The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
FLOCKING TOGETHER
Birders gather at Lake Erie Bluffs during annual Christmas Bird Count
For about a dozen people gathered at Lake Erie Bluffs in Perry Township, the cold morning of Dec. 29 was absolutely for the birds.
However, in this case, the idiom took on a non-pejorative meaning as birding enthusiasts flocked together to explore the Lake Metroparks property, circling the grounds to identify, by sight and sound, several species of birds, including bald eagles, nuthatches, titmice and finches, during the annual Christmas Bird Count.
Neophytes and ornithologists alike of all ages traversed muddy terrain looking skyward and peering into cleared spaces, flattened brush and bare trees lining the shore to seek and spot their respective favorite flying finds.
The park system also held another two-hour Christmas Bird Count hike/program at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland, led by Interpretive Manager Caitlin Ambrose.
Ambrose, who began birding about five years ago when she started her career as a naturalist at Lake Metroparks, has always had a love for birds, and remembers being in awe at all the birds flying around her on a first trip to
“I’ve always liked identifying the wildlife I see and learning more about that species.” — Andy Avram
Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, near Toledo.
“Warblers of all colors went from tree to tree above my head while we saw eagles soaring up high,” she said. “I always had a passion for birds but I found a deeper appreciation for these feathered friends ever since. Only recently have I started to challenge myself with it. I find myself getting out to the parks as much as I can and checking for any bird I can find. I was with (fellow Interpretive Manager) Andy (Avram) when we saw common ravens, which was incredible, the first seen in Lake County since 1998. That was a very cool experience. Later that day, I saw a long-eared owl. It was the most exciting day of my young birding career.
“I got to see a painted bunting in South Carolina. I searched for six days until finally I found it. As I have just seriously started off my adventures in birding, I don’t think I have any one bird that I want to see over another. I want to see all the
colorful warblers and the amazing hawks and owls. There is so much out there to see and learn.”
While Ambrose’s foray into the observational activity is fairly new, Avram’s marks a complete contrast, but that stands to reason when one considers the fact that birds have been on his mind since he was a small child.
“My mom found an old baby book of mine and it said my first words were, “mom,” “dad,” and “bird,” so I’ve pretty much been into birding since birth,” he said. “My dad (also) did a little birding and taught me the ropes.”
Arguably, the birders at the Bluffs could have no better guide than Avram, as his lifelong passion for birding has taken him all over country, including Alaska. He’s also traveled internationally, visiting South Africa, Namibia, Germany and Costa Rica to find a variety of classifications.
“I’ve always liked identifying the wildlife I see and learning more about that species,” he said. “I like that it gives me an excuse to get outside and an excuse to travel. I like that I can make it as laid back or competitive
as I wish, and that sliding scale varies from year to year or outing to outing. Sometimes I just want to walk in the woods and see whatever happens to be out and about, and other times I like to see just how big I can make my list of birds for that outing.
“Birding is a fairly popular activity in Lake County, and there is a core group of birders you can find birding somewhere in Lake County on any given day. At our Lake Metroparks bird programs, we have a nice mix of dedicated participants and new participants.”
Meeting at 8 a.m. at the Bluffs, participants were presented with an introduction on the history of the Christmas Bird Count, learning of data collected and also apprised of bird population trends. After taking to the trails, every bird identified was detailed on a checklist.
On average, about 25 species of birds are recorded at Lake Erie Bluffs, with slightly less at Penitentiary Glen. The area holds more species due to birds on the lake — usually three species of gulls, and some ducks and geese not seen at Penitentiary Glen.
“Lake Erie Bluffs offers more diversity, colder winds off the lake and a better chance for a rare bird, while Penitentiary Glen offers a warm nature center to look for feeder birds, and better forest bird diversity,” Avram said. “The lake draws in birds like a magnet and it’s hard to beat birding on Lake Erie. Waterfowl, grebes and cormorants are all species that regularly turn up on
the lake.”
Typically, the park system averages about 10-to-15 birders per Bird Walk, the official title of its regular program. With participation a bit lower in the winter, the numbers increase in April and May during the spring migration.
In addition to the ravens, making a comeback in eastern Ohio, Avram said other rare breeds spotted recently
include a flock of common redpolls and a northern shrike, “a cool songbird that kills rodents, insects, and small birds for food, and then skewers them on a thorn to butcher them.”
Avram added that one of his best finds this year was a chestnut-collared longspur in Fairport Harbor.
“This was the first time this species has ever been seen in Ohio,” he said. “Outside of that, I have seen a lot of different species of birds, and found it humbling to see wild California condors and whooping cranes, both of which have total populations measured between 400 and 600, so they’re incredibly endangered. I’ve never seen any species of wild penguin, so that is high on my must-see list.”
Dan Burnett, Lake Metroparks chief of interpretive services, encourages all enthusiasts of nature to check out the system’s birding hot spots.
“You don’t have to be a birder to register and join in the fun,” he said. “Beginners as well as seasoned veteran birders are welcome to unite and count birds on this long-standing tradition.”