Miller Road Park

Miller Road Park (Huron & Lorain Loop)

Because of warm water releases from the neighboring power plant, a sizeable section of Lake Erie adjacent to Miller Park does not freeze in winter. This open water area can be fabulous for gulls and waterfowl when the lake is otherwise iced over.

Key Species by Season

Spring

• Baltimore Oriole
• Ring-Billed Gull
• Lesser Scaup

Summer

• Baltimore Oriole
• Herring Gull
• Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Fall

• Bonaparte's Gull
• Common Loon
• Bufflehead

Winter

• Glaucous Gull
• Iceland Gull
• Thayer's Gull

At-a-Glance

35 - Miller Road Park
City of Avon Lake
33570 Lake Road
Avon Lake, OH 44012

440.930.4130

Public Access
Open daily, dawn until dusk

Amenities
Hiking Trails, Restrooms, Picnic Area, Handicap Accessible Trails

Driving Directions
I-90 West to State Route 611. Turn right on State Route 611 and right on Miller Road. At U.S. Route 6 (Lake Road) turn right, then turn left into the parking area at Miller Park.

What to Look For

Because of warm water releases from the neighboring power plant, a sizeable section of Lake Erie adjacent to Miller Park does not freeze in winter. This open water area can be fabulous for gulls and waterfowl when the lake is otherwise iced over. Winter is definitely the season to bird Miller Park, although large numbers of migrant Red-breasted Mergansers, Bonaparte’s Gulls, and occasional scoters and other ducks can be seen passing by in late fall. When all else is covered with ice, the opening off Miller Park can teem with Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Canvasback, Greater Scaup and other hardy fowl. Thousands of gulls often congregate, mostly Herring and Ring-billed gulls, but rarer species are usually present as well.

Noteworthy Rarities

Sandy Ridge has accumulated an impressive roster of rarities. Unusual breeders include American and Least bitterns, Northern Harrier, Virginia Rail, Sora, Sandhill Crane, Sedge Wren, and Cerulean Warbler. There are records for Cackling Goose, Eared Grebe, Little Blue Heron, and Red-necked Phalarope.

Natural Features

Miller Road often produces Glaucous, Iceland, Lesser Black-backed, and Thayer’s gulls, and sometimes multiples of each. Pomarine Jaegers have occurred on a number of occasions, and Snowy Owls sometimes turn up on the breakwalls. Purple Sandpipers are probably annual on the breakwalls behind the power plant. Northern Gannet has been recorded here several times, and one of Ohio’s few records of Barrow’s Goldeneye comes from this spot.

Local Resources

City of Avon Lake  
Lorain County Visitors Bureau  
Ohio Ornithological Society  

About the Huron & Lorain Loop

Scores of serious birders flock to the sites on this loop. Some of Ohio's legendary "lake-watching" sites are here, such as the Huron Harbor West Pier and Sherod Park. Chances of finding a fall jaeger at these spots are about as good as anywhere in the state.

The section of Lake Erie between the cities of Huron and Lorain encompasses the “bottom of the bowl;” the southernmost curve of the lake. The fourteen sites in this region offer some of the finest birding in Ohio. The varied habitats include a power plant’s warm water outlet, sandy beaches, expansive woodlands, marshes, and reservoirs. The total species list for this loop is 325.

What to Look For

Some of Ohio's legendary "lake-watching" sites are on this loop, such as the Huron Harbor West Pier and Sherod Park. Chances of finding a fall jaeger at these spots are about as good as anywhere in the state. Lorain Harbor and vicinity has produced scores of rare birds, and is always interesting in peak migratory periods. If you can endure the cold, the open waters behind the power plant, adjacent to Miller Road Park, harbor outstanding duck and gull concentrations in the dead of winter.

Slightly inland are Oberlin and Wellington reservoirs; magnets for ducks. Nearly all of the common species can be found on their waters, and rarer birds such as scoters and Long-tailed Duck are regularly found. Findley State Park and Vermilion River Reservation are two sites that offer excellent woodland birding, and massive restored wetlands at Sandy Ridge Reservation have become famous for wetlands species such as bitterns, rails, and Sandhill Crane.

Noteworthy Rarities

There is a reason that scores of serious birders flock to the sites on this loop. This part of Lake Erie regularly produces vagrants and exciting rarities. Six species—Tufted Duck, Pacific Loon, Spotted Redshank, Heermann's Gull, Royal Tern, and Green-tailed Towhee—have only been at sites on the Huron and Lorain Loop. The records of the duck, redshank, gull, and tern are the only Ohio records.

Natural Features

Many of these sites on the Huron and Lorain loop are not "natural"; they are highly altered habitats that nonetheless offer great vistas of Lake Erie and in season can produce an abundance of birds. Old Woman Creek and Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve contain outstanding examples of undisturbed wetlands and beach. A number of rare animals and plants occur at these sites. Vermilion River Reservation flanks the visually stunning Vermilion River and offers a taste of big woods and forest diversity.