Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve

10/07/2026

THIS WEEKEND! Join the international celebration of autumn migratory birds with a trail hike. The birds we have enjoyed all summer will be on their way back to their winter grounds, along with those who stayed farther north in Canada!

Expect to hike approximately two miles with uneven terrain, elevation changes, and stairs. Bring your camera or favorite binoculars. We will have some binoculars to lend and free field guides for participants.

Meet at the Visitor Center. Use the link below to register.

Environment for the Americas | World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) | Friends of Old Woman Creek

10/07/2026

It is a beautiful day at Old Woman Creek! As the season progresses, the opportunity for good weather days gets smaller and smaller; take some time to see what nature has to offer. We are seeing huge influxes of warblers and other neotropicals this week. Check out who is visiting our trails before they say 'so long'!

Ohio Department of Natural Resources | Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves | NOAA Digital Coast

09/30/2026

School is back in session, and that means field trip season for Old Woman Creek Education staff! We have been having a great time with our visiting students; pictured is Westlake City School District High School AP Environmental Science class, trying out some fish sampling techniques and touring the estuary by paddle. Thanks for coming out!

Ohio Department of Natural Resources | NOAA Digital Coast

09/29/2026

Want to hear about how H2Ohio is monitoring birds in their restored wetlands? Sign up to see Dr. Nate Stott present for Science Friday this week, October 2, starting at 12:00 pm.

Stationed out of Point Marsh , Dr. Stott and his collaborators use a variety of monitoring techniques, the results of which can be used to guide future conservation efforts.

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/gqzbbut/lp/10ff7b89-4e13-4fb1-b7dc-13ff75da3ce4

Ohio Department of Natural Resources | Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves | NOAA Digital Coast | Friends of Old Woman Creek

Join us as we welcome Dr. Nate Stott of The Ohio State University who will be presenting his work on monitoring bird populations across H2Ohio wetlands. This event is offered both in-person and online via Microsoft Teams meeting.

09/26/2026

09/23/2026

We will be accepting applications for a Davidson Graduate Fellowship this fall! Stay tuned for updates and the application process.

09/19/2026

What a haul at Old Woman Creek Beach for International Coastal Clean Up Day, which falls on the same day as the start of National Estuaries Week! A small-but-mighty group of volunteers removed 532 pieces of litter, including four balloons, construction materials, cigar/cigarette trash, bandages (yuck!), and LOTS AND LOTS of foam and plastic pieces. Great work everyone!



Ocean Conservancy | Restore America's Estuaries | National Estuarine Research Reserve Association | Alliance for the Great Lakes | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | NOAA Digital Coast | NOAA Marine Debris | Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves | Friends of Old Woman Creek

09/14/2026

Research staff at Old Woman Creek continue to contribute to essential water quality studies in partnership with other NERRs locations. The work of Dr. Steven McMurray and Dr. Jacob Cianci-Gaskill contributed to the recently published findings, which indicate wide-scale warming, lower oxygen levels, and accumulation of nutrients in our coastal estuaries. Read more about the work and what this means at the link below.

https://www.nerra.org/u-s-estuaries-getting-warmer-greener-and-lower-in-oxygen/

National Estuarine Research Reserve Association | NOAA Digital Coast | Ohio Department of Natural Resources | Friends of Old Woman Creek

A study made possible by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) has found that many U.S. estuaries are getting warmer, greener, and lower in ...

09/09/2026

National Estuaries Week Celebrations kick off September 19! We have spots open for the guided hikes, beach clean ups, and the paddle tour! How will you ?
Use the link below to register for one (or more!) of our programs!

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/PGKIXr3/NEWatOWC2026

NOAA Digital Coast | Restore America's Estuaries | National Estuarine Research Reserve Association | Ohio Department of Natural Resources

09/03/2026

Keep a look out for the neotropical migrators making their way south for the season! Old Woman Creek has been hoppin’ and poppin’ with a nice variety of our feathered friends with their fall colors. Do you have bird-friendly window treatments up yet? These will help migrating birds differentiate between your window and actual sky.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources | Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves | NOAA Digital Coast

📸: Swainson’s Thrush, Carolina Wren, Magnolia Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Wood Pewee