Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society

Field trip to NASA Plum Brook

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Leader: John Blakeman

On a 90-degree day 21 birders stepped into prairie restored to pre-European conditions at NASA Plum Brook.  John Blakeman, our trip leader, described how Native Americans created prairie habitat with fire.  Plum Brook prairies are burned every few years to preserve native species such as Michigan Lily, whorled rosinweed, and many more.  The Plum Brook acreage was acquired by the War Department in 1941 for an ordinance works, before farmers regularly used herbicides. The result is a rich seed bank of native plants in the soil.  The arsenal’s 99 magazines formerly used to house explosives now preserve prairie plant seeds as well as NASA documents.  Bird highlights were an Eastern Kingbird harassing a Red-tailed Hawk, many singing Field Sparrows, and a family of Orchard Orioles. We also saw traps for Brown-headed Cowbirds, and learned how cowbirds trapped at Plum Brook helped to preserve Kirtland’s Warbler.

Bird list, 40 species

Great Egret

Turkey Vulture

Cooper’s Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk being chased by smaller birds

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Northern Flicker

Eastern Wood Pewee

Willow Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

Eastern Kingbird

Yellow-throated Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Blue Jay

American Crow

Tree Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Barn Swallow

Tufted Titmouse

House Wren

Eastern Bluebird

Wood Thrush

American Robin

Gray Catbird

European Starling

Cedar Waxwing

Yellow Warbler

Ovenbird

Common Yellowthroat

Eastern Towhee

Chipping Sparrow

Field Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Northern Cardinal

Indigo Bunting

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Orchard Oriole with young

American Goldfinch

House Sparrow