Headlands Birding Festival soars into Lake County
First, Superman landed there to film some scenes, and now another spectacle is soaring into Headlands Beach State Park. While it's a more familiar sight, it's one that'll draw new visitors to the area.
"Yes, I am a birder, obviously," said Sarah Preston.
She laughed as she said that because she was wearing a birding shirt and holding binoculars hooked around her shoulders. “It’s a sanctuary, it’s calm, it’s good for mental health, and it’s good exercise,” she said about birding. “There’s also an occasional adrenaline rush when you see something rare or that you can’t identify.”
Preston loves watching birds at Headlands Beach State Park in Lake County. "Right now, in the fall, the birds are coming from Canada," she said. "They’ve nested. They’re done. And they’re now going south to their wintering areas."
She said this is the first land they see after the long flight across Lake Erie.
"There's food here," she said. "All kinds of food and shelter. So, they have a place to rest and hide from predators and refuel for the rest of their journey."
From shorebirds to little Warblers in the trees, Preston said there’s so much to see."You could just pick out all kinds of things when you’re standing in one spot for an hour, maybe," she said.
The Headlands Birding Festival will take place Friday, Sept. 19, through Sunday, Sept. 21, offering guided bird walks and presentations for birders of all ages and skill levels. Click here for more info.
"We’re really excited about it," said Neil Stein, executive director for Tour Lake County.
This is the second year for the birding festival that last year drew about 400-500 people, he said, over the three-day event.