​Bobolinks at Byers Woods by Irv Oslin, ​Greater Mohican Audubon Society

Photo: Irv Oslin, Ashland Times-Gazette.com

What it's all about: Bringing the community out to see nesting bobolinks and other natural phenomena at Byers Woods, which is designated an Important Birding Area. Photo by Irv Oslin.

​Bobolinks at Byers Woods
By IRV OSLIN

It’s the high point of the year for our local Audubon chapter.

The annual Bobolink & Butterfly Festival at Byers Woods doesn’t bring in money. Or prestige. Or even a lot of people. But, it’s the one day of the year when we become fully engaged with the community. That mostly includes birding enthusiasts from around the state and local people who otherwise don’t give much thought to the Greater Mohican Audubon Society.

It also gives us an opportunity to work with the Ashland County Park District, which manages Byers Woods and co-sponsors the festival.

There was a time when our chapter leadership aspired to bring in big name speakers to lead walks and put a lot into promoting the event. However, in recent years, we’ve resigned ourselves to keeping it low profile — like the bird it celebrates.

​The Bobolink Fest, now in its 12 th year, attracts about 150 people. It’s a good mix of birding enthusiasts and local families out to spend a few hours in nature and maybe learn a thing or two.

This year’s Bobolinks Festival is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 23, 2018 at Byers Woods, 675 Co Rd 1754, Ashland, OH 44805. The park is off State Route 60, at 675 Co Rd 1754, Ashland, Ohio (south of the city).

We rent a few tents from our local Lions Club, ask area conservation organizations to set up displays and offer soft drinks and snack foods. The requested donations for the food and drink almost cover the cost of the food.

​Last year, we invited the Ashland Public Library to bring a bookmobile. We hoped that would attract more youngsters, our modest goal for expanding the festival. It worked and we plan to repeat that.

Our Bobolinks at Byers Woods Festival isn’t the social event of the year. That would be county fair. But, it keeps chapter members busy preparing for the event — and keeps Greater Mohican Audubon in the public eye for one Saturday a year.
That’s fine with us.

This year’s Bobolinks Festival is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 23, 2018 at Byers Woods, 675 Co Rd 1754, Ashland, OH 44805. The park is off State Route 60, at 675 Co Rd 1754, Ashland, Ohio (south of the city).

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Irv Oslin has edited the Greater Mohican Audubon Society newsletter for about 10 years. He's a freelance writer, photographer and retired journalist who lives in the Mohican Area in North Central Ohio. 

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