Cleveland has been called the "mistake on the lake." Granted, it is an industrial city. Once its busy ports bustled with freighters and tug boats- the modern day version of tall ships and canal boats. Like any big city it has its problems.
Its been trying to live down the 1952
Cuyahoga River Fire for a long time. Eventually, they even turned that sow's ear into a silk purse, by naming their most popular locally-brewed beer:
Burning River.
Parts of Cleveland, especially in the old industrial "Flats" still look pretty rough. You'll not find this area in the tour books...
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| Birders gaze onto the avian life "working" the Cuyahoga River. |
...unless you are reading a birder's tour book. Then you may find places like Scranton Flats, Whiskey Island and 72nd St. bridge.
But Cleveland is making some big, progressive changes. They are pouring money into these areas, creating corridors for people, and whether they realize it or not, they are corridors for birds and wildlife as well.
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| Pomarine Jaeger takes flight. |
The big attraction this week has been a Pomarine Jaeger, who puts on quite a show. We will spend more time on jaegers in a future blog, but for now, just remember most people never get to see a jaeger up-close-and-personal.
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| Pomarine Jaeger takes a rest. |
Jaegers are wicked fast, birds of prey. It is a rare thing indeed, to get to witness one at rest. And look at that new landscaping! Seems like our "Pom" in interested in the improvements going on in this neighborhood.
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| A MUST SEE movie! |
My original purpose for traveling to Cleveland was to see this movie, "The Lost Bird Project."
Please, host this at your local birding club or nature center. It was a very moving and meaningful program that I highly recommend. See it as soon as possible, especially since this year is the 100th Anniversary of the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon.
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| The movie played to a packed house in Cleveland.! |
Thank you to the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland, the Kirtland Bird Club
and the Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society for combining efforts for the marvelous
program, "The Lost Bird Project" and Saving Species, held at the Cleveland
Metroparks Zoo. These people are the "coolest birds" in Cleveland. They proved that you get a full house of engaged bird watchers
to attend conservation program!
Too often the false statement is said,
“bird watchers want to pursue birds, and do not care about conservation.” Bird
watchers do care and can be motivated to help protect species and habitats.
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| Screen shot of the haunting statue of a Great Auk placed in Newfoundland. |
It is a powerful story, and it has a joyous reveal in Newfoundland. For some reason, the final scenes of Martha's Island just made me want to cry.
Maybe tears of sorrow for the lost birds, or tears of joy for a project to prevent these bird from becoming "extinct" from our memories. Either way, like a good environmentalist, it inspires me to do more than cry into my Burning River beer.
