Rocky River Important Bird Area

Rocky River IBA map

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.

Scientific Journal publication by Scott Rush, Tom Romito, and Terry Robinson

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.

Final IBA Report - 2012

Forest Breeding Bird Survey/Wetland Bird Survey

 

Category

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Totals

Individual birds counted

2098

2261

2296

2594

2511

591

12351

Surveys Conducted

180

186

195

213

213

24

1011

Species Counted

74

67

75

78

77

49

93

diffe-rent species

 

Coverage

Years 2006-2010 include forest points only

Two Hinckley points added

Three Hinckley points added

Forest-Breeding Birds plus Lake-to Lake points

Forest-Breeding Birds plus Lake-to Lake points

Lake-to-Lake points only

 

 

Rocky River Important Bird Area

Forest Breeding Bird Survey 2006 - 2010

Top Ten Species

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Top ten for the Survey period

American Robin

American Robin

Red-eyed Vireo

American Robin

American Robin

American Robin

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Red-eyed Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

 Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

American Robin

Red-eyed Vireo

Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Black-Capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

Blue Jay

American Goldfinch

Black-capped Chickadee

Blue Jay

*American Crow

Tufted Titmouse

Black-Capped Chickadee

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Red-bellied Woodpecker

House Wren

*Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Black-capped Chickadee

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Black-capped Chickadee

American Goldfinch

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Black-capped

Chickadee

Red-bellied Woodpecker

American Goldfinch

Wood Thrush

American Crow

Wood Thrush

Eastern Wood Pewee

***American Crow

Wood Thrush

Eastern Wood Pewee

Wood Thrush

Eastern Tufted Titmouse

**Downy Woodpecker

***Downy Woodpecker

Tufted Titmouse

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Wood Pewee

Downy Woodpecker

**Tufted Titmouse

Eastern Wood Pewee

Eastern Wood Pewee

 

 

 

**Wood Thrush

 

 

* ** ***Asterisks mean species tied in numbers

 Lake-to-Lake /Lake Abram Area Bird Survey 2009-2011

Category

2009

2010

2011

Totals

Individual Birds Counted

283

286

591

1160

Surveys Conducted

24

24

24

72

Species Counted

45

41

49

61 Different Species

 Lake-to-Lake/Lake Abram Bird Survey 2009-2011

Top Six Species

2009

2010

2011

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-winged Blackbird

Common Grackle

Swamp Sparrow

American Robin

Swamp Sparrow

Common Yellowthroat

Swamp Sparrow

Common Yellowthroat

Tree Swallow

Common Grackle

*American Robin

American Robin

**Song Sparrow

*Tree Swallow

Chimney Swift

**Tree Swallow

* ** Asterisks mean species tied in numbers

Rocky River Important Bird Area

Bird Surveys 2006-2011

Species of Note

 

Species

2006 Forest

2007 Forest

2008 Forest

2009 Forest

2009 Lake

2010 Forest

2010 Lake

2011 Lake

Alder Flycatcher

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

American Redstart

6

10

28

16

0

10

0

0

Bald Eagle

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

Black-Throated Green Warbler

0

0

3

4

0

4

0

0

Blue-winged Warbler

0

0

0

2

0

1

0

0

Cerulean Warbler

1

0

4

3

0

0

0

0

Eastern Bluebird

0

0

7

3

0

4

1

0

Green Heron

1

0

2

0

0

1

1

2

Hooded Warbler

45

38

35

49

0

52

0

0

Louisiana Waterthrush

2

0

6

0

0

2

0

0

Ovenbird

20

7

12

20

21

0

0

0

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

6

4

9

5

0

4

0

0

Sora

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

Wild Turkey

1

0

5

1

0

0

0

0

Willow Flycatcher

1

0

3

1

 

6

2

11

Wood Duck

27

25

22

6

0

31

0

2

Wood Thrush

74

74

78

75

0

65

1

4

Summer Tanager

*

*

yes

*

*

*

*

*

Cliff Swallow

*

*

yes

yes

*

yes

*

*

 

 

UltraWalk-Saturday, May 25, 2013
Ultra Bird - Thursday, Friday & Saturday, May 23, 24, 25, 201
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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?

The all new Rocky River Important Bird Area Web-based Mapping Tool
http://sites.google.com/site/rockyriverimportantbirdarea/

 

 

What's Next?

What is WCAS going to do after the surveys are completed. See our Vision 2020.

Links to Rocky River Important Bird Area Data
Year Bird Count Data Bird Species (alpha order) Comments Analysis Webpage Summary Point Surveys
2006 count species comments analysis 2006 IBA 2006 surveys
2007 count species comments analysis 2007 IBA 2007 surveys
2008 count species comments analysis 2008 IBA 2008 surveys
2009 count species comments analysis 2009 IBA 2009 surveys
2010 count species comments analysis 2010 IBA 2010 surveys
2011 count species comments analysis 2011 IBA 2011 surveys

 

Fast Links for IBA forms:
Observer/Recorders
Vegetation Surveyors
Fast links to prior year data
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
 

 

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
 


Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave, Cleveland, OH 44109 info@wcasohio.org