Mentor Marsh

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Mentor Marsh

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Interpretive nature preserve owned & managed by CMNH-Natural Areas Division; co-owned by ODNR-DNAP.

10/22/2026

Happy sunny Thursday! Enjoy this capture of a bright sunshiny colored pair of orange sulphur butterflies nectaring on New England Aster in the nature center’s native landscaping. These common butterflies are still flying despite the cold and frosty overnight temperatures we’ve been experiencing of late. These butterflies tuck in cover and roost overnight near the ground with other sulphurs. Research says that some sulphurs overwinter as late instars and some in chrysalids.

As we’ve developed our landscapes, these changes have benefitted this generalist butterfly species. “Orange sulphurs historically were a western species in the Nearctic region, but moved eastward across North America during the late 1800’s due to logging and the planting of alfalfa fields. They now are found throughout North America to southern Mexico…This species can be found in most any open area, including vacant lots, pastures, open fields, roadsides, and clover and alfalfa fields” (ADW).

It’s always a treat to see a late season butterfly! This image is fantastic! The colors on that top butterfly’s antennae and top of the wings are stunning!

Read more about the natural history of orange sulphurs at links in the comments.

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/7/26
Photo credit: Paul Shaw

10/21/2026

Wowza indeed! It’s always a marvel to explore the Marsh and visitors from WV shared these photographic treasures from their visit a couple weeks ago! Whether you’re out on your own, run into old friends or meet new ones while you’re out exploring, it’s always a thrill to see everyone loving the peace, biodiversity, and the wow nature moments in Mentor Marsh.

What are your wow moments from the Marsh? This Sora was a lifer for Karyna! The evening was also lit up with the glow of the days fading light AND with waves of Palm Warblers and Yellow-rumped Warblers feeding in the Marsh on that magical evening a couple weeks ago. And last evening Rachelle, Seth and I gasped as we watched a Great Blue Heron stalk, catch and eat an enormous fish! This marsh sure is marvelous!

This has been an amazing fall. What are you finding on your outdoor explorations?

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/6/26
Photo credits: Paul Shaw

10/20/2026

Here’s another Marsh treasure arriving (and hopefully overwintering here!). We’re happy to host a Northern Shrike, Lanius borealis, again at Mentor Marsh! Nan spotted this sharp little Shrike perched in a willow at the end of the boardwalk, then in Elderberries along the Wake Robin boardwalk yesterday morning. and news of this sighting brought the birders flocking.

These small predatory songbirds nest in the far northern reaches of North America and overwinter in areas mostly north of us, with some “scarce” in the non breeding season in our parts. See the link to the Northern Shrike range map in the comments.

What’s so notable about this bird species and why are we so excited? For one, they’re scarce in our area, so it’s always a thrill to view a shrike! It’s also notable as shrikes are a “predator of birds, small mammals, and insects. A bold black mask and stout, hooked bill heighten the impression of danger in these fierce predators” (All About Birds).

Northern Shrikes are a songbird (not a raptor!) about the size of an American Robin, but are carnivorous! “To capture prey, Northern Shrikes employ an impressive variety of tactics. Like kestrels, they often perch prominently and scan the area for signs of prey. Once they spot prey, they may fly to chase an insect or small bird in flight, capturing the prey with the feet or the bill” (All About Birds).

To spot this bird along the Wake Robin boardwalk, scan the shrubs for the bird perching, sometimes perched in the tops, but also sometimes may be perched out of view in the thick shrubs. You may be lucky enough to spot it aerially hunting, too!

This Marsh sure is marvelous!

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/19/26
Photo credits: Nan Patrick

10/15/2026

Wow! A purple mushroom is another fall stunner! Our sharp-eyed participants on our Sunday hikes always spot neat nature phenomena! Isn’t this one awesome?

It’s a purple-spored puffball, Calvatia cyathiformis. Its purple spores distinguish it from other similar looking puffballs. This one starts out as the classic round whitish to tan mushroom that turns brown and cracked as it ages to sporting “powdery, dark purple-brown spore mass at maturity.” We were lucky enough to observe it in maturity as the body of the mushroom had already collapsed and was releasing its colorful spores. What great timing to catch this showier stage! A veritable treat indeed and worth venturing out the afternoon drizzle for this fabulous fall find!

Read more about the natural history of purple-spored puffballs at the link in comments.

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/11/26
Photo credits: Becky Siekkinen Donaldson

10/14/2026

Hurrah! More superstar stopovers have arrived at the Marsh. It’s amazing to host so many animals over the seasons. Why are we so excited about blackbirds? They invigorate our passion for protecting and restoring wetland habitats as Rusty Blackbirds are one of the most rapidly declining and elusive bird species in North America. “The Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) is a widespread North American species that has shown chronic long-term and acute short-term population declines, based both on breeding season and wintering ground surveys” (Rusty Blackbird Project). Hypotheses on their steep decline include losses of wetland habitats in both their wintering and breeding grounds. We sure are glad to see them and happy to host them here to rest and recharge on their route to wintering locations.

“Rusty Blackbirds, or “Rusties,” get their name from their fall and early winter plumage, when their dark feathers are edged with a rusty brown color” (Rusty Blackbird Project). Love Nan’s captures of them yesterday around Shipman Pond! Aren’t they beautiful?

Read more about the natural history as well as the plight of Rusties at links in the comments.

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/13/26
Photo credits: Nan Patrick

10/13/2026

What a treasure this Marsh is with all of its wildness! Nan caught one of the marsh eagles moving sticks around in the nest yesterday and as one flew off, it looked like both were in the nest together! Working on the nest in the fall is one of the pair bonding activities!

From The Raptor Resource Project: “Nest building plays a key role in bonding. Pairs bring in sticks, large branches, and soft materials to rebuild and replenish their nests.

As courtship deepens, they ramp up their nestwork, burying last year’s nestorations under piles of new sticks and heaps of corn husks, corn stalks, and fluffy grass. Male eagles bring food gifts to their mates, eagle couples perch and vocalize together, and eagles prepare their nest bowls for eggs by digging, scraping, and molding multiple layers of soft stuff to the nest’s floor. They move from working and perching together to pecking, footing, body brushing, and displaying, which further reinforces their bond. Occasional copulation usually begins in late November or early December.”

Go eagles! This marsh sure is marvelous!

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/12/26
Photo credits: Nan Patrick

10/12/2026

We’re all hanging on to these fleeting warm days, including this amazing late blooming marsh mallow, Hibiscus moscheutos! Hope you enjoy the day and Happy Indigenous Peoples Day!

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, early October 2026
Photo credit: Nan Patrick

10/10/2026

Good morning, sunshine! It’s a beautiful morning in the Marsh today. We’re enjoying the fall colors and the crisp air filled with insect and bird songs. October in the Marsh sure is spectacular!

We’re out here for our monthly Second Saturday Science Open house where we open the gates and allow entry into an area that has limited public access. Taken advantage of this and get on out here! And mark your calendars for every second Saturday going forward. It’s spectacular out here!

See link in comments for more information on this Mentor Marsh opportunity.

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, 10/10/26
Photo credit: Becky Donaldson

10/09/2026

This pretty little sparrow has been a superstar over the last week as it’s stopped in to rest and recharge in the Marsh. It’s a LeConte’s Sparrow, Ammospiza leconteii, and they’re on their way from breeding grounds in wetlands in the upper Great Plains to overwinter in the south central U.S. and we get to host them!

Folks flocked here from all over Ohio, plus we talked with visitors from PA and WV who all came to the Marsh to try to see the hard to find LeConte’s Sparrows! “The LeConte's Sparrow is famously elusive. It stays hidden in dense grass, often running along the ground rather than flying. They're so hard to find and track that, although the species was officially described in 1790, it took scientists nearly 100 years longer to find and describe the first nest” (All About Birds).

LeConte’s Sparrows are smaller than Song Sparrows; about the size of a Marsh Wren. They are “distinctly orange-buff all over, particularly on the head and upper breast. It has black streaks on the back and wings and a grayish-purple spot on the back of the neck. The belly is white. The bill is gray” (All About Birds). Ohio Naturalist Jim McCormac’s description is spot on: “The Le Conte's Sparrow is quite dashing, really. I think even a person with only marginal interest in avifauna would find one nice. From the creamy crown stripe to the intricate streaking of the back, they exhibit the best of the subtly beautiful sparrow adorments. Having to work hard to see one - at least around here - adds to the thrill of seeing one.”

To find one, folks birded along the Wake Robin boardwalk and had the chance to observe many other birds as well as they watched and waited for a LeConte’s to come into view. They’re notorious to find as this tiny sparrow “walks or hops on the ground, often among dense grasses. Does not flush readily, and prefers to escape from disturbances on foot. When they do fly, their flights are short, with quick, weak wingbeats before disappearing back into the vegetation” (All About Birds).

We’ve had great weather for birding in the marsh and it looks like we’ve got several more days of this gorgeous fall weather! Tomorrow morning’s the second Saturday of the month so that means we’ll be out in the wild western end of the Marsh for our Second Saturday Science open house from 8 am to noon. Access to this area is at the gate at Woodridge and Forest. It’s open house style, so come when you can! A reminder that access into the state nature preserve is for foot traffic only and pets are prohibited.

This marsh sure is marvelous! Hope you take advantage of this weather and the special access on Saturday morning and come visit our wild, western end of the marsh!

Read more natural history information on LeConte’s Sparrows and about our Second Saturday Science event at links in the comments.

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve, early October 2026
Photo credit: Kari Warner

Address

Mentor Marsh Nature Center, 5185 Corduroy Road
Mentor, OH
44060

Telephone

+14402570777

Website

https://www.cmnh.org/mentor-marsh

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