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Field Trip Report 

 
Event: ​Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society Field Trip to Lake Isaac Report 
Date: ​Sunday, April 29, 2018 
Time: ​7:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. 
Location:​ Lake Isaac Waterfowl Sanctuary, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130  
Leaders:​ Nancy Howell, Rich Kassouf 
Target Species: ​All we can see in a variety of habitats 
Results:​ 26 Birders, 48 Species 

Twenty-six Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society members, guests, friends and others joined the Lake
Isaac Spring Bird Walk on Sunday, April 29, 2018. The morning was overcast and colder than one would
expect for the end of April, but spirits were high. Leaders, and WCAS members, Nancy Howell and Rich
Kassouf led the group.

With that many eyes and ears, the group was soon pointing in different directions calling out bird
names. On the lake itself Canada Geese, Mallards and Wood Ducks were seen and shown to everyone.
We tried to make some of the tree stumps sticking out of the water into birds … but those birds never
moved. The lake did produce Green Heron and Belted Kingfisher along with Tree, Northern
Rough-winged and Barn Swallows. Red-winged Blackbirds, a Great Blue Heron and Ring-billed Gulls
either skirted around or flew over the lake.

While on the trail, we noted that this year’s leaf out of vegetation is about 2 weeks behind schedule.
With no to few leaves and flowers on trees and shrubs, the insects on which many migrants feed are
low. Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, not much bigger than a hummingbird and fidgeting
with energy, were doing their best at foraging. Birders got good looks at the Ruby-crowns.
Yellow-rumped Warblers and a single Yellow Warbler also gave the group good looks.

Copyright 2018 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

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Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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In the more open field and brushy areas, Wild Turkey, Mourning Dove, Eastern Towhee, Brown
Thrasher, Northern Cardinal, Eastern Phoebe, American Robin, American Goldfinch, Brown-headed
Cowbirds, and Song Sparrows made an appearance and most sang or vocalized. Sharing the sounds of
birds is important on these walks.

In the wooded areas several species of woodpecker, Blue Jay, Hermit Thrush, Black-capped Chickadees,
Tufted Titmouse and White-breasted Nuthatch were located. One portion of the trail leading to 2 small
woodland ponds is now impassable due to beaver activity. The beaver was sighted on Lake Isaac as it
surfaced and dove several times. Beaver are notorious for changing the habitat to their liking. It might
be interesting to watch if bird species change as well.

A few recent spring arrivals were Chimney Swift, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Gray Catbird.
We can’t forget the great views of the single Cedar Waxwing as we made our way back to the parking lot
to go over the checklist.

In the 3 hours that the group was out, 48 species were listed. The list with the number of each species is
below. ​- Nancy Howell, WCAS Board Member

Bird List 

# Species Count

1. Canada Goose ​(Branta canadensis) 19

2. Wood Duck ​(Aix sponsa) 6

3. Mallard ​(Anas platyrhynchos) 5

4. Wild Turkey ​(Meleagris gallopavo) 3

5. Great Blue Heron ​(​Ardea herodias) 1

6. Green Heron ​(​Butorides virescens) 2

7. Turkey Vulture ​(​Cathartes aura) 1

8. Red-shouldered Hawk​ (​Buteo lineatus) 1

9. Ring-billed Gull ​(Larus delawarensis) 7

10. Rock Pigeon​ (​Columba livia) 3

11. Mourning Dove ​(​Zenaida macroura) 10

Copyright 2018 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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12. Chimney Swift​ (​Chaetura pelagica) 2

13. Belted Kingfisher​ (Megaceryle alcyon) 1

14. Red-bellied Woodpecker​ (Melanerpes carolinus) 8

15. Downy Woodpecker​ (Picoides pubescens) 6

16. Hairy Woodpecker ​(​Leuconotopicus villosus) 1

17. Northern Flicker ​(Colaptes auratus) 3

18. Eastern Phoebe​ (Sayornis phoebe) 1

19. Blue Jay​ (Cyanocitta cristata) 8

20. American Crow​ (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 9

21. Tree Swallow ​(Tachycineta bicolor) 7

22. Northern Rough-winged Swallow ​(Stelgidopteryx serripennis) 1

23. Barn Swallow ​(​Hirundo rustica) 2

24. Black-capped Chickadee ​(Poecile atricapillus) 12

25. Tufted Titmouse​ (​Baeolophus bicolor) 2

26. White-breasted Nuthatch ​(Sitta carolinensis) 4

27. House Wren​ (Troglodytes aedon) 1

28. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ​(Polioptila caerulea) 2

29. Golden-crowned Kinglet ​(Regulus satrapa) 4

30. Ruby-crowned Kinglet​ (Regulus calendula) 7

31. Hermit Thrush ​(Catharus guttatus) 1

32. American Robin​ (Turdus migratorius) 10

33. Gray Catbird​ (Dumetella carolinensis) 1

34. Brown Thrasher ​(Toxostoma rufum) 2

35. European Starling ​(Sturnus vulgaris) 2

36. Cedar Waxwing​ (Bombycilla cedrorum) 1

Copyright 2018 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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37. Yellow Warbler ​(Setophaga petechia) 1

38. Yellow-rumped Warbler ​(Setophaga coronata) 5

39. Eastern Towhee ​(Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 6

40. Song Sparrow ​(Melospiza melodia) 10

41. White-throated Sparrow ​(Zonotrichia albicollis) 4

42. Northern Cardinal ​(Cardinalis cardinalis) 10

43. Red-winged Blackbird ​(Agelaius phoeniceus) 21

44. Common Grackle ​(Quiscalus quiscula) 1

45. Brown-headed Cowbird ​(Molothrus ater) 12

46. House Finch ​(Haemorhous mexicanus) 3

47. American Goldfinch​ (Spinus tristis) 10

48. House Sparrow​ (Passer domesticus) 10

Photos 
 

Photo: Lake Isaac Group 2017 by Penny O’Connor.

Copyright 2018 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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Photo: Got Vines 2017 by Penny O’Connor.
 

 
Photo: Lake Isaac Birders 2017 by Penny O’Connor.

Copyright 2018 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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Copyright 2018 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

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