The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and the Friends of Ottawa NWR are hosting a September-long Migration-A-Thon Virtual Challenge, a way to come together and move (bird, walk, hike, run, swim, paddle, ride) in our community with a goal of reaching 2,269 miles collectively. That is the distance it takes a monarch butterfly to travel from Oak Harbor to the butterfly sanctuary in Sierra Chincua, Mexico!

When participants register for the Virtual Challenge, they can log miles for the month of September to help the refuge reach their goal. Additionally, participants can create a fundraising page and have friends, family, or businesses sponsor their movement with a donation or pledged rate per mile.

Donations will help to conserve wildlife habitat in the Lake Erie marshes through the Friends of Ottawa NWR.

To celebrate the movement of birds, butterflies, dragonflies and more, the refuge is offering tours, programs, and activities that will keep participants outside and moving all month long. Programs will include guided paddles, themed hikes and tours, volunteer projects and activities on the main complex and satellite properties.

On the calendar of events for September, each activity will tell participants how far they will have “migrated” upon completion. This is a fun way to learn more about the national wildlife refuge and help to preserve its wildlife habitats for future generations.

To register for the Virtual Challenge visit: https://www.friendsofottawanwr.org/migration-a-thon.html
Visit https://www.friendsofottawanwr.org/events.html to view the calendar of events. Some programs require free registration. Call 419-898-0014 this week to register.

September is a wonderful month at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
to observe many migrating birds, such as warblers, flycatchers, shorebirds, early migrating ducks such as blue-winged teal and green-winged teal, and the broad-winged hawks as they move through the area. Other critters are also migrating in fall, like butterflies and dragonflies.

The monarch butterflies of the Eastern U.S. that emerge around mid-August begin migrating south as far as 3,000 miles to central Mexico where they overwinter. In September, monarchs are moving through the refuge, sometimes roosting in large numbers in the trees along the lake shore.

The Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is an 11,000-acre complex near Oak Harbor. The Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.