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Wildlife Sightings

Spot some local wildlife? Tell us about it!

Use the form below – including photos, if you have them – to let us know the date, time and location of your sighting (be it in the parks or in your own backyard), as well as what type of wildlife you spotted and the behavior you observed.

Your regular reports will help populate this page for the enjoyment of your community of fellow Nature lovers and the interests of our Natural Resource Management team. Thanks in advance!

Please note that while this form does collect your name and contact information, those items will not be posted with your sighting, only used in case we need to contact you for additional details.

Report Your Findings

Step 1 of 4 - Sighting Date & Time

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
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  • Mink

    Date: Nov 15, 2022 at 1:00 pm

    Location: Backyard off Route 306

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Mink

    Behavior Observed:

    Fishing for Koi and swimming in the backyard pond.

  • White skunk

    Date: Nov 01, 2022 at 11:30 pm

    Location: Home

    Wildlife Seen: 1 White Skunk

    Behavior Observed:

  • Evening Grosbeaks

    Date: Oct 27, 2022 at 4:15 pm

    Location: Kile Road, Hambden

    Wildlife Seen: 3 Evening Grosbeak

    Behavior Observed:

    At feeders, interacting with goldfinches a bit.

  • Gray Fox

    Date: Sep 13, 2022 at 8:00 pm

    Location: Clay St. East of Route 86

    Wildlife Seen:

    Behavior Observed:

    I saw a large gray fox running North across Clay St. in an open field toward the woodland.

  • Bear

    Date: Sep 12, 2022 at 10:15 pm

    Location: North of/around Deep Wood

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Bear

    Behavior Observed:

    Walking along Route 87 behind guard rail

  • Turtle

    Date: Jun 25, 2022 at 4:40 pm

    Location: The Maple Highlands Trail

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Turtle

    Behavior Observed:

    Took a tiny turtle off the trail to the direction it was headed so it would not get ran over. About 5” round.

  • A variety of wildlife

    Date: May 30, 2022 at 5:30 pm

    Location: Greenway Bike Trail--Orwell Public Hunting Area

    Wildlife Seen: 3 Dame's Rocket/Bumblebee Species/Female Hummingbird

    Behavior Observed:

    I was fitness bike riding and studying nature simultaneously on the Greenway Bike Trail near Orwell Public Hunting Area in Ashtabula County. I photographed a Dame’s Rocket wildflower (Hesperis matronalis) while (what I believe to be) a Bumble bee (Bombus spp.) was nectaring on it, and (what I believe to be) a female Hummingbird bird (Archilocus colubris) was behind it. See attached photograph. This same ecological scenario was also observed on the Bike Trail at Swine Creek Reservation in Geauga County. More people should “bike and study nature”–this exercises the body and mind.

  • A variety of wildlife

    Date: May 26, 2022 at 10:30 pm

    Location: Swine Creek Reservation

    Wildlife Seen: Three fish and large nest Studying ichthyology of Lodge Pond

    Behavior Observed:

    I carried out a brief, personal ichthyological study of Lodge Pond at Swine Creek Reservation. First, I found a large potential fish breeding nest in the shallows — the algae was cleared away by a either a big Sunfish species or a Largemouth Bass in order to make a stone/gravel bed to deposit eggs. See attached photograph. By fly fishing with a small ant imitation, I wanted to see what type of Sunfish/Panfish species were in the pond. I caught one 4 1/2-inch Black Crappie and two 4-inch Red Ear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus). See attached photo of the Red Ear Sunfish. All fish were identified to species and then returned to the pond unharmed.

  • A variety of wildlife

    Date: May 25, 2022 at 9:20 pm

    Location: Beartown Lakes Reservation

    Wildlife Seen: many species of birds Bird Watching, one of each Tall Buttercup/Black Squirrel, Many Bluegills Bluegill Fish

    Behavior Observed:

    While bird watching, I photographed a Great Blue Heron. See attached photos. I also saw one Vesper Sparrow; two male Red-Winged Blackbirds; two male Robins; one male and one female Northern Cardinal; one Blue Jay; two Canada Goose; and one male House Finch. I heard a Great Crested Fly Catcher and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker. My observations were submitted to “ebird,” the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, and I suggested this as a “birding hotspot.” While doing some nature study, I photographed a Tall Buttercup (which is in bloom) and saw a Black Squirrel. While fly fishing for Largemouth Bass, I caught numerous Bluegills instead. See attached photograph. All of the fish were studied, then put back in the pond unharmed.

  • A variety of birds

    Date: May 24, 2022 at 5:40 pm

    Location: Swine Creek Reservation

    Wildlife Seen: Seven different birds Bird watching while bike riding

    Behavior Observed:

    I was bird watching while I was fitness bike riding on the bike trail. The biking exercises my body and the study of birds exercises my mind. I suggest others do the same. I saw an Eastern Kingbird; an Eastern Bluebird; a Killdeer; two American Robins; one male Brownheaded Cowbird; and numerous Sparrows that I could not precisely identify because I only got a brief glance. I submitted my observations to “ebird,” the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, and I suggested to them that this is “birding hotspot.” Hopefully, others will “bird and bike” and send their data to “ebird” so as to make a contribution to ornithology.