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BAZETTA -- At 99 years old, Wellsville resident Vivian Mackall could not view the total solar eclipse due to her vision problems, but she heard the eclipse using a light-sound station set up near the beach at Mosquito Lake State Park.
Her family brough Mackall to the park Monday, where she sat and listened to sounds of the eclipse going through its phases while others around her wore special glasses.
Hundreds of people gathered near the beach and the picnic area. As bright sunny skies dimmed after 3 p.m. and the park became dark at 3:15 p.m., people were amazed at what they saw.
Robbie Petrick, Mackall's daughter of Wellsville, said her mother while not able to see the eclipse told her she heard sounds as the eclipse was taking place.
"I saw the device was going to be available here at Mosquito Lake on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website. We asked them, and they set it up for her," Petrick said.
Binks Mackall drove his mother and family to the state park.
More than 25 members of the Warren Ski Club attended, too.
Chris Lunder of Cortland said the members decided after the eclipse to hike, bike and play cornhole.
"I love the camaraderieship of the group and being together at this big event." Lunder said.
"This is a memorable event we get to share with our ski club friends," Mark Gorse of Warren, ski club president, said.
Mike Moliterno of Cortland was with his daughter, Alyson, 7. He said he thought the park would be busy but was surprised how easy they got in and found a parking spot.
"I thought we weren't going to be able to get in," Moliterno said.
PARK NATURALISTS
Jason Lee, Mosquito Lake Park naturalist, provided updates via microphone of what contact points and stages of the eclipse and also advised of wearing glasses.
"We wanted to show what takes place outside of the eclipse. We were observing to see what happens with animals and birds and nature. Many people concentrate only on the two minutes and eight seconds totality of the eclipse we have here. With the animals, it is like Russian roulette. There have been studies done where species of birds go crazy and star squawking while others are quiet," Lee said.
Two barred owls and a red-tailed hawk were at the event, as were dogs brought by the public.
"We want to watch the birds and animals and see how they react. With wildlife you can get all types or reactions," Lee said.
He said even people without a passion for astronomy have latched on to the total solar eclipse.
Don Urchek of Bazetta took his wife, Martha, and family out on a pontoon boat to watch.
Dakota Moore, 9, of Champion, said he was prepared to watch the eclipse with his special glasses.
"This was fun to be here and see the eclipse," he said.
Kathy McDaniel of Cortland said she was watching to see how the owls and hawk reacted.
"Animals know and sense something will happen," McDaniel said.
She said that during the eclipse she noticed the temperature changed.
Lee said some bird species may even head home to roost thinking it is time to go back to the nest.
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