On July 5th, a partnership between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and H2Ohio resulted in a paddling program on Crane Creek at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. Ohio Department of Natural Resources H2Ohio naturalists brought equipment including boats, paddles, and life jackets, and worked with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service staff to bring participants of the Toledo Zoo Conservation Intern Program, the Ohio 4-H Junior Leadership Program, and staff of the neighboring Magee Marsh Wildlife Area to the refuge for a kayaking cleanup event. 

The goal of the Toledo Zoo’s Conservation Intern program is to increase diversity and representation in the field of conservation funding jobs for local high school students from underrepresented backgrounds and the Ohio 4-H program helps participants develop knowledge, skills, attitudes, and aspirations needed for future success. With this event, we were able to get nearly two dozen young conservationists onto the water and into the wetlands that are one of northern Ohio’s most crucial environments. Naturalists and rangers shared information about the contributions of wetlands and benefits of native species. We were happy to not find much litter in the Crane Creek Estuary, but there were some plastic items removed from the water, most significantly a large, plastic drum. Participants also got an opportunity to ride in an airboat operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and learn about research being conducted on the refuge. 

After spending two hours on the water, participants returned to the Visitor Center for a lunch panel on conservation careers where refuge employees from different divisions (management, biology, maintenance, etc.) shared their experiences and advice with input from leaders in the other programs. We are thankful for a special visit from Ecological Services to provide more information on how their program operates and projects they work on. Participants learned about resources available and were able to get their questioned answered. Thank you to the Friends of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge for providing food and beverages!

We hope that this successful event continues the productive partnership between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources H2Ohio Program. We look forward to working with partners like the Toledo Zoo, Ohio 4-H, state agencies, and others to continue these programs in the future.

written by: Basia Gawin, Visitor Services Specialist

Join us on Friday, September 15 for a Crane Creek Paddle with H2Ohio staff.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see Crane Creek from the water? Now’s your chance to explore the refuge in a different way! Spend over an hour on the water kayaking around Crane Creek and out towards Lake Erie, learning from Park Rangers and H2Ohio Naturalists. All equipment is provided, but please bring water and sun protection. Paddle times are 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. & 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. 

Crane Creek is a restricted area so if you ever thought it would be fun to paddle, now is your chance to check it out! This paddle is part of our Migration Celebration, a month-long celebration of the fall migration of birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and more. By joining this paddle, you will “migrate” ~ 2 miles. Limited space is available, program is weather dependent, and all programs are subject to change. Ages 8+ and must be able to paddle on their own. Registration is required. Call 419-898-0014 to register. This event is free. Click here to join the Migration-A-Thon Virtual Challenge.

Volunteer Lori Monska captured this photo series of green heron chicks over the summer. Enjoy!

World Ranger Day
To celebrate World Ranger Day, rangers funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial (National Park Service) partnered to provide a day of educational activities to visitors at the National Park Service site on South Bass Island.

On Sunday, July 30th, rangers held a “Junior Ranger Camp” where kids and their families could learn about our Great Lakes. Visitors had the option to participate in many activities such as pretending to be a water droplet in a water cycle game, creating a "wanted poster" for the sea lamprey while learning about invasive species and their impacts, and visualizing the many forms of plastic pollution and talking about what we can do to minimize our impact. Individuals who completed at least three activities earned their Great Lakes Junior Ranger badge. Badges can also be earned at any time by completing the Great Lakes Junior Ranger Activity Book, which is available online. It turned out to be a beautiful day with over 80 visitors participating in the activities and many more passing by or stopping to ask questions. The GLRI rangers look forward to working together again!

Port Clinton Lighthouse Festival

On August 19, refuge staff and Friends attended the Port Clinton Lighthouse Festival. The 5th annual festival celebrated the rich heritage of the beautifully restored lighthouse in the city. We were able to talk to 370 attendees about Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and shared our water cycle game on the shore of Lake Erie.

The Ottawa County Health Department has been monitoring for West Nile Virus throughout the summer by sampling mosquitos at 22 sites across the county. West Nile Virus has been detected at all 22 sites, including at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. The unusually wet July and early August has likely contributed to the widespread occurrence of West Nile Virus by providing lots of mosquito breeding habitats. 

According to the Ottawa County Health Department, the best way to avoid the West Nile Virus infection is to prevent mosquito bites: AVOID, PLAN, STOP.

• AVOID: Apply repellents on exposed skin registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.) Wear long sleeves and pants or consider staying indoors as much as possible.
• PLAN: Have EPA approved mosquito repellent and longs pants and shirts available to avoid bites. Do outside activities at times when mosquito activity is less.
• STOP: Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying or treating any standing water on your property (even small amounts of standing water can be a breeding site for mosquitos.) Make sure screens on windows and doors are free of holes or rips. You may also opt to utilize air conditioning instead of open windows if possible. 

To date, no human infections have been reported in Ohio. For more information about West Nile Virus, its transmission, or impact on birds, please visit the CDC website. 

Pictured:

Monarch Burned Ornament (Locally Handcrafted) $8.99

Monarch Finger Puppet $6.95

Butterflies of the Midwest Field Guide $18.95

Butterfly Bonnet (Locally Handcrafted) $20.00

Monarch & Milkweed Bookmark $13.99

Monarch Necklace $29.99

Monarch Wings & Mask Set $19.99

The Rookery Nature Store is the spot to stop for everything you need as you head outdoors this September. As always, you can find hats, hoodies, field guides and Ohio made specialty soda. Monarch butterflies can be found both out on the refuge and all over the Nature Store!

This month, celebrate Migration-A-Thon with the refuge by shopping our selection of Monarch themed merchandise! Children’s Wing & Mask Sets are on sale for $19.99! (Perfect to wear for our Fun Run at the refuge on September 16th!) New items are arriving weekly as we prepare for the change in seasons. Fall into the Rookery Nature Store, find something special & support your favorite wildlife refuge!

The Visitor Center and Rookery Nature Store are open Wednesday - Sunday from 10am - 4pm. Come and see us! You can also shop online anytime and have items shipped or pick up in store. Proceeds from the store directly support the conservation mission of the refuge.