The monthly Second Saturday walks are a great opportunity for birders of all skill levels to enjoy the woods and wetlands around the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Nature Center. New to birding? You will be amazed how much you can learn in this friendly group.​

Photo: Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) with Kill by Will Mayall [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

One of the biggest success stories in conservation was the reintroduction of the Peregrine Falcon to the eastern U.S. In Ohio, cities, such as Columbus, Toledo, Cleveland and other “urban mountains” became the stronghold of the falcons. Chad and Chris Saladin have been falcon watchers and trackers for a long time and know the history of many of the pairs of birds in and around northeast Ohio. Find out how the falcons are faring on the bridges and buildings of the urban canyons. ​​

Photo: Coltsfoot by Kaoru Tsubone.

The monthly Second Saturday walks are a great opportunity for birders of all skill levels to enjoy the woods and wetlands around the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Nature Center. New to birding? You will be amazed how much you can learn in this friendly group.​

Credit: Drew Weber, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 Join us for this introductory discussion on the technology tools that birders and naturalists can apply to their endeavors in the field and at home to increase their knowledge, improve their experience and support science and conservation efforts. ​

Photo: Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) by Kathy Murphy.

This presentation uses photographs to help group warblers by appearance, preferred habitat, and behaviors, such as tail wagging, which helps with identification. In addition, songs and ways to remember songs will be provided. This should get us prepared for migration!  ​

We had 27 observers at this 2nd Saturday of the month bird walk for February 2019. The temperature was 18 degrees, with some sun, and very little wind. Some new observers joined us. We had only 23 species. Best bird was a fly over Bald Eagle. Two very colorful Bluebirds sat and were enjoyed by every one. After we just finished filling out the bird list a Brown Creeper appeared at the feeding station for some close up looks. ​

We had 25 birders who braved the 27 degree temperature, including a birder from Alaska. The second surprise was a Rough-legged Hawk who did a fly over directly above our heads. We ended up with 28 species, including a fly over Bald Eagle and a very tough to see Barred Owl.

The monthly Second Saturday walks are a great opportunity for birders of all skill levels to enjoy the woods and wetlands around the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Nature Center. New to birding? You will be amazed how much you can learn in this friendly group.​

Photo: Chimney Swift overhead by Jim McCulloch.

Aerial insectivores, birds that catch insects on the wing, such as the Chimney Swift are declining and there may be several reasons for the decline.

We had 24 observers on this Second Saturday in December in Rocky River Reservation. It was a brisk 27 degrees, cloudy and a slight breeze. We had 26 different species. The highlights were a pair of Red-breasted Nuthatches that fed out of some of the birders hands. We also had a good look at a Barred Owl, perched high up in a pine tree, observed by all. - Bill Deininger.

In 2017, we saw a ​Sharp-shinned Hawk and a Red-shouldered Hawk who perched on a broken tree top and gulped a “critter” down. We had an unobstructed view at a very close range. What will we see in 2018?

The highlight was a Red-tailed hawk perched directly over the trail about 25 feet high. We were able to walk directly below the hawk, pass by the hawk and continue the walk with him carefully watching us. Great views at all angles. ~ Bill Deininger, Bird Walk Leader

Sub-freezing temperatures did not deter 26 birders for the November 2017 Second Saturday walk. Ice had formed on the ponds. Eastern Bluebirds and Pileated Woodpeckers came in threes. Birders enjoyed American Tree Sparrows. What will we see in 2018?

Several highlights include 23 Yellow-rumped warblers. Good looks at a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The Cuckoo was initially on the ground, flew up at eye level for about a minute, then flew up higher before disappearing.

In October 2017, two Bald Eagles flew overhead and there were great views of two Pileated Woodpeckers and two Eastern Bluebirds. Fall migration reached a point when the only warblers to be seen were Yellow-rumped Warblers. What will we see in 2018?

Six warbler species, including eight American Redstarts, six Magnolia warblers and five Black-and-White warblers were viewed by the group in several locations. We had some good birds including a Barred Owl, a Scarlet Tanager, and a pair of Solitary Sandpipers. ​

Above: Eastern Phoebe ( Sayornis phoebe) by John Benson (Flickr: Flycatcher) [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Seeing a Philadelphia Vireo is a real treat! The bird was in a group with an Eastern Phoebe and a Great Crested Flycatcher. Over the dipping pond Belted Kingfishers put on an aerial display, rattling loudly." - Second Saturday Bird Walk August 12, 2017 at Rocky River Nature Center Report

We started in the parking lot watching a Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on a branch. The Scarlet Tanager was singing in the parking lot and a few lucky birders saw the bird as we started along the trail. We watched several Great Crested Flycatchers flying about. 

Photo: Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis), female, Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, Quebec, Canada. By Cephas [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

Midsummer can be a slow time for birding, but not on this pleasant sunny day. A highlight among the 52 species observed was a Red-breasted Nuthatch singing high in a tree. Other avian treasures were four species of thrush and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. - July 2017

A singing Veery, pairs of Wood Thrushes and Yellow Warblers feeding their young, and an Acadian Flycatcher on the nest were just a few of the rewards for walking through a cloudburst. The final attraction was a Belted Kingfisher toiling mightily to swallow a large fish. ​

In 2017, we saw an Acadian Flycatcher and a Cedar Waxwing on their nests plus singing Veeries highlighted this perfect June day. A slightly downy juvenile Barred Owl was another great find. A pair of Pileated Woodpeckers excavated holes in an old tree. Being summer, flycatchers are back, five species seen. What will we see in 2018?

Most of the birders would say our best bird of the day was an immature Barred Owl. It was on a tree branch about 15 feet high and five feet from the trail. Everyone had unobstructed views of the owlet. Down the trail we then saw one of the parent Barred owls hanging around watching out for the owlet. It was a great day for birding. Many species, many great views, many birds singing. 

In 2017, migration brought warblers! On this International Migratory Bird Day the Rocky River trails had 12 species of warbler. Seven Scarlet Tanagers were welcome arrivals. The woods were rich with song. What will we see this year?

Bird collisions are one of the top three human-related causes of bird deaths and injuries. What can be done to solve the problem, or, at least, reduce the number of deaths? 

We had a number of early migrants, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Eastern Phoebe, Brown Creepers, and both Kinglets. Other first-of-year birds that showed up include, Tree Swallows and Northern Rough-winged Swallows, a Broad-winged hawk circled directly over our heads, an early Green Heron and five Hooded Mergansers popped into view.