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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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  • Black Bear

    Date: Jun 18, 2023 at 3:30 am

    Location: Front yard

    Wildlife Seen: 1 Bear

    Behavior Observed:

    Baby black bear about 2-3 feet tall on Bass Lake Road in Chardon

  • Stream study at The West Woods

    Date: Jun 15, 2023 at 2:00 pm

    Location: The West Woods

    Wildlife Seen: Slimy Salamander and Crayfish Stream Study at Affelder House

    Behavior Observed:

    At a study of a stream on The West Woods property, Naturalist Karie Wheaton and her group found Slimy Salamaders (Plethodon glutinosus) and crayfish (Class: Malacostraca).

  • Botany at The West Woods

    Date: Jun 08, 2023 at 6:00 pm

    Location: The West Woods

    Wildlife Seen: Two flowers Studying botany at The West Woods

    Behavior Observed:

    While studying botany at The West Woods, I came across a buttercup species (Genus Ranunculus) and Daisy Fleabane (Erigoron strigosus).

  • 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