Parks and Recreation

November 17, 2016 by Staff Report

GEAUGA PARK DISTRICT

For more information on these programs, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit them online at www.geaugaparkdistrict.org.

Fish Stocking

Geauga Park District’s Natural Resource Management (NRM) Department stocked Beartown Lakes Reservation, 18870 Quinn Road in Auburn Township, with 260 rainbow trout on Oct. 18.

The trout were released into the larger and deeper waters of the park’s three lakes, Lower Bear Lake, joining bass, bluegill and yellow perch that have been stocked here over the years.

Families are welcome to catch and take fish from seven parks countywide with a current Ohio fishing license in accordance with state regulations. Guidelines for fishing in the parks are posted online.

Chickadee Magnets

Winter is a great time to observe birds, and what better place to observe them than the comfortable, serene wildlife feeding station at the West Woods Nature Center, 9465 Kinsman Road in Russell Township. Geauga Park District’s Bird in the Hand Project allows people to feed the wild birds by hand.

The project debuted in the winter of 2014 to great success, and the black-capped chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches immediately warmed up when the feeder went back out this fall.

To try one’s hand at feeding the birds, time up the visit for daylight hours and dress warmly since one will be standing still. Stop into the nature center from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to collect some black oil sunflower seed or use a little from the feeder already placed on site. Hand-feeding works best with just one or two people or a small group, like three or four.

Follow the Trout Lily Trail, then hang a right at the fork after the boardwalk across the wetlands, following the sign. Visitors will come upon the feeding station marked by a feeder and a mannequin, “Parker,” who keeps the birds familiar with a human presence.

Take down the feeder, hide it under the bucket that’s there, extend one’s hand with some seed in one’s palm, and then wait.

Park Poster Contest

All summer long, park patrons have been winning $20 gift certificates to The West Woods’ Tree Tops Nature Store just for sending in pictures of themselves with the 2016 Come Home poster. The contest lasts through December.

Where are the posters? Take a picture with a poster already on the wall at a local business or park or pick up a free copy of the poster at the desk of one of these participating locations: Big Creek Park’s Donald W. Meyer Center, Burton Public Library, Destination Geauga, Geauga Public Library branches or The West Woods Nature Center.

Feel free to get creative with the photos (location, pose, props, composition), or just stand next to the poster on the wall and show us how much you love the parks with a smile. Then to enter, just share the picture via email at marketing@geaugaparkdistrict.org, on our Facebook wall or on Twitter or Instagram using #geaugaparkdistrict.