Fernald Preserve–Sycamore and Shingle Oak Trails

Tips for birding Fernald Preserve
From Cincinnati Audubon website

About Fernald Preserve
The Fernald Preserve Visitors Center is a 10,000-square-foot green building that celebrates the rich and varied history of the Fernald site. Restrooms and drinking water are available.

The Fernald Preserve features 140 acres of wetland habitat including three lakes, 400 acres of forests and 360 acres of grasslands including tall grass prairies. The bird field checklist includes 215 species. In the short amount of time this site has been open to the public (since 2008), it has hosted a fair number of rarities. Garganey, Eurasian wigeon, black-necked stilt, Wilson’s phalarope, and golden eagle are all on the site species list. The Lodge Pond trail, located along the site’s access road approximately 1/8 mile from the Willey Road entrance, provides access to wetlands and prairies. In addition to a wide range of migratory waterfowl, this area provides excellent viewing opportunities for a variety of prairie species including dickcissels, bobolinks, grasshopper sparrows, and eastern meadowlarks and occasionally northern bobwhite. Shingle Oak and Sycamore trails primarily span woodland habitat and are good choices for viewing neotropical migrants as well as a variety of summer nesters. The Weapons-to-Wetlands trail features an overlook that provides excellent viewing for migrating waterfowl in the spring and fall as well as a variety of raptors in the winter months. The wetland has been good for shorebirds during migration when water levels are favorable. The 3.1 mile Hickory Trail spans prairies, upland forests, open water and a riparian corridor. Blue grosbeaks, dickcissels, grasshopper sparrows, savannah sparrows, bobolinks, and even the occasional Henslow’s sparrow can be found along the first section of this trail. Migrant songbirds, as well as breeders such as catbirds, white-eyed vireos, and yellow-breasted chats, can be found along the back loop of this trail.
From Fernald Preserve webpage

Restrooms are available in the Visitors Center.