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.
Van Wert County Birding Drive
Click on the hotspot names below to view the page about that hotspot.
Van Wert County is one of Ohio’s “under-birded” counties (fewer than 1000 eBird checklists). This Birding Drive explores eBird hotspots in the county. When you submit checklists here you help to add to the data about birds in this region of Ohio.
Shenk Road Delphos, Ohio 45833
From Delphos, drive west on West Second Street for .4 mile. Turn right onto North State Street and go .2 mile. Turn left onto Lincoln Highway and drive .5 mile. Turn right on Shenk Road and drive 2.4 miles. Arrive at Delphos Gillmore Reservoir.
There are parking and a boat ramp off Shenk Road which provides access to the Delphos Gillmor Reservoir.
Middle Point Road Van Wert, Ohio 45891
From Delphos Gillmor Reservoir, drive north on Shenk Road for .6 miles. Turn left onto Carpenter Road and drive 3.5 miles. Turn left onto Middle Point Wetzel Road and drive 2.5 miles. Turn right onto East Bellis road and drive 1.1 miles. Continue onto Middle Point Road and arrive at Middle Point Lake in .3 mile.
Middle Point Lake is privately owned property. Please, view birds from the roadside only.
OH-116 Venedocia, Ohio 45894 Also, see
From Middle Point Lake, drive west on Middle Point Road for .7 mile. Turn left onto Ringwald Road and go 1 mile. Continue onto OH-116 south and drive 4 miles. Arrive at Venedocia Memorial Park.
“Serene”, “tranquil”, and “beautiful” are words that come to mind when describing memorial park. The 3-acre park is immediately adjacent to, but not part of, the Venedocia cemetery just west of town. The park contains flower beds, lawn chairs, benches, birdhouses, sundials, and the war memorial. It is a place where you can sit quietly and enjoy the birds and nature and perhaps think about loved ones and ancestors buried in the adjacent cemetery. The park is owned by Salem Church and administered by a board of trustees.
South Washington Street Van Wert, Ohio 45891
From Venedocia Memorial Park, drive north on OH-116 north for 1.4 miles. turn right to stay on OH-116 for 2.6 miles. Turn left to stay on OH-116 for 4.3 miles. Make a slight left onto OH-116 (Hospital Drive) and drive 1.1 miles. Arrive at Hiestand Park.
Hiestand Park is adjacent to the Van Wert Reservoirs. Park in the lot off Hospital Drive to walk Heistand Park. You can access the Van Wert Reservoirs by walking from this park.
You can also access the Van Wert Reservoirs from Washington Street (US-127). The Rotary Park-Reservoir Recreation Area has two reservoirs with 3.65 miles of recreational trails and fitness stations. The west side of the north reservoir has restrooms with a pavilion and picnic facilities. The southern 100-acre reservoir has a handicap accessible fishing pier and a boat ramp.
OH-49 Willshire, Ohio 45898
From the Van Wert Reservoirs, drive south on US-127 for 7.6 miles. Turn right onto OH-81 west and drive 11 miles. Turn right onto OH-49 north and arrive at Willshire Village Park.
Willshire Village Park provides a remarkable diversity of habitat in this county: swamp forest, a small reservoir, a trail through wet woods back to an open field. The park should prove to be a good migrant trap. Access the park from the entrance on OH-49.