Oxbow Field Trips

Field Trips

Unless otherwise indicated, all trips start at the upper Oxbow parking lot. To reach the upper Oxbow parking area, go south on US Hwy 50 from the I-275 #16 exit. In about 200 yards, turn left (east) at the edge of the Circle K (between the Circle K and Waffle House) and go over the levee to where the road T’s with a fence directly in front of you. Turn right and go to the Oxbow entrance sign. Turn left into the Oxbow. The upper parking area is immediately on the right. You can also use Google Maps and search for "Oxbow Nature Conservancy".

Summer Nature Walk—Sunday, July 20, 2025, 8:00 am

Meet in the upper Oxbow parking lot at the main entrance of the Oxbow

Leader: Dave Helm, (513) 403-4519, helmmd@icloud.com

This trip will be a general nature walk with trip leader Dave Helm. Dave is a long time Oxbow member and advocate and an exceptional all around naturalist and expert level birder who knows the Oxbow area extremely well.

There are many breeding song birds in the Oxbow, although some species are less conspicuous in late summer. Bald Eagles are now common and breed in the Oxbow. Double-crested Cormorants are regular summer residents as are Black-crowned Night-Herons. July also marks the beginning of southward shorebird migration in the Oxbow area but some shorebirds will still be seen. Heron and Great Egret numbers will begin building up around this date, making it a good time of the year to find one of the rarer species of long-legged waders such as Little Blue Heron or Snowy Egret.

There is a great diversity of plants found in the Oxbow and the prairie plants in our grassland should be in bloom. Butterflies and dragonflies should also be abundant and reptiles (especially turtles) and some amphibians, such as frogs, are at their peak in mid-summer. We should see many interesting plants, birds, dragonflies, butterflies, turtles and other wildlife on this morning walk.

Dave plans to spend the morning mostly walking around Oxbow Lake and Osprey Lake, with a short drive or two to move from one location to another. The walking will be at a slow pace over flat terrain with frequent stops to look at birds and plants. Towards the end of the trip, if time permits, Dave may also take a look at Lost Bridge to see what we can find along the Great Miami River and the nearby ponds.

This trip will end before noon. Long pants and decent footwear for walking in tall grass and possibly mud. July will likely be hot, so a hat, water, sunscreen and insect repellent to make your trip more comfortable. There are no restrooms in the Oxbow but there are plenty of nearby businesses with restroom facilities. If you have any questions feel free to contact Dave.

Early Fall Migrant Shorebirds & Waders — Friday Evening, August 22, 2025, 6:30 PM

Meet in the upper Oxbow parking lot at the main entrance to the Oxbow.

Co-Leader: Jack Stenger, (513) 503-3389, jackstenger@gmail.com

Co-Leader: Jay Stenger, (513) 522-8147, jaystenger1@gmail.com

Our August field trip in the evening has become quite popular. This trip will focus on birds, specifically early fall migrants through the Oxbow. While the calendar and temperature tells us it is still late summer, the southbound fall migration of shorebirds (sandpipers & plovers), long-legged waders (herons & egrets) and several other species begins quite early and will be well underway. Join our trip leaders, son and father team Jack Stenger and Jay Stenger, for a pleasant summer evening in the Oxbow area. Jack and Jay are long-time advocates of Oxbow Inc. and both are current board members. These two guys are skilled and expert birders and naturalists who know the Oxbow area inside and out.

Shorebirds (sandpipers and plovers) need exposed mudflats and shorelines to forage for their invertebrate food. Most years, the Oxbow area provides good to great habitat for them. The nearby Great Miami River usually has exposed sand bars as well. In addition to several species of shorebirds, we might find numerous Great Egrets and other herons including Great Blue, Green and possibly Black-crowned Night-Herons. This is also a great time of year to find an unusual species such as Little Blue Heron and Snowy Egret. Purple Martins and other migrating swallows “stage” in large numbers in the Oxbow during this month and terns, Osprey, Bald Eagle (year round) and other early migrants are possible. With most of our summer residents still present as well, we should find a good diversity throughout the evening. Other fauna and flora seen will also be pointed out.

Jack and Jay plan to start in the Oxbow and wrap up the evening at Lost Bridge over the Great Miami River, ending the trip around dusk (8:45 PM). It will likely be hot even at this time of day, so bring sunscreen, insect repellant and water for a more comfortable trip. Feel free to contact Jack or Jay if you have any questions.