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43 - Huron Harbor West Pier
End of North Main Street, Huron, OH
419.433.8487
Public Access
Open dall day, year-round
GPS Coordinates
N 41° 23'53.03"; W 82° 33'1.28"
Driving Directions
The site can be reached from U.S. Route 6 (Lakeside) in
downtown Huron. Turn north at the stoplight, at the
intersection with SR 13 and follow the river about a mile
to a small parking lot at the foot of the pier. |
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What To Look For
One of southern Lake Erie's truly legendary "lake watch" hotspots in this 2/3-mile pier that extends into the lake from the mouth of the Huron River. A prominent feature along the pier is a diked spoil impoundment that encloses nearly 70 acres. In the late 1970's and 1980's, the mudflats within this impoundment attracted large numbers of gulls, terns, and shorebirds, including a number of rarities. Today, much of the site is thickly overgrown with giant reed (Phragmites australis).
The best birding occurs from October through December, with the best viewing at or near the 72-foot tall lighthouse at the pier's terminus. Massive numbers of gulls often congregate in this area, and huge numbers of waterfowl occur offshore. Bonaparte's Gulls can gather by the tens of thousands, and nearly inestimable flocks of Red-breasted Mergansers can be seen passing by. The weedy vegetation of the spoil impoundment is also worth searching as numerous sparrows and other songbirds utilize this sheltered area in both spring and fall migration.
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Noteworthy Rarities
Three state firsts have been found from the Huron pier: Pacific Loon, Spotted Redshank, and Arctic Tern. Many other rarities have been found, some with various regularity. Purple Sandpiper and Snowy Owl are sometimes seen on area breakwalls, and Northern Gannet has been spotted several times. Sabine's Gull has turned up and Red Phalarope has been seen numerous times.
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Natural Features
Visitors in late fall may notice large congregations of a distinctive insect, the box-elder bug (Boisea trivittata) on sun-warmed cement walls of the pier or on the trunks of adjacent box-elder (Acer negundo) trees.
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Local Resources
City of Huron
Lake Erie Shores & Islands
Ohio Ornithological Society
Nearby Lake Access Sites
Waterplant Beach. This ½-acre lakefront park is about one thousand feet west of the Huron Harbor West Pier, at the intersection of West and Sail Away Drives. Good views of the sheltered waters between the spoil impoundment and mainland are available.
Nickel Plate Beach. Located just east of the mouth of the Huron River and its east breakwall, this 12-acre beach is always worth checking for its shorebirds and roosting gulls and terns. It also offers access to the 1/3-mile long east jetty, which sometimes harbors Purple Sandpiper. The beach is at the junction of Tiffin Avenue and Nickel Plate Drive. |
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