December 2022 Program

“Going for the Gold: Three Decades of Prothonotary Warbler Husbandry”
Speakers: Dan Best, former naturalist with the Geauga Parks, and Rachel McKinney, volunteer
Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2022
This program presents the trials and triumphs of providing artificial nest cavities, notably the use of converted fiber supplement jars, to bolster the nesting success of Prothonotary Warblers on the Upper Cuyahoga River in Geauga County. Measures to contend with - tree swallow competition, cowbird nest parasitism, predators, and flood waters - will be shared along with breeding biology and findings on longevity, pair bonding and multi-year nest site faithfulness through the use of banding. Climate-related habitat change on nest jar use in recent years will be addressed in this summary of a 30 year project to promote the “golden swamp warbler.”