Bird Watching in November

Birding the Cleveland region at this time of year can be exceptionally exciting for the rarity chaser. Most of the following is excerpted from the update of the Birds of Cleveland Region (2004). The first strong northwesterly winds can bring in large flights of loons and swans. Counts of loons can range to well above 500. Diving ducks will dominate the waterfowl picture. Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers and Ruddy Ducks often stage in large numbers at inland lakes. Thousands of Red-breasted Mergansers congregate along the shoreline of Lake Erie the last third of the month. Multitudes of gulls gather along Lake Erie and, to a lesser extent, on inland waters. The sheer numbers of gulls along the Lake Erie shore can be over- whelming, but the chance of finding a Sabine’s or Ross’s Gull makes for exciting birding. Also, this is the prime time to seek out Snowy Owls along Lake Erie. In recent decades, Merlins have taken to wintering locally. Finding a roosting site is particularly rewarding to the field enthusiast. Currently, Calvary Cemetery in Garfield Heights is a great place to view Merlins as they come to roost and interact with congeners or other birds. 

Hermit Thrushes often remain in fair numbers and certainly reflect the gradual warming of our winters during the past few decades. While American Tree, Swamp and White-throated Sparrows are still migrating well into November, many are now at their winter residences.

Feeder watchers are apt to have an immature Cooper’s Hawk bump into a window during an unsuccessful pursuit of prey. Some of the exceptionally rare, if not totally accidental, birds found in the Cleveland Region during November follow. The largest group of Greater White-fronted Geese in the region was 16 on November 12, 1962, at Holden Arboretum. A widely viewed Common Eider showed up at Fairport Harbor, November 3, 2002. The only inland report in the history of the region for Harlequin Duck was of two immature males shot at West Branch State Park, November 8, 1995. The highest single day count of Red-throated Loons was 3 at Wildwood, Cleveland Lakefront State Park, November 24, 1978. A Western Grebe graced Huntington Reservation, November 24, 1985. The only occurrence of Swainson’s Hawk in the region was of a light-morph bird was observed at length over the grassy fields east of Fairport Harbor on November 20, 2003. A Ross’s Gull was viewed by many at Headlands Beach State Park, November 15, 1998. A Black Guillemot was found in the Gordon Park Yacht Basin, November 8, 1990. A Common Ground-Dove was photographed at Jaite in the CVNP November 5-6, 1999. A dead Smooth-billed Ani was brought to a home in Westlake by a cat on November 25, 1993. An adult male Rufous Hummingbird in Parma November 5–10, 1987, provided the first regional record of the species. The only Brown-headed Nuthatch for Ohio spent November 2001–January 2002 in South Russell. A Townsend’s Solitaire photographed in Weymouth, Medina County, on November 14, 1994, established the first Northeast Ohio documentation for this species. A Painted Redstart visited a feeding station in Middleburg Heights, November 15–22, 1970. An Indigo Bunting banded in Parma Heights, November 29, 1996, exceeded the previous late date by more than a month. There are many more, but I will let you read the book for your self.

Be sure to check the Cleveland Rare Bird Alert for updates at 216 556-0700 or join us at the November meeting or on a November field trip. All are welcome. Click Here for meeting and trip times and locations.

Merlin (female), Calvary Cemetery on 11-13-2004 by Delores Cole
Hermit Thrush, Mentor Lagoons by Vernon Weingart
Cooper's Hawk, Streetsboro, Ohio by Vernon Weingart