The area of the Wayne NF that I have spent the most time in over the years is in Athens County near Chauncey. The Big Bailey / Utah Ridge / West Bailey areas offer good birding both by car and on foot. It hosts pretty much all the same species that you can find at nearby Zaleski State Forest and Lake Hope. There are more open low areas perhaps than at ZALESKI. Blue-winged Warblers, for example, are especially abundant in that area and there is a better chance of finding Brewster's and Lawrence's than anywhere else I know of in southern Ohio. You're not far from the WV border. I had Brewster's here in both 2012 and 2013 and in the early 00's there was a Lawrence's occupying the same territory. I have also come across Whip-poor-wills calling in mid-day on several occasions when hiking around. As others have mentioned, having the official Wayne NF map is a good idea so that you know where there is and isn't public land. You can buy one at the office near Nelsonville on Rt. 33 or you can order any NF map in the country at the National Forest online store :

http://www.fs.fed.us/maps/forest-maps.shtml

In the Ironton Area I recommend the Dean State Forest. It's fairly small, but it hosts all the regular warblers that you would expect to find at Shawnee and is surrounded by more Wayne NF land.

Bob Royse

Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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