Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland

Warbler Warm-up Program
2024-04-07 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | West Woods Nature Center, 9465 Kinsman Road, Novelty, OH, 44072, United States
Some of the prettiest birds on the planet will be arriving in NE Ohio in April and May, and this program will get you ready to identify all of them. Matt Valencic and Kelly Stanek will show you how to ID more than 30 species and tell you where to look for them. About 1 ½ hour

Woodcock Watch Field Trip
2024-04-13 19:30 - 21:00 | Novak Sanctuary, 382 Townline Road, Mantua, OH, 44202, United States
We are very eager to see how the Woodcock utilize the newly restored wet fields at the Novak Sanctuary. Thanks to Matt Valencic and his trail crew along with help from Kenny Kresina and Mark Magree, the fields have been mostly cleared of an impenetrable copse of invasive buckthorn. We are hoping for a field full of Woodcock showing off for potential mates. Their twilight dance and courtship flight are mesmerizing. Each year the males claim their lek to begin the dance with their unique call and then rocket up into the flight display. Consider joining us for a sunset performance that you will remember forever! Meet at the Novak Sanctuary parking lot on the east side of Townline Road about a mile north of State Route 82 on the Aurora/Mantua border (451 Townline Road). Mud boots are a must!

Frog Fugue Field Trip
2024-04-20 20:00 - 21:30 | Aurora Audubon Sanctuary, 896 E. Pioneer Trail, Aurora, OH, 44202, United States
Frog Fugue with Toad accompaniment!
Nature’s spring symphony is not just made up of bird song. Several species of frogs and toads are likely to entertain us with an eons-old musical composition. They will not let us down rain or shine. If we are lucky, the beaver may be swimming and the owls may be hooting. There is also a chance the coyotes will howl. If you love this type of natural performance, join us at the Brettschneider Park parking lot on the north side of Pioneer trail a few hundred yards east of Page Road in Aurora. Mud boots are an absolute must!

Nature Journaling Workshop Program
2024-04-21 13:00 - 15:30 | Novak Education Center, 382 Townline Road, Aurora, OH, 44202, United States
Join us for this special opportunity to begin (or expand) your illustrated nature journal. Guest artist and nature interpreter Carol Agnew will guide this afternoon of discovery and creativity. Participants will experiment with different approaches to observing nature’s details, field sketching and illustration, and creating a personalized nature journal. What a great way to greet Spring! All skill levels are welcome.
Registration is required with a $25/participant fee. Space limited to the first 15 registrants.
To pre-register for this event, please email mmvalencic AT roadrunner.com. To complete registration, please send your check, made out to Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland, to ASGC c/o 1567 Bell Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022.

May Day! May Day! via Zoom
2024-05-01 12:00 - 13:00 | OH
MAY DAY! MAY DAY!
We have lost 3 billion birds in the last 50 years and the decline is continuing …… What is a person to do??
Zoom in on MAY 1 at NOON to hear…..
PLANTING IS FOR THE BIRDS! A primer for your yard.
John Barber
How can we best feed birds in our yards? The accepted wisdom of many feeders brimming with commercially-grown seeds is increasingly seen as one of the lowest priorities for helping both nesting and migrating birds. Are we only supporting invasive birds? The answer lies in designing and planting a wide array of native trees, shrubs, and perennials to host the most diverse array of native insects, while avoiding the temptation to plant non-native and potentially invasive plants sometimes sold as “bird-friendly”. We’ll talk about turning yards of any size into truly bird-friendly habitats.
Topic: MAY DAY! MAY DAY!
Time: May 1, 2024 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82932716990?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 829 3271 6990
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Rush for Thrush! Field Trip
2024-05-17 19:30 - 21:00 | Novak Sanctuary, 382 Townline Road, Mantua, OH, 44202, United States
I can guarantee that you will see at least 2 species of thrush. They all have wonderful songs and like to sing at twilight. Help me find more with the crown jewel of the Veery! Please wear mud boots as the trails can be mired in places. We will meet at the Novak Sanctuary parking lot on the east side of Townline Road almost a mile north of State Rt. 82 on the Aurora/Mantua border.

Wetland Birds Event
2024-05-18 15:00 - 16:00 | Gates Mills Library, 1491 Chagrin River Road, Gates Mills, OH, 44040, United States
Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that support aquatic AND terrestrial plants and animals. They provide nesting habitat for many species in the summer and resting/feeding habitat for migrating waterfowl and passerines in spring and fall. This presentation showcases iconic wetland species like Egrets, Herons, Ibis and Rails along with raptors, waterfowl, warblers and more. There is even a bonus section presenting insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals that make their homes in wetlands.

ASGC Annual Meeting
2024-06-02 14:00 - 20:00 | Veterans Legacy Woods, 14085 Ravenna Rd, Newbury Township, OH, 44065, United States
Annual Meeting: Sunday, June 2, 2024
Location: Veterans Legacy Woods, 14085 Ravenna Rd, Newbury Township, OH
Time: 2:00 Nature Walk
Social Hour: 3:00 p.m.
Business Meeting & Awards: 4:30p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 p.m.
Caterer: “Dab of Class”
Cost: $40.00 per person (We are keeping the cost the same as last year even though prices have increased.)
Guest Speaker 7:00 p.m.: Julie Zickefoose, Author “Bird Watchers Digest”, artist and naturalist at home in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio.
Make check out to: Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland and mail it to:
Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland, P.O.Box 391037, Solon, Ohio 44139
Reservations must be in and paid for by Friday, May 24, 2024.

Birds of NE Ohio Event
2024-06-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Brecksville Library, 9089 Brecksville Rd, Brecksville, OH
Over 200 species of birds can be found in NE Ohio in a typical year. Some are year-round residents and others just pass through on their way to the Boreal Forests of Canada. Others fly across the Gulf of Mexico non-stop to have their babies in our back yards! Get a close up look at 100 of the most common residents, migrants and breeding birds of NE Ohio and learn where and when to find them.

Summer Birds of NE Ohio Event
2024-06-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Berea Library, 7 Berea Commons, Berea, OH, 44017
Did you know that more than 50 species of birds travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles each spring just to raise a family in NE Ohio? One species, the Bobolink, flies 4,500 miles one-way from Paraguay/Uruguay to the hay fields of Geauga and Portage Counties. This one-hour presentation showcases 50 species of “Summer Visitors” through 180 photographs of adult birds, babies, nests and habitats. You will hear songs and calls, some sweet and musical like the Yellow Warbler and others harsh like the Green Heron and learn many interesting anecdotes about individual species.

Summer Birds of NE Ohio Event
2024-06-23 14:00 - 15:00 | North Chagrin Nature Center, Off Buttermilk Falls Parkway, Willoughby Hills, 44094, United States

Soft Landings via Zoom
2024-07-10 12:00 - 13:00 | OH
Have you ever wondered where the pollinators in your garden come from? Do you wonder where they go? And do you wonder how we, as gardeners, can make their lifecycles happy and productive?
Take a lunch break from weeding and watering and join the team from Nature in My Backyard on a Zoom presentation celebrating the ways in which we can improve the lives of our pollinators, and thereby increase the biodiversity in our own backyards.
Dave Tomashefski, the Director of Education for Meadow City Native Plant Nursery, will speak on the importance of Soft Landings to the life of a butterfly or moth – and so much more! How to prepare the beds, how to plant them, recommended plants to use, and most importantly WHY we should do this. Maximize the value of your tree cover while you beautify your garden!
For the link to the Zoom presentation, email natureinmybackyard@clevelandaudubon.org

Raptors of NE Ohio Event
2024-07-13 14:00 - 15:00 | Jefferson Branch Cle Pub Library, 850 Jefferson Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44113
Raptors are birds that get their food by hunting other birds or mammals. We know them as Eagles, Hawks, Falcons and Owls. Some live here year-round while others visit only during the winter. Enjoy pictures and natural history of the 19 species typically found in NE Ohio throughout the year.

Summer Birds of NE Ohio Event
2024-07-27 15:00 - 16:00 | Gates Mills Library, 1491 Chagrin River Road, Gates Mills, OH, 44040, United States

New Birders Workshop Event
2024-08-24 09:00 - 12:00 | Novak Education Center, 382 Townline Road, Aurora, OH, 44202, United States
Designed for newer birder’s before Chagrin River Bird Quest. Classroom session discusses bird field marks (using bird photographs), how to use your field guide and binoculars, and birding etiquette. Then take a walk in the sanctuary with seasoned birders to find some birds and practice what you just learned, see different habitats and learn how to ‘get on the bird’.

Chagrin River Bird Quest Event
2024-09-06 16:00 - 2024-09-07 18:30 | The Rookery, 10110 Cedar Road, Munson Township, OH, 44026, United States
This year celebrates 10 years of Chagrin River Bird Quest (CRBQ), the FREE 24-hour team birding challenge for families and birders of all skill levels. Birding begins on Friday September 6th at 4:00pm and concludes with a celebration and prizes on Saturday September 7th at 4:00pm.
This year CRBQ will be headquartered at The Rookery, 11100 Cedar Road in Chesterland, where you can pick up your FREE T-shirt, commemorative pen, checklist and other materials on Friday from 4:00 – 6:00pm. Guided bird walks are scheduled Friday and Saturday and open to all (see separate article).
This FREE family-friendly event is an opportunity to get outside and enjoy all of nature during the fall bird migration. CRBQ also serves as an annual snapshot of the birds present in the Chagrin River Corridor IBA (Important Bird Area) which includes all the Chagrin River watershed. Birders are asked to stay within the IBA for all their sightings.
See you at Bird Quest!
Online registration is required! Click HERE to register.

Owl Prowl Field Trip
2024-09-06 20:30 - 22:00 | Aurora Audubon Sanctuary, 896 E. Pioneer Trail, Aurora, OH, 44202, United States
Three guided walks are open to everyone during this year’s Chagrin River Bird Quest. No registration required – just show up before the start time.
Owl Prowl, Audubon Aurora Sancuary, on Friday Sept. 6 @ 8:30pm. Meet at 8:15pm in the Brettschneider Park parking lot, 881 E. Pioneer Trail, Aurora, OH. Primitive trail with some hills and stairs.

Chagrin River Park Field Trip
2024-09-07 08:00 - 10:00 | Chagrin River Park, 1000 Rural Road, Eastlake, OH, 44095, United States
Three guided walks are open to everyone during this year’s Chagrin River Bird Quest. No registration required – just show up before the start time.
Chagrin River Park on Saturday Sept. 7 @ 8:00am. Meet at 7:45am in the parking lot at 1000 Rural Road, Eastlake, OH. Smooth, flat trails.

The Rookery Field Trip
2024-09-07 08:00 - 10:00 | The Rookery, 10110 Cedar Road, Munson Township, OH, 44026, United States
Three guided walks are open to everyone during this year’s Chagrin River Bird Quest. No registration required – just show up before the start time.
The Rookery on Saturday Sept. 7 @ 8:00am. Meet at 7:45am in the parking lot at 10110 Cedar Road, Chesterland, OH. Smooth, flat trails.

Fringed Gentians Field Trip
2024-09-21 13:30 - 15:30 | Aurora Audubon Sanctuary, 896 E. Pioneer Trail, Aurora, OH, 44202, United States
These beauties are among the last wildflowers to bloom of the season but well worth the wait. There are several species of Gentians in our area but the Fringed Gentian is an unusual and fabulous one. Also in bloom will be Closed or Bottle Gentian, Ladies Tresses, Great Lobelia, Wingstem, Goldenrod and Aster. Join us for a fall wildflower hike and you will be amazed at the color and bounty of autumn! Meet at the Bretschnieder parking lot on the north side of Pioneer Trail a few hundred yards east of Page Rd. in Aurora.

Brown Bagging It via Zoom
2024-10-09 12:00 - 13:00 | OH
Let’s get this done….The worst invasives and how to put an end to them.
Matt Valencic has always appreciated habitat. As a hunter and fisherman in his youth, he knew where to look for game based on the animal’s needs at that time of year. After studying Forest Biology and Botany in college, he learned how to enhance animal populations by managing the habitat. Upon retirement he attended Master Gardener training and learned a great deal more about plants and insects. Today he is helping manage habitat in the sanctuaries of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland where he and other volunteers battle invasive plants that compete with natives, all this in the name of increasing biodiversity.
Today he will share some of the methods used in that battle. Sometimes they dig … sometimes they cut and treat stumps … and sometimes the only solution is chemical. He is going to share when each is appropriate and why.
To join the Zoom presentation:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/71706567628?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 816 1167 4725
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Extraordinary Adaptations via Zoom
2024-10-17 19:00 - 20:00 | OH
Extraordinary Adaptations: The Science and Wonder of Migration with Dr. Sarah Mabey
The migratory life is more than just an easy trip to the sunny tropics. Migration is a demanding and dangerous endeavor. Learn how migratory birds meet the challenges of life on the move and how scientists are uncovering their extraordinary adaptations.
Registration required. Use this is the link for registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUvduChpj8vHdDsVQ4-ovLGfa_I7cU8F_pW

Autumn Leaf Color Hike Field Trip
2024-10-19 13:30 - 15:30 | Hach-Otis Sanctuary, Skyline Drive, Willoughby Hills, OH, 44094, United States
We are very fortunate to have the spectacular view of the palette of autumn leaf colors spreading out as far as the eye can see over the beautiful Chagrin River Valley in our own Hach-Otis Sanctuary. The mix of tree species is just right to give a dazzling fall view. Meet at the Hach-Otis parking lot at the end of Skyline Drive off River Road in Willoughby Hills.

Leaf Kicking Hike Field Trip
2024-11-03 13:30 - 15:30 | Aurora Audubon Sanctuary, 896 E. Pioneer Trail, Aurora, OH, 44202, United States
Remember the sound and feeling of wading through a carpet of leaves as a kid? Consider joining us for a walk through the fallen leaves. We will have a chance to see a turkey flock but we are not announcing that because when we do, they all take cover and remain out of sight. Meet at the Aurora Sanctuary parking lot on the north side of Pioneer Trail a few hundred yards east of Page Road in Aurora.

Where do they go? via Zoom
2024-11-13 12:00 - 13:00 | OH
Back by popular demand! Zoom in to hear Dave Tomashefski speak:
Where Do They Go?
We love to watch pollinators visiting our flowers, but as the growing season ends, we may wonder about the pollinators’ lives away from the flowers. Where do they go to find shelter, and how can we modify our gardens to give these insects a home? This presentation explores the garden as though it were a city of pollinators with habitat features that we, the gardeners, can provide. Special emphasis will be given to winter shelter.
Dave Tomashefski, the Director of Education for Meadow City Native Plant Nursery, will speak on the importance of leaving the leaves, to the lives of butterflies, bees and moths – and so much more! By treating fall leaves and stems gently, we can improve the overwintering success of the pollinators we work so hard to attract.
Join the Zoom Presentation
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81271573092?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 812 7157 3092
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Owls of Ohio via Zoom
2024-11-21 19:00 - 20:00 | OH
12 species of owls have been spotted in Ohio. Several are residents, some are migrants, and a few are accidental visitors. Interesting owl trivia will be revealed. Some tips on how, when and where to spot owls will be shared. Presented by Jim Tomko.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcO2orT0qHN1qr97C6sA8wDZTB6H-aMey
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Wetland Birds of the Eastern U.S. via Zoom
2024-12-19 19:00 - 20:00 | OH
Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that support aquatic AND terrestrial plants and animals. They provide nesting habitat for many species in the summer and resting/feeding habitat for migrating waterfowl and passerines in spring and fall. This presentation showcases iconic wetland species like egrets, herons, ibis and rails along with raptors, waterfowl, warblers and more. There is even a bonus section presenting insects, reptiles, amphibians and mammals that make their homes in wetlands.
Presented by Matt Valencic
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZclcOugpzojG9a74F2Wi4WsweXbTh6AXvFt
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Winter Solstice Hike Field Trip
2024-12-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Novak Sanctuary, 382 Townline Road, Mantua, OH, 44202, United States
Have you ever taken a night walk in the winter field and forest? The winter woods are quiet and peaceful if the weather is calm. It will restore and reset your inner peace. We will be celebrating one of the longest nights of the year with this winter night hike. Let us hope that the stars and moon will shine brightly through the cool clear atmosphere and know that we have a chance at hearing an owl or a coyote singing to the moon. Meet at the Novak Sanctuary parking lot on the east side of Townline Road a little less than a mile north of State Route 82 in Aurora.

Winter Sowing via Zoom
2025-01-08 12:00 - 13:00 | OH
Winter sowing is a germination method starting seeds outdoors in an enclosed container in winter. Sowing native seeds in January is a fantastic way to kickstart your spring garden! Winter sowing offers the unique advantage of giving your plants a head start, allowing them to grow and develop faster than those sown in the spring. By planting seeds in an enclosed container, you can place them outdoors where they will benefit from a cozy micro-environment that helps accelerate both germination and growth. This seed sowing presentation will provide you with the knowledge and techniques needed to sow seeds effectively and successfully. Presented by the Natural Resources team at the Nature Center of Shaker Lakes.
Join the Zoom Presentation:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82474073716?pwd=
[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 824 7407 3716
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Nature in My Backyard is a program of the
Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland and the Shaker Lakes Garden Club.

Sparrows & Finches of NE Ohio via Zoom
2025-01-16 19:00 - 20:00 | OH
Due to an unexpected scheduling conflict, this program has been changed to: “LBJs: Sparrows & Finches of NE Ohio.”
Little Brown Jobs! That’s how many of us identify sparrows and finches, mostly because they are LBJs! But each of the 28 species we find in NE Ohio has one or more features to help lead to its identity. Through lots of photographs this program introduces you to these small birds, where to find them, when to expect to see them, and how to separate them from similar species. It’s time to put a name to the face! About 1-hour. Presented by Matt Valencic.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIof-2vqjMvHdCOTdNohYmMrHl767MgbzgW
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
