Late Spring Migration And 17 Year Cicada Emergence At East Fork State Park With Dave Helm

Theme: Late Spring Migration & 17 Year Cicada Emergence

Location: East Fork State Park

Date: Saturday, May 24 2025, 8:00 AM

Meet: 8:00 A.M. at the South Swimming Beach Parking Lot (see the directions below)

Leader: Dave Helm, (513) 403-4519, helmmd@icloud.com

By the second half of May spring migration will begin winding down but plenty of birds will still be on the move and almost all of our summer residents will be into their nesting cycles as well. While spring migration in general will be past peak, a diversity of avian species should be found at this season. This date should also coincide with the spectacular emergence of the 17 year cycle of cicadas in this area.

Dave Helm, our trip leader, is an expert veteran birder and naturalist and long-time Audubon advocate and current board member. Dave is also a regular visitor to East Fork SP and knows the area exceptionally well. Dave’s experience and knowledge will certainly come in handy as birds should be abundant and vocal on this date.

Some of the birds we may find will include herons and egrets, migrant shorebirds & terns, hawks, including Bald Eagle and Osprey, and a host of migrant & returning summer songbirds (including many warblers) are all expected on this date. Also consider that East Fork SP has a well-deserved reputation for attracting rare species. This date will also coincide with the spectacular emergence of the 17 year cycle of cicadas in this area.

Dave plans to begin our trip at the South Swimming Beach which is an excellent spot to find a diversity of water birds. From there, Dave will lead us to several other spots and habitats around the park. Dave also has a great interest in botany, butterflies and all other wildlife and he will gladly share his knowledge on these topics. Most of this trip will be on foot with short drives from spot to spot, but walking will be at a moderate and leisurely pace over mostly level trails and roadsides.

For your comfort you may want to consider bringing water, sun screen and insect repellent. This field trip will end sometime around noon. Restrooms are available in the park. We encourage you to come out with Dave and see natures great diversity on what should be a beautiful spring morning. Feel free to contact Dave if you have any questions.

Directions: We will meet at the swimming beach parking lot located on the south side of East Fork State Park. We will meet at 8 AM on the far left side of the beach parking lot (when facing the lake). At that time of day it shouldn’t be a problem finding our group. To get to the beach, enter the park from the south side and follow the park signs to the beach. To get to the south side entrance to East Fork SP from I-275, take exit # 65, SR 125 (Beechmont Ave./Ohio Pike) and go east about 9 miles to the junction of Rt. 222. Turn left onto Bantam Rd. (opposite Rt. 222) and follow the signs to the park entrance.

Visit the East Fork State Park website for a Park map and other info at:

https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/east-fork-state-park

The Meeting Place can be found here: East Fork SP South Beach

(Contributed by Jay Stenger)