Do water birds, like a heron, build their nests near the or in the water?

The Great Blue Heron nests in colonies (groups) high up in trees near the water. There is a very visible heron rookery (nesting area) you can visit in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park on Bath Road.

Many other birds nest very close to the water, such as geese and ducks.

Curiously, wood ducks nest in holes in trees near the water. It is indeed a strange sight to see a duck sitting in a tree!

For more information about birds, one of the best websites that I refer to often is All About Birds from Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

-Naturalist Denise Wolfe

In your experience have you ever heard tell or witness and lilac tree/bush send forth scented flowers that covered the branches, 3 times in the same calendar year?

What you have is most likely the dwarf Korean lilac, which is noted for its reblooming.

-Naturalist Denise Wolfe

Hi! I am Sawyer! I am 6 years old. I found this feather in our yard. Can you tell me if it belongs to a turkey or hawk?

This feather likely belonged to a Great Horned Owl. I can tell because of the barring (pattern of alternating light and dark stripes) toward the tip.

Good question, Sawyer, keep that curiosity about Nature going!

-Naturalist Linda Gilbert

I'm trying to fill out the form for your spring turkey hunt. My question for you is do I need to purchase a turkey license or just your basic hunting license to fill in the hunting license 8-10 digit cid# on the form? Thanks.

Thanks for your question. Hunters must have a small game license to enter the drawing, and if they are drawn for the hunt, they will then need to purchase a turkey tag to participate.

– Chief Ranger Dennis Sloan

There seems to be a ton of robins this winter. Is there a reason for their presence the past few months? I’ve heard most robins stay but my husband & I have never seen one robin, much less a a yard full of them! Seems unusual so hoping there’s a good explanation. Thank you!

So, depending on available food, “our” Robins (that is, ones that nest here in the spring and summer) may stay the entire winter, but most head south. However, for the Robins north of us, Ohio is “south” for them.  That’s why we may see them in numbers here during the winter.

As spring approaches, those Robins will head back north and be replaced by the ones that normally breed in our area. Naturalist Andy just sent this helpful link that explains the phenomenon and has a really cool animated map.

I don’t think this year is anything out of the ordinary, but it seems to me that all kinds of berries and crab apples were in abundance this year, so the Robins (and other species) really took advantage of that. 

-Naturalist Linda

I would like to reserve Katydid Lodge for several upcoming Mondays and Tuesdays. A gathering with mothers and children. However I remember there have been previous years of coyote denning at the park and I am apprehensive to pay for the reservation if there might be part closures due to coyotes. Wondering if coyotes are expected to be denning this year in the area?

We did close a section of trail at Frohring Meadows back in 2012 for a few weeks as a result of a very rare human/coyote conflict, but we do not generally close Geauga Park District parks for denning coyotes, as they are very common throughout Northeast Ohio and not a cause for concern.

A word of advice, though, if you or any park guests have dogs: obey park leash laws and you will avoid any potential problems with wildlife.

-Park Biologist Paul Pira

Bird ID? At my feeders today.

This is a female House Finch.

-Naturalist Denise Wolfe

This tree is on the western side of the pond at Frohring Meadows. It’s certainly holding on to its leaves, as of Thanksgiving Week. What is the name of this tree? Are the branches with the red berries part of the same tree or off a different tree that has grown into it? Thank you.

This appears to us to be some sort of ornamental crabapple (Malus species), a common pioneering tree found in meadows that provides good food for winter birds. In fact it was not likely planted by the Park District, but more likely planted by a flying bird who ate some crabapple fruit, then dispersed the seeds after they traveled through the birds digestive system.

Good question!

-Chief Naturalist John & Park Biologist Paul Pira

Can you see comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas from Observatory Park? And if so, would it be visible from anywhere on the ground, or only from the observatory or astronomical station?

Trying to figure out if this is a large domestic cat or wild? Looks Bobcatish, but not sure. For perspective, our cat in the foreground is about 9lbs. This was taken on July 24, about 10:15 pm at my house.

You can absolutely tell a bobcat from a house cat by its appearance, even with the similarities.

Bobcats are much larger than domestic cats. They have red-brown to grayish fur with black spots, tufts on the tops of their ears and tufts on their cheeks that resemble mutton chops. They also have a very short stubby tail with a black tip.

-Naturalist Denise Wolfe