It's easy to do. All you need is an idea on here to go, a handy field guide and a keen sense of observation. Lake Erie's Wing Watch region, spanning Lorain to Port Clinton, encompasses some of the best birding areas in the country. From its vast marshlands harboring herons and egrets, to its deep forests filled with colorful migratory warblers, this diverse area attracts more than 300 bird species.

We ­ humans sharing our feathered friends' earth ­ have formed a four­county group to educate and inform the public about the joys and rewards of birding. Called Lake Erie's Wing Watch, this group of naturalists and visitors bureau representatives from Lorain to Port Clinton invites you to join in our learning.

LOCAL BIRDING

CASTALIA POND

Castalia, Route 269 in Castalia At its best from late fall to early spring, this 12­acre pond never freezes and is an excellent place for close­up looks at handsome waterfowl. Many mallards- and a dozen or more additional species-make Castalia Duck Pond a favorite stop for traveling birders. Look for American black ducks, American pigeons and northen1 pintails as they hp up to feed. Watch buffleheads, ringraecks, scaups and redheads dive under the water.

EDISON WOODS RESERVE

Berlin Heights, Route 61, just north of Mason Road

During early summer, ovenbirds and veerys call along the lane.: At dusk, listen for barred owls. Migration brings warblers; some, like the blue­winged and the yellow, nest along the forest's edge. Dense winter forests harbor many small birds, including dark­eyed juncos, American tree sparrows and white­throated sparrows. Look for woodpeckers-especially downys, hairys and red­bellied-any time of year.

GALPIN MEMORIAL SANCTUARY

Milan, South on Edison Drive off Route 113 Known as a roosting place for buzzards, the 26­acre forest of Galpin Memorial Sanctuary is a haven for these birds.

HURON HARBORAND PIER

Huron, Take Main Street off Route 6 Gulls and terns are visible on any summer evening; most common are herring and ringbilled gulls, and common and Caspian terns. In late summer or fall, thousands of blackbirds return to their roosts in the pier's spoils banks. If the water doesn't freeze in the winter, concentrations of 100,000 or more gulls are possible, including ring­bills, herrings, and Bonaparte's, along with a sprinkling of great blackbacked gulls and some ocean coast dwellers.

LAKE ERE ISLANDS

Kelleys Island, Put­in­Bay on South Bass Island, and a string of other nearby islands provide similar birding opportunities. The first spring migrants include killdeers, mourning doves and eastern meadowlarks in early March. Other spring migrants include ducks, warblers and hawks. Herons, ducks, cuckoos, wrens, orioles and sparrows live on the islands year­round. Puddle ducks, herons and rails fill Kelleys Pond.

MILAN WILDIFE AREA

Milan, Off Route 113, three Miles west of Milan

In spring, look for all typical forest residents, including migrating warblers, vireos and thrushes. Ovenbirds, hooded warblers and Cerulean warblers are often heard throughout the summer. Look and listen for yellow­throated warblers in tall sycamore trees near the Huron River. In winter, roaming bands of chickadees, titmice and nuthatches are easy to find. Keep an eye open and an ear alert for the large pileated woodpecker any time of year.

OLD WOMAN CREEK STATE NATATURE PRESERVE

A spring trail­side walk turns up many migrants. From the overlook, search for great blue herons and great egrets wading the shallow estuary. You may encounter majestic bald eagles and ospreys, perched or flying over to fish. Waterfowl are present in good numbers, including mallards, teals and others. An excellent bird feeder, ­ with an indoor viewing area, allows easy views of birds throughout the year, especially during the winter.

OSBORN RECREATION AREA

Wooded trails are perfect for beginners and experienced bird watchers. Migrating songbirds, including a variety of warblers, fill nature trails each spring. Look for hermit thrushes and a warbler parade starting with migrating yellow rumps and common yellow­throat warblers which breed at the park. Great horned owls are seen along the trails; look for their silhouettes perched in the larger trees.

PIPE CREEK WILDLIFE AREA

Sandusky, Route 6 to Cedar Point Causeway,

This 100 acre wetland supports Ohio's largest population of nesting common terns. The common tern, dependent on the wetlands for its survival, is an endangered species in Ohio. Shore birds and waterfowl frequent the area, as do bald eagles that perch or fish in the marsh.

SANDUSKY HARBOR

Herring gulls have formed a large colony in the Sandusky Bay area. Many ring­billed gulls are also present. Look for great black­backed gulls in winter, as well as other ocean coast gulls. Large rafts of waterfowl including many mergansers, stop on the bay during migration. Egrets and night­herons breed in the area, and mute swans can be seen in a marsh west of town.

SHELDON MARSH STATF. NATURE PRESERVE Large numbers of birds migrate here every spring. Look for dabbling ducks in the shallows behind the sand spit, and search for divers-often numbering in the thousands-in the lake just beyond. Shore birds perch on mud flats in both spring and fall. A spring walk down paved trails yields up to 100 species, including many warblers, vireos and other small songbirds. A spring walk reveals wood ducks, Canada geese, great blue herons and great egrets in the water, with many songbirds breeding in the forest and fields. Bald eagles and hawks are often visible high in the trees.