Blackbrook Audubon is inviting nature enthusiasts to witness the arrival of migratory birds in the annual tradition of the Spring Bird Walk Series. Blackbrook’s sponsored hotspot is the north end of Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve and Headlands Beach State Park. Those who want to participate sh ould meet in the parking lot west of Shipman Pond at 9600 Headlands Road in Mentor by the northern trailhead of Zimmerman Trail, according to a news release. The walks start at 7:30 a.m. on the following Sundays: April 13, 20, 27 and May 4, 11, 18. Blackbrook will have binoculars to lend attendees. Before the trees leaf out, participants should be able to see the bald eagle nest from the bridge over Shipman Pond during these walks, the release stated. The eagles began incubation at the nest closest to Route 44 on Feb. 8. They’ve shown feeding behavior since about St. Paddy’s Day. The number of raptor nestlings can’t be confirmed until they are large enough to be visible over the side of the nest. The group will scan the nest each Sunday through a spotting scope. A pair of ospreys has returned to their nest on the cellphone tower by Laketran on Lakeshore Boulevard so the group may also see osprey activity. Birders will return to the parking lot at Zimmerman Trail and have the option of moving their cars to the parking area by Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve where they search for more songbirds and scan the channel beside the dunes for waterfowl, the release stated. For more information on the six-week, Cleveland-area Spring Bird Walk Series, email blackbrookaud@aol.com or rdonaldson@cmnh.org. Blackbrook Audubon started as the Blackbrook Bird Club and has been leading walks in this area since the 1940’s. Now Blackbrook Audubon is the local chapter of National Audubon Society covering Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake counties. ...read more read less