Summer Wetlands Walk – Gilmore Ponds

Theme: Summer Wetlands Walk

Location: Gilmore MetroPark (formerly known as Gilmore Ponds Preserve)

Date: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 8:00 a.m.

Trip Leader: Luke Thies, (937) 733-9325, thiesluke997@gmail.com

Meet: In the North Gilmore Road parking lot (see directions below)

Gilmore Ponds is steeped in local birding history and at times can be among the most productive birding sites in our region. Gilmore Ponds is a roughly 270 acre seasonal wetland located within the Hamilton city limits in Butler County, Ohio. Gilmore can be very wet or fairly dry from year to year or season-to-season depending on the amount of rainfall the area receives. When it is wet it can teem with water related species. At one time Gilmore Ponds was privately owned. During the 1980’s the Gilmore Ponds Conservancy, a citizens’ conservation group, was formed to try to protect the area from development. The Conservancy had some success, acquired some land and got the attention of MetroParks of Butler County, who eventually took control and now owns the property. Today Gilmore Ponds faces a new set of threats but for the time being it is still a wonderful birding site.

Gilmore Ponds has a rich history of rare bird occurrences. Over the years Great Blue Herons, Green Herons and Black-crowned Night-Herons have nested off and on at Gilmore, but more recently Great Egrets and Double-crested Cormorants are also nesting in the heron rookery. Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, a rare species in Ohio, have also become regular breeders over the past several years. A number of other water related species have regularly or at least occasionally nested or summered at Gilmore Ponds over the years. This includes species such as Common Gallinule (this year), American Coot, Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck and Blue-winged Teal, Sora (rails) and Least and American Bitterns. The dense brushy borders and edges and the wet woodlands are always great for a number of species of songbirds, both breeders and migrants. Bell’s Vireo, another rare Ohio species has also become a regular summer resident. A variety of waterfowl and shorebirds can be found during migration. In addition to birds, a variety of other fauna and flora will likely be seen on this trip. This would include reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, other wildlife and wetland plants. Our trip leader, Luke Thies, is an excellent birder and all around naturalist and is current board member of ASO. Luke will help us find and identify the amazing diversity found at Gilmore Ponds.

This is scheduled as a half-day trip, which will consist of walking the trails around the wetlands. If you expect to see birds you will need binoculars. While the terrain is flat, be warned that the walking can at times be a bit on the rough side as some trails may be overgrown and we may have to walk over some damp and muddy spots to reach some favored spots. Be sure to wear appropriate footwear. We also recommend wearing a hat and bringing water, sun screen and insect repellent to make your trip more pleasant. There is a well-maintained portalet at the North Gilmore Road parking lot. If you have any questions feel free to contact Luke.

Directions: To reach Gilmore Ponds from I-275, take the Route 4, exit # 41, and go north on Rt. 4 for about 2.5 miles. Turn right onto the Route 4 Bypass and drive about 1.5 miles to Symmes Road. Turn left onto Symmes (roundabout) and go about 1 mile to the intersection with North Gilmore Road. Turn right and drive.7 mile to the Gilmore Ponds entrance and parking lot on your right. The parking lot is just south of the RR tracks.

Link to Gilmore MetroParks web site: https://www.yourmetroparks.net/parks/gilmore-metropark

(Contributed by Jay Stenger)