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Socially Distanced Birding Challenge Report 

 
Date:​ Friday, May 1 at 5 PM through Saturday, May 2 at 5 PM 
Location:​ Cuyahoga County, OH US ​Map 
Compiler:​ Nancy Howell 
Results:​ 21 Birders and 102 Species
Description: ​I’m usually in for a challenge, especially when it comes to tallying birds. Dayton
Audubon challenged other Audubon chapters in Ohio to the Socially Distanced Birding
Challenge, to find as many birds around your home, neighborhood or nearby greenspace, in the
county in which you live. This challenge took place in a 24 hour period - Friday, May 1 at 5 PM
through Saturday, May 2 at 5 PM. For birders, spring migration is a difficult time to remain at or
near home, but under the circumstances it needed to be done. So this challenge became a fun
activity to get out and see what birds are close to home.

Western Cuyahoga Audubon accepted the challenge with 21 members and guests of WCAS
stepping up and finding 102 species over the 24 hour period. Wow. Here in northern Ohio,
spring migration is ramping up and not quite at peak, while southern Ohio is further ahead. So
how well did we do? The following is the list of species seen or heard by participants.

  Species
1. Canada Goose (​Branta canadensis​)

2. Wood Duck ​(​Aix sponsa)​

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3. Mallard (​Anas platyrhynchos​)

4. Red-breasted Merganser ​(​Mergus serrator)​

5. Wild Turkey ​(​Meleagris gallopavo)​

6. Rock Pigeon (​Columba livia)​

7. Mourning Dove ​(​Zenaida macroura​)

8. Chimney Swift (​Chaetura pelagica​)

9. Virginia Rail (​Rallus limicola)​

10. Sora (​Porzana carolina)​

11. Killdeer (​Charadrius vociferus​)

12. Wilson’s Snipe (​Gallinago delicata​)

13. Spotted Sandpiper (​Actitis macularius​)

14. Solitary Sandpiper (​Tringa solitaria​)

15. Lesser Yellowlegs (​Tringa flavipes​)

16. Bonaparte’s Gull (​Larus philadelphia​)

17. Ring-billed Gull ​(​Larus delawarensis)​

18. Herring Gull (​Larus​ ​argentatus)

19. Caspian Tern (​Hydroprogne caspia)​

20. Double-crested Cormorant (​Phalacrocorax auritus​)

21. American Bittern (​Botaurus lentiginosus​)

22. Great Blue Heron ​(​Ardea herodias)​

23. Great Egret (​Ardea alba​)

24. Green Heron (​Butorides virescens​)

25​. Turkey Vulture ​(Cathartes aura)

26. Osprey (​Pandion haliaetus​)

Copyright 2020 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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27. Sharp-shinned Hawk ​(​Accipiter striatus​)

28. Cooper’s Hawk ​(​Accipiter cooperii)​

29. Bald Eagle ​(​Haliaeetus leucocephalus​)

30. Red-tailed hawk ​(​Buteo jamaicensis​)

31. Broad-winged Hawk (​Buteo platypterus)​

32. Red-shouldered Hawk ​(​Buteo lineatus​)

33. Barred Owl ​(​Strix varia)​

34. Belted Kingfisher ​(​Megaceryle alcyon​)

35. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (​Sphyrapicus varius​)

36. Red-headed Woodpecker ​(​Melanerpes erythrocephalus​)

37. Red-bellied Woodpecker ​(Melanerpes carolinus)

38. Downy Woodpecker ​(Picoides pubescens)

39. Hairy Woodpecker ​(​Picoides villosus​)

40. Northern Flicker ​(​Colaptes auratus​)

41. Pileated Woodpecker ​(​Dryocopus pileatus​)

42. American Kestrel ​(​Falco sparverius​)

43. Eastern Phoebe (​Sayornis phoebe)​

44. Great Crested Flycatcher (​Myiarchus crinitus​)

45. Blue-headed Vireo (​Vireo solitarius)​

46. Warbling Vireo (​Vireo gilvus​)

47. Blue Jay ​(Cyanocitta cristata)

48. American Crow ​(​Corvus brachyrhynchos​)

49. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (​Stelgidopteryx serripennis​)

50. Purple Martin (​Progne subis​)

Copyright 2020 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

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51. Tree Swallow (​Tachycineta bicolor​)

52. Barn Swallow (​Hirundo rustica)​

53. Cliff Swallow (​Petrochelidon fulva​)

54. Black-capped Chickadee ​(Poecile atricapillus)

55. Tufted Titmouse ​(Baeolophus bicolor)

56. White-breasted Nuthatch ​(Sitta carolinensis)

57. Brown Creeper (​Certhia americana)​

58. House Wren (​Troglodytes aedon)​

59. Winter Wren (​Troglodytes hiemalis)

60. Carolina Wren ​(Thryothorus ludovicianus)

61. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (​Polioptila caerulea​)

62. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (​Regulus calendula​)

63. Eastern Bluebird ​(​Sialia sialis​)

64. Swainson’s Thrush (​Catharus ustulatus​)

65. Hermit Thrush (​Catharus guttatus​)

66. Wood Thrush (​Hylocichla mustelina)​

67. American Robin ​(​Turdus migratorius)​

68. Gray Catbird (​Dumetella carolinensis)​

69. Brown Thrasher (​Toxostoma rufum)​

70. Northern Mockingbird (​Mimus polyglottos​)

71. European Starling ​(​Sturnus vulgaris​)

72. House Sparrow (​Passer domesticus)

73. House Finch ​(Haemorhous mexicanus)

74. American Goldfinch ​(Spinus tristis)

Copyright 2020 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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75. Eastern Towhee (​Pipilo erythrophthalmus​)

76. Chipping Sparrow ​(​Spizella passerina)​

77. Savannah Sparrow (​Passerculus sandwichensis​)

78. Song Sparrow​ (Melospiza melodia)

79. Lincoln’s Sparrow (​Melospiza lincolnii)​

80. Swamp Sparrow​ (Melospiza georgiana)

81. W​hite-throated Sparrow​ (Zonotrichia albicollis)

82. White-crowned Sparrow (​Zonotrichia leucophrys​)

83. Dark-eyed Junco (​Junco hyemalis)​

84. Baltimore Oriole (​Icterus galbula)​

85. Red-winged Blackbird​ (Agelaius phoeniceus)

86. Brown-headed Cowbird (​Molothrus ater​)

87. Rusty Blackbird (​Euphagus carolinus)​

88. Common Grackle (​Quiscalus quiscalus​)

89, Ovenbird (​Seiurus aurocapilla)​

90. Northern Waterthrush (​Parkesia noveboracensis)​

91. Blue-winged Warbler (​Vermivora cyanoptera)​

92. Black and White Warbler (​Mniotilta varia)​

93. Nashville Warbler (​Oreothlypis ruficapilla)​

94. Common Yellowthroat (​Geothlypis trichas​)

95. American Redstart (​Setophaga ruticilla)​

96. Northern Parula (​Setophaga americana)​

97. Yellow Warbler (​Setophaga petechia​)

98. Palm Warbler (​Setophaga pinus​)

Copyright 2020 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org
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99. Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler (​Setophaga coronata)

100. Black-throated Green Warbler (​Setophaga chrysoparia)​

101. Northern Cardinal​ (Cardinalis cardinalis)

102. Rose-breasted Grosbeak (​Pheucticus ludovicianus)​

Thank you to the these participants:

Michelle Brosius, Katie Buerger, Christopher Burrows, Martha Burrows, Steve Cagan, Linda
Coulter, Gloria Ferris, LeAnne H., Mary Ann Henderson, Heather Hodges, Nancy Howell, Mary
Lou Hura, Josh Jeffi, Paula Lozano, Liz McQuaid, Maureen Meslovich, Kim Miske, Earl Peck, Allen
Rand, Rand (sorry that’s all the email name that was there), and the Tucholski Family.

A shout out goes to Kathy Murphy for submitting a list of birds from Medina County. Since
there was not a compiler for Medina County and Kathy is a Western Cuyahoga member, we felt
it was important to include her list in the competition. The Medina Co. list was entered
separately from the list above with 45 species noted:

Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Killdeer, Turkey Vulture,
Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy
Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue-headed Vireo, Blue Jay, American
Crow, Tree Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, America Robin, Gray Catbird, Brown
Thrasher, European Starling, House Finch, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Chipping
Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Red-winged
Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Common Grackle, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Pine
Warbler, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Indigo Bunting.

Here’s one caveat of this Socially Distanced Birding Challenge - at least the weather was
warmer than the Christmas Bird Count.

Copyright 2020 Western Cuyahoga Audubon.

Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works.
Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society, 4310 Bush Ave., Cleveland, OH 44109
Email: ​info@wcaudubon.org​ Web: ​www.wcaudubon.org