Avon Lake Power Plant Field Trip

On Sunday, we had 8 birders who braved the snow and cold and traveled to the Avon Lake Power Plant to view gulls and ducks. While there were thousands of gulls some highlights were a Glaucous gull and several Greater Backed gulls. Redhead ducks, Common Mergansers, Common Goldeneye and Bufflehead ducks were also spotted.

Although we saw a Glaucous Gull at the Avon Lake Power Plant it was to far away to get a good picture. This guy was flying pretty close to shore at the E. 72nd Street pier.

White-winged Crossbills - The Holden Arboretum

White-winged Crossbills are a special visitor in the winter. They migrate down from Canada when food is scarce. They can be found in conifer collections as they eat seeds primarily in hemlocks, spruces and tamaracks. Their beaks are designed for the task of removing seeds from the conifer cones. An individual crossbill is capable of eating up to 3000 conifer seeds in one day. This winter white-winged crossbills have been reported throughout Ohio. At Holden they have been seen in the conifer collection and the hemlocks off of the woodland trail. These pictures were taken in the conifer collection.