(more detailed directions in 2nd posting below) Jan 15, 1997 6:24 pm To: Macklin Smith via Birders at UM From: Jim Lesser RE: Castalia To All: Macklin Smith wrote>>The bounced message said that it remains "at Castalia," which presumably is a place we should all know. But where is it, what is it , and how might one reach it?<< Catalia is in Erie County, Ohio, south of Sandusky. it is 32 miles east of Crane Creek. To reach it from Crane Creek, take highway 2 for 28 miles. Go south over the Edison Bridge, and continue south on highway 269 to US 6. Go west a short distance, then continue south along highway 269 to Castalia. It can be found in the Ohio Atlas and Gazeteer on page 38, at A3. Castalia has a pond in the center of the small town that remain open all winter. It's the best mid-winter place near Toledo to find dabbling ducks. Regards, Jim Lesser ------------------- West Bloomfield, MI fwmx74a@prodigy.com (810) 626-2636 ------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 11:51:31 -0500 To: alb@umcc.umcc.umich.edu From: C R Finkelstein Subject: Re: Castalia, Ohio Alan, The information I sent to Macklin Smith is attached. The error my second message to Macklin corrected is that the parking area I identified as being on the north side of Castalia Pond is on the south side. The first parking area that I cited is on the north side. Although dabbling ducks are much more numerous at Castalia, if memory serves me right, one can also find small numbers of Canvasback, Redhead, and Common Goldeneye on occasion. Uncommon birds do sometimes turn up: witness the Greater White-fronted Goose; and around this time a couple of years ago, a Eurasian Wigeon was on the pond for a few days. Incidentally, have you heard anything more about the presence or absence of the Greater White-fronted Goose? Cheers, Robert Finkelstein >Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 17:25:09 -0500 >To: macklins@umich.edu >From: C R Finkelstein >Subject: Re: Castalia, Ohio > >Macklin, > >I read your request for information about Castalia; perhaps I can answer some of your questions. > >Castalia is a small town in Ohio a bit southeast of Port Clinton. The town is the locale of a spring-fed pond that does not freeze in winter and consequently can be loaded with ducks, particularly when Lake Erie freezes. > >Getting to Castalia is easy enough. I assume that you probably make an occasional trip to Crane Creek during spring migration, so I won't burden you with directions from Ann Arbor or vicinity to Ohio Rte 2, going eastbound from Toledo. Stay on Rte 2 until you cross Sandusky Bay, and then take the first exit, Ohio 269, southbound. After a mile or two Ohio 269 tee's into US Rte 6. Turn right at that junction and stay on US 6 for a mile or two; then turn left, south, on 269. I believe there is a sign there pointing to Castalia, which is about five miles from the turn. Turn left at the blinking light in Castalia, and the pond will be on your right within a quarter of a mile. There's a small parking area, also on the right, which you'll see. There's another small parking area on the north side of the pond. Unfortunately, I don't remember the street names, but it's easy to find, and you should be able to see it from the first parking area. > >If you opt to go by way of the Ohio Turnpike, exit the turnpike at Ohio 53 and go south toward Freemont. At the intersection with US 20, which is a freeway around Freemont, go east on US 20 to Ohio 412. Go east on 412 until it intersects Ohio 101. Turn left on 101 for about three miles to Castalia. you will enter Castalia from the southwest. I can't direct you to the pond with this route, but Castalia is small, and I'm sure you'll have no trouble. > >Good luck if you go. > >Robert Finkelstein > > >e-mail address: Robert.Finkelstein@lerc.nasa.gov > > >