Today was definitely a spring day! The beautiful weather meant I had to get outside. After a hike through Cascade Valley Metro Park, I drove over to the Great Blue Heron nesting viewing area in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) on Bath Road to see the herons who have returned to their nests.
I’ve lived in the area for roughly 15 years and I’ve often driven by these nests, but today was the first day I actually stopped and looked. You can park in the designated area along Bath Road and (carefully!) cross the street to view the nests. There was a big crowd today, so I drove down just a little further and parked in the rocky parking lot right next to the Towpath Trail and walked back to the viewing area.
According to the National Parks Service, the first recorded nesting pair in the CVNP was in 1985 and it has continued to grow since then. The proliferation of nests is a testament to the restoration and protection of the area. There are roughly 142 nests along Bath Road currently, with other groups, called heronries, elsewhere in the area.
The herons come back every year and reuse the previous year’s nest. The males will bring twigs and branches to help repair the nest and build their bond with their mate. While I was there, there was one couple in particular working hard on their nest and it was fascinating to watch them.
So if you’re in the neighborhood, I highly encourage you to take a minute and come see the herons. While eggs will start hatching in late April/early May and the fledglings will be sticking their heads out soon after that, the benefit of going now is the trees are still bare, giving you the best view possible. You can then head back and take some time to stroll down the Towpath Trail – you’re not too far from Beaver Marsh by now!
One last note – if you live in Summit County, I strongly urge you to vote Yes on Issue 11, to increase funding for Summit Metro Parks, on March 17, 2020 (the day of the primary). The levy makes up 90% of the park’s budget and hasn’t been raised in nearly 15 years, despite huge increases in the amount of land, trails, and visitors. We really do have an amazing resource here and it’s worth supporting. Thank you!