A walk at Kitty Todd Prairie at Oak Openings in NW Ohio

My family did a small day-trip to Ohio yesterday, and I was interested in making a stop at a famed tallgrass prairie near Toledo Ohio. I was interested in going because this is where the famed Karner Blue butterfly was re-introduced. Other highlights in this area are miles of Oak Savannah habitat. Breeding birds here include: Summer Tanager, Blue Grosebeak, Red headed Woodpecker, Lark Sparrow to name a few. Spotted Turtles are surviving in Oak Openings as well.

I will let the photos speak for themselves but some of the highlights were more botanical in nature, although I did see pair of Eastern Bluebirds nesting in a duck box next to a regenerated wetland. Later, I saw a Red Headed Woodpecker on a telephone post. 

Some botanical highlights include: Tall Green Milkweed, Winged Summac (lifer!), Cardinal Flower, various Bush-clovers and of course, Wild Lupine. 

While I was at the Kitty Todd Prairie, I stopped by the office and picked up a stunning 50-page booklet about the natural history of the oak openings region. It features most of the plants, birds and herps that are found in this habitat. I must admit that I found that publication breathtakingly beautiful and informative. I wish I could share it with my blog readers. I googled the title of the booklet and found it online as a PDF. I've provided a link below. Super informative and also, very positive. The folks in Toledo seem to take a "rehabilitation approach" to viewing the ecosystem - which focuses on regenerating and rehabilitating habitat instead of just feeling bad about the loss of species.  Also, this publication suggests that the Oak Openings region goes up into SE Michigan, up into Oakland County, which is adjacent to Essex County. The Ojibway tallgrass prairie is clearly a part of this system, as there are many areas that have Amazing reading if you have some time....

Living in the Oak Openings

http://whitehouseoh.gov/Forms/Public-Service/Oak-Openings-Guide-3rd-Edition-2016.pdf

https://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/ohio/placesweprotect/kitty-todd-nature-preserve.xml

http://naturepreserves.ohiodnr.gov/kittytodd

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g51028-d6432267-Reviews-Kitty_Todd_Nature_Preserve-Swanton_Ohio.html