Natural History Topics

Owls: silent fliers of the upland forests

It may seem hard to believe that any bird could be at the height of its nesting season during the coldest time of year. As strange as it may seem, this is true for the owls that inhabit the Cuyahoga River upland forests.

Both the great horned owl and the barred owl can be heard in the evening, and at times seen within their nesting territories. The best time to listen for owls is early morning before dawn when they are most active. Listen for the hooting call of the great horned owl, “hoo, hoo-oo, hoo, hoo” and the "who cooks for you, who cooks for you all" of the barred owl. The screech owl has a descending wailing trill, sometimes sung as a single note.

Great horned owls use existing nests of other birds and have been known to nest along the trails surrounding Happy Days Lodge. They are often referred to as “tigers of the sky” for their ability to tackle any prey their size, including other owls, and approaching with complete silence and pinpoint accuracy.

Barred owls often nest within patches of evergreen trees. Look and listen for them along the Tree Farm and Oak Hill trails.

Screech owl coloring is referred to as either grey or red phase due to rusty or dark gray patterned plumage. On bright sunny days, look for them capturing the warm sunlit rays from their nesting cavities, typically in large sycamore trees. You will need to look closely, for the small owls are usually well camouflaged.

Always observe owls from a distance and stay at least 75 yards from an active nest.

Also this month

When walking along the Tree Farm Trail, it is often possible to see wintering golden-crown kinglets and red-breasted nuthatches. This is also a great trail for finding coyote and red-squirrel tracks after it snows.

Unusual small flocks of purple finches are frequently seen along the edges of old fields and forests surrounding Oak Hill. Along the Ledges trails look for feeding pileated woodpeckers on decaying large oak trees.

Love is in the air

Gestures of love are memories we behold and cherish. Valentine’s Day is a special time for us, and for some very impressive birds along the Cuyahoga River valley. A trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park during the late winter may reward you with a chance to observe some striking courtship rituals.

Great blue herons

In late February or early March, the heronries in the Cuyahoga Valley break into a noisy ruckus of courtship rituals. Great blue herons, four feet tall, sport brilliant breeding plumage with striking long plumes. The birds go through an elaborate repertoire of courtship displays using their long necks. They sometimes lock the tips of their beaks and sway their heads in a fencing-like motion. Often we see male herons fly to their nests carrying sticks in their beaks. The males present their sticks to awaiting female partners, who add them to the nest. This action strengthens the pair bond. We can observe courtship displays throughout their breeding season, which typically ends in July, once the young fledglings take flight.

Bald eagles

Bald eagle pairs along the Cuyahoga River also display their courtship rituals. They roll in large loops and perform spectacular dives from more than 200 feet in the air, often separating at the last possible second, and often just six feet above the ground.

Also this month

Early February is often a great time to see beaver during the day as they make their way to small openings on the winter ice. They have been in their dark dens for most of the winter and are continuing to adjust to true daylight periods.

Later this month, look for blooming pussy willows in the wet thickets along the Towpath Trail, informing us that spring will soon be here. Please note that it is unlawful to take plants from Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Amphibians on the move

Imagine witnessing hundreds of salamanders and frogs making their annual trek to their breeding pools. A frog chorus fills the air, possibly heard more than a quarter mile away. This event typically unfolds during the first rainy night in early March, when temperatures are above 45 degrees F, nearly all the snow has melted, and the temporary forest (vernal) pools unfreeze.

In Cuyahoga Valley National Park, there are two areas to experience the amphibians at their breeding pools. The first is along the Towpath Trail just south of the Beaver Marsh. Listen for the high whistle of the spring peeper sounding like sleigh bells in large choruses, and the unusual quack-like call of the wood frogs. The second location is by the two vernal pools at the base of the ravine near the east side of the Brandywine Creek, along the Brandywine Gorge Trail. See if you can spot Jefferson and spotted salamanders during the day. Please note that it is illegal to capture or disturb amphibians in the park.

Also this month

Male woodcocks have a chubby body and an exceptionally long bill. During the second half of the month, they perform sky dances at more than 300 feet in the air, approximately 20 minutes after sunset. It is best to observe this event looking towards the west so the dark birds appear silhouetted against the light sunset background. The two prime viewing locations are in the thicket meadows along the Buckeye Trail south of Jaite, and along the Towpath Trail, where it intersects with the trail leading from Ira Trailhead.

Watch for returning waterfowl that stop at Beaver Marsh on their northbound migrations. Past observations include a dozen different kinds of ducks, including hooded mergansers, ring-necks, green-wing teals, and buffleheads.

Cuyahoga gems

April is a wonderful time to explore the lowland forests along the Cuyahoga River as they abound with blooming spring wildflowers. Among the forest gems are brilliant yellow marsh marigolds of the wetlands, delicate small spring beauty flowers with violet streaks, endless blue blossoms of Virginia bluebells, and the soft white petals of bloodroot. The rich moist silt soils of the Cuyahoga River floodplains provide ideal growing conditions for the lush bounty of woodland wildflowers.

Below are some prime locations for observing spring wildflowers. Please note that all wildflowers are strictly protected within CVNP. Please do your part by not picking them.

Towpath Trail spring wildflower locations

Hunt House to Botzum Trailhead is a great section for observing purple and spring cress, marsh marigold, spring beauty, yellow and white trout lilies, and bloodroot. The Hunt House area is also fine for seeing Virginia bluebells just north of Furnace Run.

Station Road Bridge Trailhead to the Pinery Narrows area is an excellent section for several early wildflowers including bloodroot, spring beauty, squirrel corn, and cut-leaf toothwort.

Additional spring wildflower locations

The Brandywine Gorge Trail is an especially good trail toward the end of the month to observe blooming rue anemone, squirrel corn, spring beauty, cut-leaf toothwort, and purple cress.

The Haskell Run Trail is another great wildflower trail. At the end of the month enjoy marsh marigold, spring beauty, purple and spring cress, yellow trout lily, rue anemone, and cut-leaf toothwort along the bottomland forests of Haskell Run.

Also this month

In early April, harmless, tiny, brown DeKay snakes sun themselves on the Towpath Trail and rocky banks. There are no poisonous snakes in the park. Please be respectful of all animals.

Listen for returning pine warblers at Kendall Lake the first weekend in April. Their song is a low trill that resonates from the tall red pines surrounding Kendall Lake Shelter and the first of the warbler songs to return to Cuyahoga Valley.

Later in the month, observe yellow-throated and cerulean warblers in the high sycamore trees along the Towpath Trail near the historic Station Road Bridge.

Early this month birders can spot countless migratory songbirds passing through the Cuyahoga Valley on their way to their northbound destinations. The songbird migration reaches its frenzied peak by mid-May.

The Towpath Trail between Hunt House and Deep Lock Quarry is especially good for finding many varieties of songbirds, including: cerulean, northern waterthrush, northern parula, blackburnian, blackpoll, and Cape May warblers. This is also an especially good stretch to look for orchard orioles when buckeye trees are in flower. Another excellent place to visit during peak songbird migration is the Plateau Trail. This trail passes through a mixture of different habitats that support several different types of birds living in specific areas.

Using a pair of binoculars or a birding scope, look for chicks in tree-top eagle and heron nests. Heronries are especially noisy later this month as the developing young become more and more vocal.

Early this month is the prime nesting season for many songbirds. The high sandstone cliffs along the Ledges Trail are especially good for finding many varieties typically found in Canada. If you hear a loud, bubbly tune that goes on and on, chances are you are hearing one of the finest sounds in all of the north woods coming from the tiny winter wren. This area is also a very popular nesting location for the blue-headed vireo, Acadian flycatcher, dark-eye junco, scarlet tanager, and black-throated, green, hooded, and ovenbird warblers.

The Beaver Marsh is especially rewarding this month, a place filled with all kinds of song and new activity. Tree swallows are a very popular sight as they dart to and from their close-by nesting cavities. Looking closely at the raised patches among the waterlilies may reveal a sunning northern water snake or turtles. The painted, red-ear slider, and snapping turtles are most common, although the very rare spotted and map turtles have also been seen in the marshland. June is also an especially good month to look for beaver at twilight.

Surrounding the Beaver Marsh look for the very tall great angelica and cow parsnip appearing in full flower by mid-month. Later this month look for cream white flowers of the sweet-scented waterlily.

Venture out on a warm July evening to the bottomland forests surrounding the Beaver Marsh and you are likely to be rewarded with a light display coming from hundreds of fireflies. This month marks the peak activity period as the medium-sized beetles seek out their potential mates by sending out light signals.

This is a great month to look for butterflies feeding on the many blooming pasture wildflowers. Look for the eastern tiger swallowtail, great spangled fritillary, and silver spotted skipper feeding on blossoms of the tall Joe Pye weed.

In forest openings search for the red-spotted purple, question mark anglewing, northern pearly eye, and little wood satyr butterflies. The wooded areas surrounding Terra Vista and Indigo Lake are excellent places to see forest butterflies.

Bottomland wildflowers

• Summer wildflowers abound in a rainbow of colors in the open area along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail from Hunt House to Botzum.
• Purple loosestrife, although very brilliant, serves as a reminder that not all attractive flowers are beneficial to native habitats. This is a highly invasive, non-native flower that greatly limits native plant growth and important wetland habitats for a variety of animals. At times, the park removes purple loosestrife in an effort to preserve the naturally occurring, native wetland plant communities.
• Spatterdock, also known as yellow pond or cow lily, dominates in the deeper water areas at the Beaver Marsh.
• Goldenrod is a high-nectar flower that migrating monarchs will visit later this month.
• Staghorn sumac, with its large cone-shaped seed clusters, is best seen as a large shrub in areas surrounding the Beaver Marsh.
• Green stinging nettle with its stinging stems reminds us that some wildflowers are better observed than touched.
• Orange jewelweed, also known as touch-me-not, with its earring-like flowers and beaded water droplets showing a silvery hue, occurs in select places near the Beaver Marsh and adjacent marshlands.
• Ironweed is a dazzling four-foot-tall plant with dark purple flowers that occurs in open fields and grasslands.

Go for the gold in August

American goldfinches nest late in the Cuyahoga Valley, mostly due to their dependence on the late-flowering thistle. The soft, fluffy thistle down is used for keeping the inside of the nest warm and cozy, and the plentiful tiny seeds are fed to their developing young. Goldfinches are particularly active during this nesting season, and they remain throughout the year in Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Other highlights in August

• Look for sulfur-colored polyporous fungus clinging to dead trees along Haskell Run and Boston Run trails.
• Early returning warblers are frequently seen along the open woods and ravines along the Wetmore Trail early this month.
• Watch for the colorful yellow eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly on the large pink flowers of Joe-pye weed.
• Listen for calling barred owls during the late afternoon and dusk along the Oak Hill Trail System near Sylvan Pond. Their call resembles the words, "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all."

Returning otters

River otters have found a home at the Beaver Marsh along the Towpath across from Howe Meadow. Their return shows Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) has suitable habitat and healthy freshwater communities to attract this key indicator species that requires high quality water conditions. River otter sightings usually occur in the very early morning when there is minimal human disturbance. In general, these mammals are also very active at dusk and throughout the night feeding on fish and other aquatic animals.

River otters can appear very similar to mink, which also inhabit the Beaver Marsh and other similar areas. To identify a river otter, look for a long (approximately four feet) streamlined aquatic animal with either dark brown or gray sleek fur that typically has a white mustache with whitish cheeks, and has a very long tail. At close range, all its feet will appear webbed-an ideal feature for this swift swimmer. Mink are noticeably smaller (approximately 1.5 feet), appearing totally dark brown with a distinctive white patch under the chin.

Once plentiful in Ohio, native river otters were extirpated by the early 1900s. In 1986, the Ohio Division of Wildlife began re-introducing the otter along several major Ohio rivers. Having made a great comeback in 2002 they were de-listed as a state endangered species and presently occur throughout eastern Ohio, including their return to CVNP.

Graceful fliers

Beautiful, brilliant orange monarch butterflies soar effortlessly over Cuyahoga Valley landscapes in September. They travel from as far north as Canada on their 2,000 mile journey to the Sierra Madre mountain range's oyamel fir forests, just outside Mexico City.

These lightweight fliers are capable of covering more than 80 miles a day, sometimes gliding with winds traveling over 20 miles per hour. This requires using tremendous energy reserves that must be replenished daily. To do this, the butterflies feed on plants high in nectar, such as goldenrod and New England aster.

The monarchs' peak migration is the third week in September. You can observe them at Terra Vista Natural Study Area and the large meadow of goldenrods, approximately half way around on the Cross-country Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The best time to come is in the afternoon on bright sunny days, when temperatures are above 70 degrees.

Visit the Monarch Butterfly in North America web site; a gateway to news, information, activities, and resources about the biology and conservation of this fascinating insect. The Monarch Larval Monitoring Project (MLMP) is a citizen science project involving volunteers from across the United States and Canada in monarch research. Help track the monarch butterfly migration each fall and spring as the butterflies travel to and from Mexico. Report your own observations of migrating butterflies to the migration map on the Journey North web site.

Terra Vista Natural Study Area is also a great place to observe other striking butterflies, including the large black, eastern tiger and spicebush swallowtails; the very colorful, although uncommon, buckeye butterfly; the silvery orange great spangled fritillary; and brilliant clouded and orange sulfurs.

Also this month

The high sandstone ledges in the Virginia Kendall area of the park provide an ideal growing area for more than 16 varieties of ferns. Look for cinnamon ferns growing in abundance along the steep sided slopes, and evergreen wood ferns growing along areas where there is acidic soil, caused by iron eroding from the rock formations. The Ledges Trail is a great place to notice ferns. The coolness of the area and the heavy canopy of trees protect the shade loving plants from the hot sun.

During the third week, watch for warblers and songbirds in peak migration along the Towpath near Red Lock, and on the Oak Hill and Ledges trails. Throughout the night, listen for the green katydid's song throughout the Cuyahoga Valley. Late September is ideal for observing a variety of asters along the Cross-country Trail. Look for New York, New England, and the small white frost asters (so named for being able to survive the first heavy frosts).

Did you know?

The very bright, crimson leaves of red maple are among the first trees to show their autumn color and provide excellent opportunities for photographing landscapes at Sylvan Pond along the Oak Hill Trail and Horseshoe Pond, starting in mid-September.

All about fall color

Autumn color illuminates the lowland and upland broadleaf forests with peak color usually during the third week of this month. The peak color period could be very spectacular if there are bright sunny warm days with frost free nights. In addition, different trees peak at different times so it is possible to experience splendid autumn foliage the entire month.

The broad-leaf trees' color changes are influenced primarily by annual photoperiod (daily length of sunlight) but weather also influences the beauty of fall colors in the Cuyahoga Valley. If the days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool and crisp, the sugar and red maples are the first trees to put on the most spectacular display of red, yellow, and orange colors. They are followed by the white and pin oak that turn a brownish-red color.

Black gum, dogwood, and northern red oak turn various shades of red. Trees that turn yellow such as tulip, big tooth aspen, and silver and black maple, are usually consistent from year to year. A mild drought can brighten the color, but too much moisture and cloudy days can make colors duller.

Early October

Walk the inner loop of the Oak Hill Trail to experience the magnificent reds of the maples, glowing orange hues of the sassafras, and striking yellows of the white ash and big tooth aspens. This trail is especially scenic in the early morning as the large trees by Sylvan Pond and in the open fields become sunlit.

Look for the large purple flowering New England aster, blue New York aster, and small white frost asters (so named for being able to survive the first frosts) in the fields on the Cross-country Trail and along the Towpath Trail.

Mid-October

Experience the full autumn foliage color spectrum at Brandywine Falls and the Brandywine Gorge Trail. Colors range from the brilliant reds of the sugar maples to the deep browns of the white oaks. This area is ideal for photography in the late afternoon.

Late October

The trails surrounding the Ledges in the Virginia Kendall area are great places to experience the late turning oaks. In addition, many hazelnut and witch hazel trees that fill the woods with yellow hues peak late as result of being low-growing trees in the dense forests.

October wildlife

On warm days listen for Ohio’s smallest frog, the spring peeper, calling out in the woodland forests. Small, harmless brown snakes, also known as DeKay snakes, attempt to warm themselves on the Towpath and upland trails. Later this month, large flocks of wood ducks use the Beaver Marsh early in the morning as a stopping ground on their southbound migrations to our southern Gulf Coast states.

Please remember that wildlife are protected in the park, and take care not to harm these animals. When watching wildlife, please observe from a distance, and follow the park rules by not feeding them.

How to get there

Find our latest park maps on our maps page of download the NPS App to take them with you on the trail. You can also find stunning autumn views in other parks across Northeast Ohio.

November plants

Early this month look for the yellow-flowering American witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) trees along Haskell Run and Ledges trail system. This is the only shrub in North America that blooms this late in the year. Its common name comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “wiche” or “wice”, meaning flexible or bendable and referring to its branches.

In mid-November the European larch (Larix decidua) needle leaves turn brilliant gold. This tree is both deciduous (loosing it needle leaves each season) and a true conifer tree (having seeds in cone). The best place to see autumn larches is along the towpath north of the Beaver Marsh at the river overlook.

November birds

Watch for bald eagles and ospreys along the Cuyahoga River as they search for migrating fish to eat.

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) begin their pair bonding activity for both new and established pairs in the fall. Courtship behavior has a pair performing amazing aerial displays, plunging together through the air in very high dives with talons locked together, only to break apart as they near the ground. Nest building is soon to follow.

Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are a type of hawk with an almost exclusive diet of fish. They nest near bodies of water and have the ability to dive to depths over three feet to capture their prey. They are well adapted with closable nostrils, long talons, and a reversible outer toe for stability. They remain on the endangered species list for Ohio. They do not nest in the Cuyahoga Valley, but are visitors.

This is the best month to look for flocking eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) along the Tree Farm Trail, Cross Country Trail, and along the Towpath especially near Hunt House. Spot the dark blue males with their reddish chests and gray-blue females with duller reddish chests. Their song is “Tu-wheet-tudu.”

Winter coyotes

December is a good time to watch coyotes as they actively feed in the fields and along the woodlands, often into the late morning. Their increased activity is due to their need for more food reserves during the harsh winter temperatures. The coyotes pounce on their prey, typically a meadow vole, rabbit, or other small animal that makes up to 90 percent of their food source. They also eat vegetables, nuts, and carrion (the decaying flesh of a dead animal).

Look for a slender animal very similar to a medium-sized dog with an elongated snout and a distinctive, bushy, black-tipped tail. Coyotes are generally gray, but may appear very blonde in color with reddish streaking to nearly jet-black. They stand one to two feet tall at shoulder, are three to four feet long, and weigh 25 to 45 pounds. Females are smaller.

Coyotes jump around with tails carried down at a 45-degree angle, and generally step in a straight path. In contrast, dogs run with their tails up and tend to meander, often with distinctive overlapping tracks. Typically, coyotes are afraid of humans and run away from them. Treat them with respect by observing them at a distance. Please do not approach them.

First recorded in Ohio in 1919, they now reside in all of Ohio’s 88 counties.

December birds

Listen at dawn for nesting great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) calling from the Kendall Hills and along the Towpath, near the Beaver Marsh. They have a large repertoire of sounds: deep booming hoots, shrill shrieks, growling barks, coos, and beak snapping. Male voices are lower-pitched. Female voices rise in pitch at the end of the call. Great horned owls can also give calls as ventriloquists.

At dusk, it is sometimes possible to hear serenading eastern screech owls (Megascops asio) near the beaver dam north of the beaver marsh on the Towpath Trail. The trilling song, on one pitch, lasts two to three seconds and repeats at various intervals. Members of a pair or a family use it to keep in contact. The descending, whinny song is used in territory defense, often during courtship. The songs, usually uttered separately, are sometimes heard together, as duets.

Watch for the return of the unusual northern shrike (Lanius excubitor) in the thickets surrounding the Jaite Mill site south of Red Lock Trailhead on the Towpath Trail, along the Buckeye trail, and other nearby trails. The northern shrike kills more prey than it can immediately eat. It stores food for later eating by impaling the prey on a thorn or wedging it in a forked twig. It eats small vertebrates, small birds, and large insects. Both males and females sing throughout year, but the male is especially expressive in late winter and early spring.

Throughout December, look for wintering golden-crown kinglets and red-breasted nuthatches in the evergreens along the Tree Farm Trail.