Chagrin River Corridor Important Bird Area

Chagrin River Corridor
Important Bird Area

View webpage

Explore in eBird

Entire Year – Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter

Locations

Cuyahoga
Bentleyville Community Park
Chagrin River Rd. Pull Off
North Chagrin Nature Center Trails
North Chagrin Reservation (Cuyahoga Co.)
North Chagrin Reservation--Cleveland Metropark Dr.
North Chagrin Reservation--Dingers Marsh Trail
North Chagrin Reservation--Rogers Meadow (Cuyahoga Co.)
North Chagrin Reservation--Sylvan Loop
South Chagrin Reservation
South Chagrin Reservation--Arbor Lane Arboretum
South Chagrin Reservation--Chagrin River Overlook
South Chagrin Reservation--Harper Ridge Picnic Area
South Chagrin Reservation--Jackson Field
South Chagrin Reservation--Look About Lodge
South Chagrin Reservation--Polo Field
South Chagrin Reservation--Shadow Lake Trails
South Chagrin Reservation--Shelterhouse Picnic Area
South Chagrin Reservation--Sulphur Springs Trails

Geauga
Holbrook Hollows
Holden Arboretum--Bole Woods
Russell Uplands Preserve

Lake
Chagrin River Park
Chapin Forest Reservation
Chapin Forest Reservation--West Section Trails
Eastlake Boat Ramp
Eastlake Seawall, Former Eastlake Power Plant (closed)
Hach-Otis Sanctuary State Nature Preserve
Hach-Otis Sanctuary--John and Carol Lillich Meadows
Holden Arboretum--Conifer Section
Holden Arboretum--Corning Lake
Holden Arboretum--Garden and Collections
Holden Arboretum--Holly and Winterberry Collection
Holden Arboretum--Piersons Creek Valley
North Chagrin Reservation (Lake Co.)
North Chagrin Reservation--Bridle Trail
North Chagrin Reservation--Oxbow Lagoon
North Chagrin Reservation--River Grove Chestnut Shelter
North Chagrin Reservation--Rogers Meadow (Lake Co.)
North Chagrin Reservation--Squires Castle
North Chagrin Reservation--Strawberry Lane Pond
Penitentiary Glen Reservation
Smith Rd., Waite Hill

Portage
Aurora Audubon Sanctuary
Paddock River Preserve
Sunny Lake Park

About Chagrin River Corridor Important Bird Area

This IBA is a relatively intact contiguous riparian corridor surrounded by developed residential area. It consists of the riparian corridor, featuring some scenic ravines with a small amount of hemlock, and includes Holden Arboretum, Little Mountain, Penitentiary Glen, North Chagrin Reservation, South Chagrin Reservation, and Chapin Forest.

Holden Arboretum is a largely (75%) forested site with old agricultural fields and meadows (25%). Its forests are mostly mature, over 75 years in age, with a mixture of beech-maple to hemlock-hardwood. It includes nineteen constructed ponds and lakes and numerous natural wetlands. There is a 90-acre cultivated core of horticultural collections. Penitentiary Glen is a 425-acre property located in Kirtland. It is a mix of hemlock-hardwood forest, beech-maple forest, and old-field habitat. Chapin Forest is a 390-acre property located in Kirtland. Chapin was donated to the state of Ohio in 1949 and is currently being leased to the Lake Metroparks through the Ohio Division of Forestry. Chapin Forest is a mix of northern hardwood and beech-maple forests. North Chagrin Reservation is an excellent example of beech-maple climax forest and hemlock ravines. There are also various managed meadows and wetlands. A. B. Williams Memorial Woods (65 acres) is the highest quality beech-maple forest. This woodland is a registered national landmark and was the site of the namesake’s Ph.D. research.

Still relatively intact, this corridor harbors several peripheral populations of high-priority species. Ravines are home to Dark-eyed Juncos, perhaps 20% of the Ohio breeding population.

The Holden Arboretum is the largest contiguous landowner in either Lake or Geauga county. It is largely forested, featuring a variety of forest cover with numerous microclimates, and a wide variety of forest-interior birds use the site during migration or for nesting. Holden’s fields are managed for field-nesting birds and ponds and wetlands provide food and cover for other bird species.

North Chagrin Reservation has very high-quality habitat for nesting forest birds. Hemlock ravines support state-endangered Dark-eyed Junco, Winter Wren, Acadian Flycatcher, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Black-throated Green Warbler. Also nesting are Red-headed Woodpecker, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Veery, Cerulean Warbler, and other representative forest birds.

The hemlock-lined gorge of Penitentiary Glen has breeding populations of Dark-eyed Junco and Winter Wren. The old-field areas have breeding populations of Bobolink. Cerulean Warbler and Brown Creeper also occasionally breed in the area. Penitentiary Glen is home to 17 species of state-listed plants and animals. Ten species of state-listed birds have been found breeding on the property, including Least Flycatcher.

Chapin Forest’s north-facing hemlock slopes annually get breeding Dark-eyed Junco, Magnolia Warbler, and Winter Wren. The demonstration conifer plantings have had breeding Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pine Siskin, Purple Finch, and Pine Warbler. Cerulean Warbler and Brown Creeper also occasionally breed in the area. Blue Grosbeak have been found in the abandoned quarries in two years. Chapin Forest is home to 18 species of state-listed plants and animals, with 13 found breeding on the property. Bald Eagles nest along the Chagrin River.

From Chagrin River Corridor Important Bird Area webpage