4 receives its water from No. 5 from the Miller Ditch and from the Berry Ditch. The flow from the pool in the Miller Ditch receives the water from all three sources where pumps discharge the water into Reservoir No. 4. Water flows by gravity from No. 4 into Nos. 1, 2 or 3 Reservoirs.
Orchard Street Bellevue, Ohio 44811
Drive west on Monroe Street for 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Madden Street and go 0.9 miles. Turn right onto South Buckeye Street and go .1 mile. South Buckeye Street turns right and becomes East Center Street. In 0.4 miles arrive at the corner of Orchard Street and East Center Street.
Parking is available at the northwest corner of the reservoir on Orchard Street.
Reservoir No. 3 adjacent to and east of the filtration plant has a capacity of 75 million gallons and was built in 1900. Water flows into the reservoir by gravity by way of the Big Ditch.