Medina Raptor Center
April 18, 2009

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Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society
Field trip Saturday, April 18, 2009
Medina
Raptor Center with a stop at Spencer Lake

Medina Raptor Center is an amazing facility, in its twentieth year. With a dedicated, compassionate group of volunteers and veterinarians, Laura and Bill Jordan rehabilitate injured raptors. Our tour on Saturday April 18, 2009 began with birding at Spencer Lake Wildlife Area. An Osprey was the first wild bird of the morning, a fitting start to a day with the raptors. Birders welcomed a chance for close-up looks at a Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, hawks, owls and a Great Blue Heron. The goal is for the birds to be healed then released to the wild. This may not be possible if a bird has suffered blindness or neurological injuries from West Nile, if it has man-induced injuries from lead, power lines, car and train accidents, or if it is imprinted to humans. Happily, the twenty or so resident birds have other roles to play. The resident Great Horned Owl and Cedar Waxwing, we learned, are wonderful foster parents for orphaned babies. The Eagle, Turkey Vulture, owls and hawks have the job of educating the public. They travel to birding and nature festivals with human staff and volunteers. Our tour finished with a picnic and bird walk on the Jordan's farm.

35 wild bird species

23 birders

 

The Medina Raptor Center website is at: http://www.medinaraptorcenter.org/

To see even more photos and more about the Medina Raptor Center, visit Dave Lewis' blog Birds from Behind at http://burdzbuttz.blogspot.com/

RESIDENT BIRDS AND PATIENTS AT MEDINA RAPTOR CENTER

Trumpter Swan
Canada Goose

Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
Snowy Owl
Barred Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Cardinal

 

WILD BIRDS AND SIGNS OF SPRING AT SPENCER LAKE AND MEDINA RAPTOR CENTER

Canada Goose
Mallard
Ruddy Duck
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Eastern Phoebe
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch

AMPHIBIANS

Chorus Frog
American Toad

BUTTERFLIES

Mourning Cloak

WILDFLOWERS

Ramps
False Mermaid
Hepatica
Trout Lily
Spring beauty
Wild Ginger
Squirrel corn
Dutchman's britches
Kidney buttercup
Spicebush
Blue Cohash
Bloodroot

 

 


Common Loon at Spencer Lake © Dave Lewis

 


Osprey at Spencer Lake © Dave Lewis

 


Song Sparrow © Dave Lewis


Birding Spencer Lake © Barb Warmy

 

 


WCAS at Medina Raptor Center © Mary Anne Romito


Laura Jordan and Bald Eagle © Mary Anne Romito


Red-tailed Hawks © Barb Warny


Volunteer and Snowy Owl © Mary Anne Romito


Saw-whet Owl © Mary Anne Romito


American Kestrel © Mary Anne Romito


Laura & Matilda (Turkey Vulture) © Barb Warny


Red-shouldered Hawk © Mary Anne Romito


Blue Cohash © Mary Anne Romito


Bloodroot © Mary Anne Romito

 


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