Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge/USFWS
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41.6156° N83.2160° WBortle 4New York

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Photography Guide

National Wildlife Refuge in Ottawa County, Ohio

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters · Public domain · source

Located in Ottawa County, Ohio, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. It sits roughly 12.6 km (7.8 mi) E of Curtice.

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge of the United States, which is located in the state of Ohio. This refuge was established in 1961, under the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, the purpose of the refuge being created was “… for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds”. 16 U.S.C. 715d. This refuge provides ideal habitat for a wide range for migratory birds and waterfowl, along with the native wildlife, and any endangered and threatened species. The property of the refuge was purchased from hunt clubs and farmlands with the Federal Duck Stamps.From the Wikipedia article “Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Curtice
12.6 km (7.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:15 PM
sunset 6:53 PM

Light at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

Live
Sunrise
7:51 AM
Sunset
6:45 PM
Golden hour AM
7:34 AM – 8:29 AM
Golden hour PM
6:07 PM – 7:03 PM
Blue hour AM
7:23 AM – 7:34 AM
Blue hour PM
7:03 PM – 7:14 PM
Full darkness
8:18 PM – 6:20 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:04 PM / 1:45 AM
Day length
10h 54m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:37 AM90° E7:45 PM271° W48°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:00 AM57° ENE9:11 PM303° WNW72°15h 12m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:21 AM89° E7:32 PM271° W49°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:57 AM121° ESE5:06 PM239° WSW25°9h 09m

Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.

Golden hour & blue hour by month

Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:27 AM7:58 AM8:41 AM4:45 PM5:28 PM5:58 PM9h 30m
February7:01 AM7:29 AM8:08 AM5:28 PM6:07 PM6:35 PM10h 37m
March7:18 AM7:46 AM8:22 AM7:03 PM7:40 PM8:07 PM11h 54m
April6:25 AM6:54 AM7:31 AM7:36 PM8:13 PM8:42 PM13h 20m
May5:43 AM6:14 AM6:54 AM8:06 PM8:46 PM9:18 PM14h 31m
June5:25 AM5:59 AM6:41 AM8:28 PM9:10 PM9:44 PM15h 11m
July5:39 AM6:12 AM6:53 AM8:26 PM9:07 PM9:40 PM14h 54m
August6:12 AM6:42 AM7:20 AM7:56 PM8:34 PM9:04 PM13h 52m
September6:46 AM7:14 AM7:50 AM7:08 PM7:44 PM8:12 PM12h 30m
October7:17 AM7:45 AM8:23 AM6:15 PM6:53 PM7:21 PM11h 08m
November6:53 AM7:23 AM8:04 AM4:33 PM5:14 PM5:44 PM9h 51m
December7:22 AM7:54 AM8:38 AM4:20 PM5:04 PM5:36 PM9h 11m

Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.

Milky Way & night sky

From Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-3°—
FebruaryBelow 10° in darkness—10°—
March5:02 AM – 6:02 AM1.016°SE → SSE
April3:03 AM – 5:03 AM2.019°SE → S
May1:01 AM – 4:11 AM3.220°SE → S
June11:19 PM – 3:49 AM4.520°SSE → SSW
July11:09 PM – 2:19 AM3.220°S → SW
August10:19 PM – 12:19 AM2.019°S → SW
September9:19 PM – 10:19 PM1.016°SSW → SW
October8:26 PM – 8:26 PM0.010°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-19°—

Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.

Estimated sky darkness: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.86 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F647082829110110410097887867
Low °F-16-12-21826394747372611-10
Precip. (in)2.22.32.53.44.13.63.53.43.12.82.82.4

Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.

Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge

  • Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
  • Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
  • Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
  • A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 40 km of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.

Cedar Point National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge12 km away · Lucas County
Maumee Bay State ParkState Park
Maumee Bay State Park16 km away · Lucas County
West Sister Island LightLighthouse
West Sister Island Light16 km away · Ottawa County
National Wildlife Refuge
West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge17 km away · Ottawa County
Toledo Harbor LightLighthouse
Toledo Harbor Light20 km away · Lucas County
Turtle Island LightLighthouse
Turtle Island Light21 km away · Lucas County
Detroit River International Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge26 km away · Monroe County
Port Clinton LightLighthouse
Port Clinton Light26 km away · Ottawa County
Green Island LightLighthouse
Green Island Light29 km away · Ottawa County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
What time is golden hour at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:15 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:53 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:23 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 57° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge from Curtice?
About 12.6 km (7.8 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.