Nature Walk – Oxbow, Inc. Trip

Nature Walk
Saturday, July 30, 2022, 8:00 am
Meet in the upper Oxbow parking lot at the main entrance of the Oxbow
Leader: Dave Helm, (513) 403-4519, helmmd@icloud.com

It is easy to take the Oxbow for granted during the middle of summer. Wedged in between the dynamics of spring and fall migration and lacking the waterfowl that overwinter, there is no doubt fewer water birds are present in the Oxbow at this season. And it’s also hot! But during this season there is still plenty of wildlife to be seen and discoveries to make for the naturalist who makes the effort.

Our trip leader, Dave Helm, is an exceptionally skilled veteran birder, complete naturalist and long-time Oxbow advocate. Dave has always been a regular visitor to the Oxbow and has led many trips for us over the years. Dave’s experience, skills and knowledge of natural history will certainly come in handy on this walk as we observe the flora and fauna found in the Oxbow during the summer. With Dave at the helm (sorry) we should have a great morning walk.

There is a great diversity of plants found in the Oxbow and the prairie plants in our grassland should be in bloom at this season. Butterflies and dragonflies should also be abundant and reptiles and amphibians are at their peak in mid-summer. There are many breeding birds in the Oxbow and when you include the Shawnee Lookout side of the river that number easily doubles. Blue Grosbeaks have become regular breeders in the Oxbow and should be found and Prothonotary Warblers should still be active on this date. The post-breeding dispersal of herons and egrets begins in July and a rare species, such as Snowy Egret or Little Blue Heron, occasionally shows up around this time. Bald Eagles, once unheard of during the summer, now breed in the Oxbow area and might be seen. Double-crested Cormorants are now regular summer residents in the Oxbow, but are they breeding? Black-crowned Night-Herons have always been present during the summer, but where do they breed? We will probably not solve these mysteries on this field trip, but it illustrates what we can still learn at this season.

Dave may also find us the first “fall” shorebirds of the season on this trip. Oxbow Inc. founder and expert birder Dave Styer has always used July 4th as the “official” beginning of fall shorebird migration (maybe a little tongue in cheek). Dave backed this up however during the 1980’s when he intentionally visited the Oxbow several times on July 4th specifically looking for, and finding, migrant shorebirds (usually Least Sandpipers).
Dave (Helm) plans to spend the morning mostly walking around Oxbow Lake and Osprey Lake, interrupted by a short drive or two to move from one location to another. The walking however will be at a slow pace and over flat terrain with a lot of stopping to look at plants and birds.

This trip will end sometime before noon. To make your morning walk a little more comfortable, Dave suggests wearing long pants and boots for walking in tall grass and possibly mud (it is the Oxbow after all). July will likely be hot, so you also might consider wearing a hat and bringing water, sunscreen and insect repellent to help make your trip more comfortable. If you have any questions feel free to contact Dave.

Unless otherwise indicated, all trips start at the upper Oxbow parking lot. To reach the upper Oxbow parking area, go south on US Hwy 50 from the I-275 #16 exit. In about 200 yards, turn left (east) at the edge of the Circle K (between the Circle K and Waffle House) and go over the levee to where the road T’s with a fence directly in front of you. Turn right and go to the Oxbow entrance sign. Turn left into the Oxbow. The upper parking area is immediately on the right. You can also use Google Maps and search for “Oxbow Nature Conservancy”.