Englewood MetroPark is one of the best birding sites in the area. Approximately 90 percent of all species seen in the Dayton area have been observed in Englewood likely due to the presence of mudflats that supply worms, crayfish and other food sources. The Benedict Blincoe Wildlife Observation Area features a large wetland that was formed after the shallow lake filled with silt from the Stillwater River. Migrating birds, including sandhill cranes, can be seen feeding there during the spring and fall. Other birds in this park include owls, eagles, warblers, great blue herons, belted kingfishers, a variety of ducks, cedar wax wings and Baltimore orioles. Beaver, muskrat, and raccoons also visit to find food.

Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark is home to the largest tree in the MetroParks system, a bur oak with a circumference of 287 inches and a height of 102 feet. It scores a total of 405 points using our standardized scoring system for circumference, height, and canopy — a full 15 points ahead of the next massive tree in the district, the 500-year-old Big Sister white oak at Sugarcreek MetroPark.

This 37-acre natural area contains a rare groundwater-fed, alkaline wetland known as a “fen.” Fens contain thick deposits of peat and support many rare plants. Restoring the fen has included planting more than 100 types of native wetland plants. This unique and ancient wetland dates to the last ice age, 13,000 years ago. Its ecosystem supports a colorful array of birds in a very small area.

Many wildlife species have come back to areas in Montgomery County where they had long been absent, and the land protected by MetroParks is often a key part of their return. Among the animals that have reappeared is the Ohio bobcat, which returned to the Twin Valley in 2006 as evidenced by its tracks, neighbors hearing its distinctive call and even a rare spotting or two. Bobcats were common throughout rural areas in Ohio in early settlement times; but as swamps and lowlands were drained and forests were cleared to make way for new communities and cropland, the bobcat population declined. But Germantown MetroPark has all the makings of a healthy, natural habitat for the animal: remote, well-forested areas of rugged topography, a creek for the bobcats to drink from and plenty of spots for sunning themselves after a hard night’s work of hunting rabbits, moles and other small mammals.

Huffman prairie became a State Natural Landmark in 1986 thanks to the dedication of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Five Rivers MetroParks and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Working together, we care for and protect 112 acres of one of the largest tallgrass prairie remnants in Ohio. This special place is home to many rare native prairie plants, birds and insects. Bobolinks and Henslow’s sparrows nest there, along with 200 species of moths and 30 species of butterflies. Ohio’s endangered green snake also makes its home on here, but may be difficult to spot. As you arrive, watch for the quick movements of the 13-lined ground squirrel burrowing near the 1905 hangar replica.

Thanks to a half century of conservation practices, many of the habitat areas in and around Dayton have been restored and are thriving. Spotted salamanders are a great example of a recent wildlife comeback. Sugarcreek is the only MetroPark that contains spotted salamanders. These amphibians come out to breed all at once on warm rainy nights in the spring before returning to the forest. The blue trail has plenty of moist, low-lying areas where spotted salamanders love to hang out.

Wegerzyn Gardens provides visitors a rare opportunity to view and experience a pristine riparian (riverbank) habitat, a habitat that has been severely threatened by the encroachment of agricultural, industrial and residential expansion. But you can also find swamp forests in Dull Woods and in the Pumpkin Ash and Swamp Forest at Englewood MetroPark.

This special facility, located near Trotwood, was one of the first conservation agency-owned mitigation banks in the country. Developers who need federally required wetland credits can use the mitigation bank, which is maintained by Five Rivers MetroParks. This public-private relationship provides flexibility for developers and creates viable habitat for native wildlife. Since it was established, volunteers have spotted more than 89 species of birds at the wetland, many rare to the region, including northern shrike, short eared owl, sedge wren, red breasted merganzer, sora, snipe, green winged teal, solitary sandpiper, palm warbler, warbling vireo and white crowned sparrow.

Few creatures command such aerial grace and majesty as the bald eagle. One pair, known as Jim and Cindy, made Dayton their nesting grounds for nearly eight years. Five Rivers MetroParks’ conservation practices help maintain healthy, viable habitat that attract and support large predators like the bald eagle. See if you can catch a glimpse of one at Eastwood MetroPark! Bring binoculars to spot the large nests, which can be seen from the parking lot east of the lake. Bald eagles also have been spotted near Englewood, Huffman, Deed’s Point, Germantown and Twin Creek MetroParks. 

Some people might be surprised to know how many species of wildlife inhabit the urban core. An afternoon visit to RiverScape may include spotting geese, ducks, herons and turtles in the Great Miami River — not to mention countless species of fish. Stop by at night and you may encounter a beaver or even a coyote. Coyotes have been present in the downtown river corridor for at least 10 years.

The small ponds and lakes of Five Rivers MetroParks are not only great places to fish but they’re also importants habitat for many creatures. Ponds and lakes support species that live their entire lives in the water, those that use the water during part of their life cycle and many that live along the perimeter or find their food at the water’s edge. Ponds and lakes are found in many MetroParks including Carriage Hill MetroPark. During your visit look for the great blue heron (Ardea herodias) that flies in to feast on fish and insects. Or listen for the green frog (Lithobates clamitans melanota), an amphibian that is 2 to 3 inches long and sounds like the plucking of a bass string on a banjo.

Sandridge Prairie Conservation Area is an example of a bluff prairie. Sandridge sits on land formed by glacial deposits, and its sandy soil and sloping ground create very dry conditions that support plants not found elsewhere in Montgomery County, including the state-listed endangered plains muhlenbergia grass (Muhlenbergia cuspidata).