Gene is right about who owns and cares for this site. I'd like to add
that today you can't just let land just "go native"; Metro Parks removed
over 130 MILES of drain tile, then sowed these ~800 acres with native
prairie plant seed, carefully collected locally and stored for such
purposes. The vegetation seems to be doing very well after a nice wet
growing season, too.
        I believe the intention was to attempt to restore this area to its
pre-Columbian (I use this word in both senses) state; there is some
historical justification even for the introduction of the bisons across
the road. I believe Battelle-Darby Metro Park has added over 30 species
to its bird list this year alone, largely due to iscoveries here and in
the Kuhlwein Road area...
Bill Whan
Columbus


On 11/14/2011 11:40 AM, Gene Stauffer wrote:
> This is not an ODNR facility. Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park is part of the
> Columbus and Franklin County Metropolitan Park District.
>
> This is the largest Metro Park in the system, with over 7,000 acres. That is
> almost 11 square miles. I doubt that the system is looking to expand this
> park any further, although they probably wouldn't turn down a good
> opportunity.
>
> I agree that this is a remarkable park.
>
> Gene Stauffer
> Grove City
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of James
> Thurston
> Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 9:51 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Battelle Darby Wetlands
>
> Sunday: Three Northern Harriers (2-F, 1-M) surveying the fallow ground
> to the north of Kuhlwein Road. Another ringtail was quartering the silo
> swamp area.
>
> Also seen was a huge Rough Legged Hawk, freakishly big. Again in the
> Kuklwein Road pasture.
>
> No SE Owls yet.
>
> Isn't interesting that in a few short years after letting these fields
> "go native", some of what I assume must be the target species are
> already wintering at this ODNR site? Bravo to the Division I say.
>
> Does anyone know what the future land acquisition plans are for Battelle
> Darby? If some of the large agricultural tracts were allowed to go
> fallow, you would probably have a site to rival any in central Ohio.

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]