The Toledo Naturalists Homepage

Saturday, February 20, 7:30 p.m. - Butterflies of the Oak Openings Region - Please join Steve Smith, Jackie Riley, and Jan Dixon as they present photos and information gathered from their butterfly monitoring over the past few years in areas of the Oak Openings Metropark and the Nature Conservancy's Kitty Todd Preserve. The butterfly research from our special Oak Openings Region has provided rich and mysterious results, including surprise rare, threatened and endangered Lepidoptera species. Data from 2009 and past years will be discussed as well as butterfly ecology as it relates to research results. (Note- The correct date on this trip is February, 20th - The February Bulletin had the wrong date of February 16th)

Wednesday, February 24, 7:00 p.m. – Owls of the Oak Openings – Come dressed for cold weather and armed with your favorite hot drink and a good spotlight as we attempt to coax some owls to the edge of the woods. There is a good chance of finding Screech Owls, and Barred Owls are a possibility. We can also hope for the distance hoot of a Great-Horned Owl if the night is still and if we are really lucky, maybe even hear a Saw-Whet. Meet leader Sherrie Duris at the Shell gas station, corner of Weckerly and Finzel Roads in Whitehouse at 7:00 p.m

For the third consecutive year, Toledo CBC participants scrounged up a superb species total. The official total was 95 following the record-breaking totals of 96 in both 2008 and 2007.

Snow goose – North Toledo / Maumee Bay
Cackling goose (1) – Toledo Country Club / Maumee River
Surf scoter (1) – Bayshore Power Plant – Only 2nd record, only other was in 1961
Long-tailed duck (1) – Bayshore Power Plant
Black-crowned night-heron (29) – Bayshore Power Plant
Bald eagle (68+!) – This total obliterates the previous mark of 25 from 2007 and breaks the local single-day high of 40 from 3/22/04. This is likely also an all-time high for the state. Tom Kemp & Elliot Tramer had an amazing 33 at LCPNWR alone, and our group had another 18 at Bayshore Power Plant.
Merlin (2) – Ottawa Park
Killdeer (4) – North Toledo / Maumee Bay
Lesser black-backed gull – (18) - yet another all-time local single-day high edging last year's CBC tally of 17; Steve Stockford's group found 13 just in their area
Long-eared owl (4) – Maumee Bay State Park
Short-eared owl (1) – Maumee Bay State Park
Northern saw-whet owl – Maumee Bay State Park
Gray catbird (1) – Little Cedar Point NWR
Brown thrasher (1) – Eagle Point Road, Rossford
Yellow-rumped warbler (15) – Ottawa Park
Common yellowthroat (1) – Navarre Park
Vesper sparrow (1) – Bayshore Power Plant
Lincoln’s sparrow (3) – Bayshore Power Plant
Lapland longspur – various locations
Snow buntings – various locations
Common redpoll (5) – Oregon

15 species established or tied all-time Toledo CBC totals including the following:

Cooper's hawk (31) - more than doubles the previous record of 15 from 2005; this species' local winter numbers are markedly increasing in recent years

Northern mockingbird (16) - way above the previous Toledo CBC total of 9; Chuck Anderson and Mark Miller found 10 in their territory east of the Maumee River; Chuck reports that they scrounged up previously undiscovered birds simply by playing mockingbird tapes in scrubby industrial areas

Snow bunting (318) - substantially higher than the long-standing previous Toledo CBC record of 201 from 1959

The cold January 2nd weather (high of 19) did not deter the record number of participants (44, including some Boy Scouts) from setting a new all-time record of (84) species which surpassed the previous all-time record of (82) in 2008. Highlights were plenty: Northern goshawk at the Providence Park dam (Stockford and Fausnaugh); Golden eagle over Oak Openings Park (M. Kemp); 7 species of gulls on the Maumee River including 1 adult Thayer's, 2 Iceland, 3 Glaucous, and 10 Lesser Black-backed (Andersons, Kemps, Miller, Fausnaugh, Stockford, Witter); 4 Saw-whet owls (Links, M. Kemp, Stockford, Fausnaugh); Common redpolls in Oak Openings Park (Links); Peregrine falcon; 4 late Killdeers. Nine species were found in record numbers including Eastern bluebird (219 - wow!) and American robin (641). Finally, many thanks to Terri for a delicious and lively countdown.

Eric will talk about Trinidad, the Caribbean island only twelve miles off the South American mainland. Nine TNA members visited the world famous Asa Wright Nature Centre this past August and their pictures will form the bulk of the program. Some of the highlights have already been previewed in the newsletter--Chevron Tarantula and giant White Witch moth--but also included will be lizards, butterflies, and representatives of classic tropical bird families like Motmot, Toucan, and Manakin. The lush scenery and tropical vegetation should be a welcome break from the bleakness of January in Ohio.

Sunday, January 17, 8:30 a.m. Winter Gulls and Ducks - (Note- This trip was originally scheduled for Saturday, January 16th but has been changed to Sunday, January 17th) Depending on ice conditions on the lake and river, we could see up to fifteen species of ducks and a nice variety of winter gulls such as Glaucous, Iceland, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Potential areas to visit include Bayshore Power Plant, north Toledo (Lotus Drive, etc.), the Maumee River and Erie Power. Dress warmly, pack your favorite hot beverage, and meet leader Steve Stockford at 8:30 a.m. at the public access on Bayshore Road in Oregon, just east of the power plant. This trip will be dependent on birds, ice conditions, and weather. Please check www.rarebird.org, or www.toledonaturalist.org web sites or call the Rare Bird Alert Hotline (419-877-9640) for announcements on cancellations.

The Toledo Naturalists' Association was formed in 1933 when the Toledo Nature Study Society and the Toledo Field Naturalists' Association merged. TNA has been the official compiler for the Toledo Audubon Christmas Count since its inception. Many of the early TNA members created the first local bird book, written by Lou Campbell, and first published in 1940. Members receive bulletins and an annual yearbook. In addition, there are approximately eight presentations given by local naturalists, an annual spring chicken barbecue and fall banquet, and numerous field trips specializing in birding, insects, and botany. TNA welcomes you to explore its Web Site.