Herping and Birding at Mt. Airy Forest

Theme: Herping (finding Reptiles & Amphibians) and Birding

Location: Mt. Airy Forest

Date: Sunday, July 21, 2024

Meet: At 8:00 A.M. in the first parking lot on Blue Spruce Rd (Park Road) from the main Colerain Avenue entrance. See directions below.

Leader:  Ryan Jorgensen, (630) 333-2631, jorgensen28ryan@gmail.com

The theme of this field trip is to find reptiles and amphibians or “herps” as many naturalists refer to them (from “herpetology”). This group of animals includes snakes, turtles, lizards (reptiles) and frogs, toads and salamanders (amphibians). Our chances of finding some are good because our field trip leader, Ryan Jorgensen, is an expert herpetologist. Ryan has a Master’s degree in Biological Science at UC where he specialized in herpetology. His research is on salamanders and snakes, particularly their muscular activity during locomotion. He is also a skilled birder and overall naturalist. So it goes without saying that we will be looking for birds and other wildlife as well.

My. Airy Forest is the largest Cincinnati Park. The Park consists of 1,459 acres of mostly forest and open park habitats. The Park is an exceptional and somewhat underrated birding location and host a great diversity of wildlife species within the city limits. Somewhat surprisingly, July can be a difficult time of the year to find herps, mostly due to extreme heat. For cold blooded animals, most species of herps can be effected by extreme temperatures, especially during the day. None-the-less, Ryan figures we should be able to find at least a few specimens and possibly more with a little luck.

Ryan has laid out about a 2 mile loop route that we will walk as he investigates and probes all the hidden spots where our subjects may be hiding or basking. Ryan expects to “flip” ground cover and check along ponds and a small creek. Turtles and frogs should be seen and Ryan expects to find at least one or two salamanders. He also expects to find a few snakes, but in extremely hot weather that can’t be guaranteed. Even though mid-July is nearing the end of the breeding bird season plenty of birds are still around including the young of the year. Ryan’s birding skills will come in handy for them.

This trip will consist totally of walking along about a 2 mile route that Ryan has laid out. But walking will be leisurely and over mostly flat terrain with lots of stops to view wildlife. Parts of the rout may be damp or wet, so good footwear is advised. Binoculars will aid you in viewing birds and other and are advised. July can be hot so we recommend wearing a hat and bringing water, sunscreen and insect repellent to make your trip more comfortable. Restrooms are available in the Park. This trip is expected to last about three to four hours. Come on out and join Ryan for what should prove to be a unique field trip on what will hopefully be a pleasant summer day. If you have any questions feel free to contact Ryan.

Directions: Mt. Airy Forest is located at 5083 Colerain Avenue. To get to our meeting spot enter the Park from the main Colerain entrance. This Park rd. is named Blue Spruce Rd. Go straight, staying on Blue Spruce for.2 mile. The parking lot will be on your right side. Turn in to Park and look for our group.

Visit the Mt. Airy website at the link below.

https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cincyparks/visit-a-park/find-a-parkfacility/mt-airy-forest/

(Contributed by Jay Stenger)