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Lakewood Christmas Bird Count Report 2012

Submitted by Nancy Howell, Compiler for the Lakewood Circle,
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society

Date: Sunday, December 30, 2012

Results: 68 Species: 74 Participants
Time out in the field 06:45 to 15:30
Location: Rocky River Nature Center, Rocky River Reservation, Cleveland Metroparks, 24000 Valley
Pkwy, North Olmsted, OH 44070
Archive:
http://www.wcasohio.org/Christmas_bird_count_2012.htm

Summary Overview

The 2012 Christmas Bird Count for the Lakewood Circle was superb in many ways and very different,
weather wise. The snow that began on Christmas day did not let up so by the CBC date, Sunday,
December 30, snow depth in many placed reached 12 inches sometimes more. Rather heavy flurries
continued on the morning of December 30, but cleared around noon. By 4:30 PM the sun was peeking
from behind clouds and a lovely sunset closed the day.
Visibility was difficult for those looking long distances, such as over Lake Erie or when a huge flake
crashed into your eye. Temperatures (F) hovered in the mid 20s and climbed a degree or two higher to
around 27 degrees F. Depending on where one was the winds were either gusty or non existent.
Lake Erie was wide open as were moving waters such as rivers and streams. Many smaller lakes and
ponds had iced over or had little open water. Birdfeeders seemed to be a good place to watch birds
since plentiful food means a variety of birds. Natural fruits and seeds were sporadic. Some grasses and
forbs were snow covered, but in other areas were still exposed above the snow. Fruits were either
totally stripped from trees, but again in other areas the fruiting trees were loaded. Possibly the birds
had not found them yet. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) trees in a cemetery proved to be valuable
in attracting the winter finches that were located on the count.

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Initial lists and numbers from Sunday, December 30 seem rather normal as to species seen in our
circle. Then again several surprises that just are not expected in our area at this time of year did crop
up. The prediction of a winter finch irruption came true. Following is the list of
81 species (79 species
on count day and 2 during count week) as of January 7, 2013. Looking at the list it is one of the
BEST
lists in a long time.
Waterfowl seem to be fairly normal with regard to what species are expected. No unusual dabbler
species was sighted. Diving and big water ducks were down in numbers due to the wide open waters of
Lake Erie as well as the difficulty in seeing with the snow and fog. No Canvasback were sighted this
year. The Black Scoter was a nice find and tallying all three species of Mergansers is nice.
In the past years Wild Turkey sightings have been on the rise, nothing this year, not even on count
week. Snow too deep?
Raptors made a reasonable showing, with the Northern Harrier a good addition (actually viewed
capturing a pigeon), as was the single Sharp-shinned Hawk. The number of Red-shouldered Hawks
was down this year. A single Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon were lower than expected numbers and our
usual Merlin was not sighted the day of the count, but made it to count week.
Gulls were the usuals that are expected with Ring-bills highest in number. Again, poor visibility at the
lakefront made looking at gray gulls against a gray sky and snow and fog you get it.
Three species of owl and almost all of the woodpeckers with the exception of the sapsucker filled our
list nicely. Hold on folks, since late summer a Rufous Hummingbird was being hosted at a feeder in
North Olmsted and it was still coming to the yard and feeder on count day. What a nice surprise and
addition to the list. We hope it continues and does well through the remainder of the winter. The
number of American Crows was low this year (was it a bad summer for West Nile virus for them?).
Feeder species, such as the Chickadee, Titmouse and Nuthatches were in good numbers. Despite the
fall announcements of Red-breasted Nuthatch being seen in many areas and at many feeders, our
number didnt seem to reflect a huge influx. Perhaps they moved elsewhere.
Speaking of moving elsewhere, where were Winter Wren, Kinglets, Eastern Bluebird, and Hermit
Thrush?? Most years we add at least a couple of these species not this year and not even during
count week. Even Cedar Waxwing were tough to find, but a few small flocks were tallied. A goodie
along the lake was the American Pipit sighting as it foraged along the Lake Erie shoreline. We all like
goodies and lets add another; a single Ovenbird has been overwintering in a yard, being fed chopped
nuts and mealworms. It too was seen on count day.
A pretty good list of sparrows is noted, but a low number of Swamp Sparrows and a rather high
number of Dark-eyed Junco but wait, wait, theres more two small flocks of Snow Bunting were
seen, again along the lakeshore. Nobody seems to get too excited about blackbirds, but this count
tallied Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Rusty Blackbird and Brown-headed Cowbird, hey,
four species we dont often get.
An irruption of winter finches didnt let us down with the birds at feeders and, as mentioned earlier, in
one cemetery. Red and White-winged Crossbills were terrific for this count as were the Common
Redpoll and Pine Siskin. While numbers were low, mostly single digits, having them on the count was a

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Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
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Web:
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great find.
Heres the list: Count Week species are in
italics
, rare or unusual species are
bold
.

Birds

Species

Lakewood CBC Count

1.

Canada Goose

1095

2.

Tundra Swan

69

3.

Mallard

711

4.

American Black Duck

11

5.

Northern Shoveler

6.

Gadwall

7.

Redhead

20

8.

Greater Scaup

26

9.

Lesser Scaup

15

10.

White-winged Scoter

cw

11.

Black Scoter

14

12.

Bufflehead

23

13.

Common Goldeneye

128

14.

Red-breasted Merganser

987

15.

Hooded Merganser

16.

Common Merganser

14

17.

Ruddy Duck

18.

Common Loon

19.

Horned Grebe

20.

Pied-billed Grebe

21.

Great Blue Heron

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info@wcaudubon.org
Web:
http://www.wcaudubon.org

22.

Bald Eagle

23.

Northern Harrier

24.

Sharp-shinned Hawk

25.

Coopers Hawk

13

26.

Red-tailed Hawk

21

27.

Red-shouldered Hawk

28.

American Kestrel

29.

Merlin

cw

30.

Peregrine Falcon

31.

American Coot

32.

Ring-billed Gull

13,768

33.

Herring Gull

94

34.

Great Black-backed Gull

21

35.

Bonapartes Gull

3039

36.

Rock Pigeon

326

37.

Mourning Dove

164

38.

Great Horned Owl

39.

Barred Owl

40.

Eastern Screech Owl

41.

Belted Kingfisher

42.

Rufous Hummingbird

43.

Red-headed Woodpecker

44.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

56

45.

Downy Woodpecker

72

46.

Hairy Woodpecker

15

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Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
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info@wcaudubon.org
Web:
http://www.wcaudubon.org

47.

Northern Flicker

48.

Pileated Woodpecker

49.

American Crow

41

50.

Blue Jay

224

51.

Black-capped Chickadee

180

52.

Tufted Titmouse

61

53.

White-breasted Nuthatch

52

54.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

12

55.

Brown Creeper

56.

Carolina Wren

13

57.

American Robin

319

58.

Northern Mockingbird

59.

European Starling

1271

60.

American Pipit

61.

Cedar Waxwing

24

62.

Ovenbird

63.

American Tree Sparrow

58

64.

Song Sparrow

35

65.

Swamp Sparrow

66.

White-throated Sparrow

124

67.

White-crowned Sparrow

68.

Dark-eyed Junco

266

69.

Snow Bunting

16

70.

Northern Cardinal

176

71.

Red-winged Blackbird

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Web:
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72.

Common Grackle

73.

Rusty Blackbird

74.

Brown-headed Cowbird

75.

House Finch

135

76.

Red Crossbill

77.

White-winged Crossbill

78.

Common Redpoll

79.

Pine Siskin

12

80.

American Goldfinch

210

81.

House Sparrow

1347

Volunteers
Seventy (70) participants located species and reported them. Lots of hard work went into the 2012
Lakewood Christmas Bird Count so thank you to the following: (apologies to those whose names I do
not have).
Jay Abercrombie, Jan Auburn, Ken and Lois Ballas, Buster Banish, Mary Bartos, Kit and Dennis Birch,
Kathleen Bradley, Nancy Brewer, Susan and Kurt Brocone, Erik Bruder, Martha Burrows, Craig
Caldwell, Sue and Lee Cavano, Patricia Cook, Barb Cromer, Bill Deininger, David Dvorak, Mark
Eberling, Nora Ebie, Doug Faulkner, Maria and Rick Finchum, Bob Finkelstein, Elise Fleming, Joanne
and Terry Gorges, Jim Hamilton, Jim Heflich, Heather Hodges, Nancy and Don Howell, Mary Lou
Hura, Anna Julnes, Lothar and Inge Jung, Rich Kassouf, Jeff Kraus, Irene Krise, JoAnn Kubicki, Ray
Kutnar, Paula Lozano, Michelle Manzo, Terri Martincic, Bret McCarty, Jim McCarty, Liz McQuaid,
Marianne Nolan, Penny OConnor and Page Stephens, Michael Pasek, Elza Phillips, Chris Pierce, Craig
Rieker, Tom and Mary Anne Romito, Larry Rosche, Linda Sekura, Judy Semroc, Paul Sherwood,
Chuck Slusarczyk, Jr., Jessie St. Christopher, Helen Taft, Kathleen Tiburzi, Bev Walborn, John Wincek
and David Yoo.

2016 Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email:
info@wcaudubon.org
Web:
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Photos

Photo:OvenbirdDaveDvorak.

Photo:BeltedKingfisheratZooMaryAnneRomito.

2016 Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email:
info@wcaudubon.org
Web:
http://www.wcaudubon.org

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2016 Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email:
info@wcaudubon.org
Web:
http://www.wcaudubon.org