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John Pogacnik The Birds are Back!

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  • May 2017
  • The Birds are Back!

The Birds are Back!

  • ​Posted May 11, 2017

By Andy Avram, Interpretive Manager

The first Sunday Morning Bird Walk of May still found us facing north winds, thus preventing major bird movement. Despite the odds, our group of 12 birders found 50 total species. Warbler numbers were low, but eight bald eagles kept us entertained for the duration of the bird walk. Our first ruby-throated hummingbirds of the year made an appearance with a total of three seen during the walk. Red-headed woodpeckers, both Baltimore and orchard orioles, and some wood thrushes helped round out the adventure. The following species were seen:

  • Canada goose
  • Wild turkey
  • Double-crested cormorant
  • Turkey vulture
  • Cooper's hawk
  • Bald eagle
  • Red-tailed hawk
  • Bonaparte's gull
  • Ring-billed gull
  • Herring gull
  • Mourning dove
  • Ruby-throated hummingbird
  • Belted kingfisher
  • Red-headed woodpecker
  • Red-bellied woodpecker
  • Downy woodpecker
  • Northern flicker
  • American kestrel
  • Eastern phoebe
  • Warbling vireo
  • Blue jay  
  • Tree swallow
  • Barn swallow
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • House wren
  • Blue-gray gnatcatcher
  • Ruby-crowned kinglet
  • Wood thrush
  • American robin
  • Gray catbird
  • Brown thrasher
  • European starling
  • Cedar waxwing
  • Nashville warbler
  • Common yellowthroat
  • Yellow warbler
  • White-crowned sparrow
  • White-throated sparrow
  • Song sparrow
  • Swamp sparrow
  • Eastern towhee
  • Northern cardinal
  • Rose-breasted grosbeak
  • Red-winged blackbird
  • Eastern meadowlark
  • Common grackle
  • Brown-headed cowbird
  • Orchard oriole
  • Baltimore oriole
  • American goldfinch

wild turkey

On Thursday May 11, winds from the south came in and the birds finally arrived in northeast Ohio! Migration is now here in full swing! The birding was so good that the people who attended the program stayed an extra hour! 

We started the walk off with a clay-colored sparrow in the parking lot. These little sparrows are pretty rare migrants through Ohio and it is a special treat to see one in Lake County. Then, a flock of six to eight rose-breasted grosbeaks flew into a nearby tree. After that it was warbler city. The best was a brief appearance of a singing golden-winged warbler. We had a total of 18 species of warblers out of 71 total bird species! This may be one of the highest species counts we’ve ever had on a bird walk. The following species were all seen or heard during the morning walk:

  • Canada goose
  • Mallard
  • Great blue heron
  • Green heron
  • Turkey vulture
  • Bald eagle
  • Solitary sandpiper
  • Herring gull
  • Mourning dove
  • Chimney swift
  • Red-bellied woodpecker
  • Downy woodpecker
  • Pileated woodpecker
  • Great crested flycatcher
  • Blue-headed vireo
  • Warbling vireo
  • Red-eyed vireo
  • Blue jay
  • American crow
  • Northern rough-winged swallow
  • Purple martin
  • Tree swallow
  • Barn swallow
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Tufted titmouse
  • White-breasted nuthatch
  • House wren
  • Carolina wren
  • Blue-gray gnatcatcher
  • Ruby-crowned kinglet
  • Eastern bluebird
  • Veery
  • Swainson's thrush
  • Hermit thrush
  • Gray catbird
  • Brown thrasher
  • Ovenbird
  • Northern waterthrush
  • Golden-winged warbler
  • Black-and-white warbler
  • Tennessee warbler
  • Nashville warbler
  • Common yellowthroat
  • American redstart
  • Cape May warbler
  • Northern parula
  • Magnolia warbler
  • Blackburnian warbler
  • Yellow warbler
  • Chestnut-sided warbler
  • Black-throated blue warbler
  • Palm warbler
  • Black-throated green warbler
  • Wilson's warbler
  • Chipping sparrow
  • Clay-colored sparrow
  • White-crowned sparrow
  • White-throated sparrow
  • Song sparrow
  • Lincoln's sparrow
  • Eastern towhee
  • Northern cardinal
  • Rose-breasted grosbeak
  • Red-winged blackbird
  • Eastern meadowlark
  • Common grackle
  • Brown-headed cowbird
  • Baltimore oriole
  • American goldfinch
  • House sparrow

red-winged blackbird

If you are interested in joining a guided Lake Metroparks bird walk, there are plenty of upcoming opportunities in May. Please click on the following links to register:

May 14
May 18
May 21
May 27
 

Birding at Lake Metroparks
Photos by John Pogacnik, Lake Metroparks Biologist

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