Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Photo by Matt Valencic
Annual Series of Spring Bird Walks
Each spring for many years on the last three Sundays in April and the first three Sundays in May at 7:30 A.M. the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland in conjunction with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Metroparks, Lake Metroparks, Geauga Park District, Shaker Lakes Nature Center, Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, and Holden Arboretum conduct bird walks to experience the progression of spring migration through our area. Bird species are counted and recorded and the data is stored both on ebird and at the Museum of Natural History. This is a great way to improve your birding skills as the walks are led by experienced birders who welcome all levels of birders from beginners to advanced. These walks are held in 19 locations throughout the Greater Cleveland area. There is likely one close to your home.
Gates Mills Bird Walks – 2024 Schedule
Annual Series of Spring Bird Walks – 2024 Schedule
IBA (Important Bird Area) Breeding Bird Survey
Each June the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland conducts a Breeding Bird Survey on two of our Aurora properties. The walk begins promptly at 6:00AM and lasts about 2 to 3 hours. All birds seen or heard are recorded and special notes are made if there are activities involved with nest building, incubation, or feeding of the nestlings. We have collected a number of years of data for this survey and it is starting to show interesting trends in the mix and number of species. Please help us out on this important census. Check this website for information on dates and location as June approaches.
IBA (Important Bird Area) Winter Bird Survey
Each February the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland conducts a winter bird survey in the Aurora Sanctuary where we record all the birds seen or heard. This data gives us a chance to monitor the birds using our sanctuary as their winter home. The data is analyzed for changes in the mix of species so that over time trends in numbers can give us a suggestion on how bird populations are faring in our sanctuary. The walk is two miles lasting about two hours. It is a chance for you to get out of the house to quell “cabin fever” and embrace our wonderful winter in the woods.
Monthly Nature Walks
Each month there is a nature walk in one of our sanctuaries highlighting some seasonally appropriate theme. Birds are not always the focus but do play a big part on the hike. Sometimes we are looking for frogs, sometimes a particular wildflower, sometimes animal tracks in the snow, or in the autumn to be dazzled by the leaf color changes. These walks are about a two mile hike and last two to three hours. There is almost always a natural surprise that we discover on the trail.
