Rocky River Important Bird Area
 Map of Rocky River Important Bird Area
As WCAS members and friends know, our five-year Rocky River
Important Bird Area survey, which we conducted from 2006-2010, is
over and we published our final report in 2013. One other
initiative connected with this project has become a reality.
In 2007, WCAS board member Stan Searles suggested that we also
publish a scientific journal about the survey. A local
ornithologist named Scott Rush worked with us and wrote a manuscript
about the survey, which he succeeded in getting published in 2013 by
"Urban Ecosystems." On this page of our web site is a link to
this article, which is in Adobe Acrobat format.
WCAS published a Final report that we have available for the general public. You can see it at the link below. Be patient this is a very large document and it will take a long time to download. We have paper copies available at our monthly programs while supplies last for a small fee.
Forest Breeding Bird Survey/Wetland Bird Survey
Rocky River Important Bird Area
Forest Breeding Bird Survey 2006 - 2010
Top Ten Species
* ** ***Asterisks mean species tied in numbers
Top Six Species
* ** Asterisks mean species tied in numbers
Rocky River Important Bird Area
Bird Surveys 2006-2011
Species of Note
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Use
these links to support our UltraWalk/UltraBird event
IBA's (Important Bird Areas) are tracts of land
that the National Audubon Society in 2000 determined are crucial to the existence of birds
and other wildlife because of their habitat. One of them is the East
Branch of the Rocky River, which extends from Hinckley to North Olmsted,
and north to the mouth of the river in Lake Erie. This watershed
contains valuable forests and wetlands, such as the Rocky River
Reservation, Mill Stream Run Reservation, and Hinckley
Reservation. In 2005, Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society decided to monitor bird populations in the Rocky River watershed (East Branch). We believed that birds are a barometer of the health of the watershed. Our goal was to provide Cleveland Metroparks with data on birds that use the watershed. Metroparks, in turn, needed data to support requests for funding to buy parcels of land they would like to preserve. At an Open House in March 2006 we welcomed volunteers who would actively participate in the breeding bird survey for the Rocky River IBA. Cleveland Metroparks staff were instrumental in training volunteers according to strict survey protocols. Survey volunteers numbered 100 by the end of the 2007 season. From 2006 to 2010, we conducted a five-year survey of breeding birds in the Rocky River IBA. WCAS honored its IBA volunteers at the end of each survey year with an appreciation dinner. A Vegetation Survey in 2007 evaluated habitat conditions at all 62 point count locations. To raise awareness and funds, Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society conducted a 31-mile UltraWalk, a Birdathon, and a series of public outreach talks. What's New?
What's Next? What is WCAS going to do after the surveys are completed. See our Vision 2020.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Why are we doing this? "The Rocky River Important Bird Area is the most important conservation initiative WCAS could undertake. This project is identifying not only what birds are there, but what birds are not there. This project is really more about people than birds, because it will study the impact of conservation on the quality of life of people who live in the Rocky River watershed." Stan Searles, WCAS Board Member. BE A VOLUNTEER OR SUPPORTER OF THIS YEAR’S IBA SURVEY. ARE YOU A SKILLED BIRDER? WOULD YOU WALK 5 MILES, OR 31 MILES FOR A GOOD CAUSE?
Tom & Mary Anne Romito at 216-741-2352 |
Remember amateurs built the ark - Professionals built the Titanic.
Unknown