Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society

Field Trip to Daughmer Prairie Bur Oak Savanna State Nature Preserve

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Leaders:

David Dvorak (WCAS) and Warren Uxley (Crawford Park District)

The field trip began at Lowe-Volk Park, headquarters of the Crawford Park District, where a wildflower garden includes a riot of Cardinal Flowers, including a few plants with white or magenta blooms.  Daughmer Prairie became a State Nature Preserve in 2011.  It is one of the rare remnants of the Sandusky Plain.  A former sheep ranch, the property was held by the same family for 160 years and was never plowed.  As soon as grazing stopped, the seed bank gave rise to a variety of prairie grasses and flowers.  The prairie pothole here is home to several extremely rare sedges.  The fire-resistant Bur Oaks are 200-300 years old.  Six birders enjoyed colorful prairie plants and a number of young Red-headed Woodpeckers.

Bird List - 20 species

Turkey Vulture - 4

Mourning Dove - 1

Red-headed Woodpecker - 8

Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1

Northern Flicker - 2

Eastern Wood Pewee - 3

Eastern Phoebe - 1

Eastern Kingbird - 2

Blue Jay - 3

Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1

Barn Swallow - 1

Eastern Bluebird - 1

American Robin - 2

Gray Catbird - 1

European Starling - 2

Cedar Waxwing - 3

Field Sparrow - 3

Song Sparrow - 3

Indigo Bunting - 2

American Goldfinch - 4