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December 2008

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From:
"Coy, Patrick G." <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Coy, Patrick G.
Date:
Sat, 6 Dec 2008 09:54:34 -0500
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There is a lot of prime habitat sporting robust food sources in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park for the crossbill irruption being reported across much of the state. On the theory that negative results are also informative, I report that after three searches for them in the CVNP in the last five days, I have yet to see either crossbill in the park.

One of the most extensive stands of hemlock in the park can be found at the Ritchie Ledges trail, especially on the eastern side of the ledges. I checked this area carefully on Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3. Although I thought I may have heard some white-winged crossbills on Wednesday, I couldn't be sure, and I certainly never saw any. 

Still, there has been some worthwhile bird watching at the Ledges. Beyond good numbers of all the expected winter woodland species, the best bird both days was a single Winter Wren, who has been hanging out in the ravine running east and directly below the Ice Box Cave. I also had five Golden-crowned Kinglets on Tuesday, December 2 at the Ledges.  

Yesterday, Friday, December 5, Karin Tanquist and I hiked part of the Tree Farm Trail at the Horseshoe Lake trailhead, another area blessed with extensive stands of various kinds of conifers. We saw no crossbills. Yet another good stand of hemlocks can be found in the Hemlock Ravine spur trail that is off of the Plateau Trail at the Oak Hill Trailhead. We hiked in there as well, but saw no crossbills there, either. We also checked the conifers along Major Rd and along Oak Hill Road to no avail. In addition, we checked the large, mature conifers heavily adorned with cones at the Brandywine golf course along Kendall Park Rd. and Akron Peninsula Road. No crossbills. 

I would be interested to know other birdwatchers' experiences with attracting white-winged crossbills by pishing, and/or by imitating screech owl calls. This proved helpful as expected for many other species during my searches this week, but I am wondering if we know if either or both species of crossbills tend to respond to one or the other approach, or both, or not at all? 

We do have two Pine Siskins gracing our thistle feeder this morning, and when added to the joy of being out and about in the winter woods this week, that will suffice. 

Patrick Coy
Peninsula, OH




______________________________________
Patrick G. Coy
Director, and Associate Professor
Center for Applied Conflict Management (CACM)
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242              phone: (330) 672-2875
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