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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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  • Botany at Claridon Woodlands

    Date: May 18, 2023 at 8:00 pm

    Location: Claridon Woodlands

    Wildlife Seen: 2 plants Botany at Claridon Woodlands

    Behavior Observed:

    I was studying botany and fitness bike riding. I found a tall buttercup plant (Ranaculus acris) and a horsetail plant (Equisetum). The horsetail is most interesting! They represent the oldest extant genus within the vascular plants, possibly dating back to the Triassic Period (250 to 201 million years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!).

  • Ichthyology of Beartown Lakes

    Date: May 18, 2023 at 4:01 pm

    Location: Beartown Lakes Reservation

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Bluegill and 1 Bass Ichthyology of Beartown Lakes

    Behavior Observed:

    At Naturalist Karie Wheaton’s Elderberries fishing program, I observed one Bluegill (Lepomis machrochirus) and one Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) being caught. The fish were examined and released back into the lake.

  • Coyotes

    Date: May 11, 2023 at 2:00 am

    Location: Bass Lake Preserve

    Wildlife Seen: 4 or more? Coyotes

    Behavior Observed:

    Several times this evening we heard a pack of coyotes “singing.” They seemed to be upstream from the Bear Caves in the Springbrook Sanctuary, or perhaps west of the sanctuary in the Cleveland Museum land.

  • Ichthyology of Lodge Pond

    Date: May 04, 2023 at 9:00 pm

    Location: Swine Creek Reservation

    Wildlife Seen: Studying ichthyology of Lodge Pond Studying ichthyology of Lodge Pond

    Behavior Observed:

    I sampled Lodge Pond with my fly rod. I caught small (six inches) Largemouth Bass and small (five and one half inches) Black Crappie. All fish were briefly studied, measured and returned to the pond unharmed.

  • River Otter

    Date: Mar 26, 2023 at 8:00 pm

    Location: Beartown Lakes Reservation

    Wildlife Seen: 2 River Otter

    Behavior Observed:

    Swimming and playing on the logs. Seems to have swam across the lake to check us out.

  • Bald Eagle

    Date: Mar 06, 2023 at 7:15 pm

    Location: Terrace Glen mhp, Hambden

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Adult bald eagle

    Behavior Observed:

    Sitting in tall tree looking around

  • Sandhill Crane

    Date: Feb 21, 2023 at 12:45 pm

    Location: Near Bass Lake

    Wildlife Seen: 2 Sandhill Crane

    Behavior Observed:

    Flying northeast

  • Beaver

    Date: Feb 12, 2023 at 5:10 pm

    Location: Burton Wetlands Nature Preserve

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Beaver

    Behavior Observed:

    I walked up to the boat launch/observation deck at Glacier Trail (Burton Wetlands), and heard a splash as I walked on the boat ramp. To my left, under the ice I saw a medium sized beaver swimming towards the bank. As I watched, and recorded video, he was moving rather quickly. To me it seemed like I spooked him, and he was looking for an escape route. As an avid hiker, and nature enjoyer, I was very excited to see a beaver this close. I’ve visited at least one park from each county in Northeast Ohio, and this is my first Beaver sighting. Otter is next on my list (hoping to see at Eldon Russell trail this spring).

    Click here for the link to Benjamin’s beaver video now shared on Geauga Park District’s YouTube.

  • Bald Eagle

    Date: Oct 13, 2022 at 1:44 pm

    Location: Near our home in Hambden Twshp 608

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Eagle

    Behavior Observed:

    Eagle was flying near our home, perched in tree near open field and flew over our house several times. Noticed flock of crows that appeared to be chasing him. During the week we also spotted TWO eagles together, flying, no crows around that time.

    Naturalist's Response

    VERY cool!

  • Hawk

    Date: Nov 22, 2022 at 3:45 pm

    Location: Our backyard, in Hambden 608

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Hawk

    Behavior Observed:

    Very still, just hanging out in our pine tree

    Naturalist's Response

    Though you reported a “Snowy White Owl,” what you photographed, based on the size and coloration we can tell, is most likely a hawk species — still a really neat sighting. If you have another photo to submit, perhaps we can identify it more specifically for you. Thanks for reporting it!