Bird activity was prevalent all over Elmwood Cemetery on this clear autumn morning. We were greeted by an incoming Great Blue Heron that came flying over the office, wings arched wide, looking every bit like I imagine a pterodactyl would look in flight. Gliding through the understory like a pro, he took his place at the waters’ edge, most likely a favorite and familiar spot.

We had another bird show us his impressive glide moves. One of the immature Red-tailed Hawks from the nest on the grounds at Elmwood was swooping low above the lawn, just above the height of most of the monuments. Whenever he decided to stop for a rest and to continue his scouting for a squirrel, he used the top of a monument as a lookout. The adult female Red-tailed Hawk was calling from her usual corner of the cemetery.

Sitting high in dead branches of a tree, an adult Cooper’s Hawk gave us such good views that we were able to easily see the red eye color, one of the indicators of a mature bird. The light was perfect to see every detail without any leaves in the way. Of course, birds use these dead branches for a number of reasons – to warm themselves in the sun, to have a good view of the area to see potential prey and to watch for predators.

We were not disappointed with any of the snags that we looked at during our walk. Each dead branch had a Northern Flicker or a Red-bellied Woodpecker perched upon it. We had a great look at one of the Red-bellied Woodpeckers with a large acorn in its beak, looking for a place to cache the seed for the future.

Many of the Flickers were searching for food on the ground as well, as is their way. It was a stunning sight to see six or seven at a time in your field of view, their red nape crescents looking so bright against the lush green lawn. American Robins flew all over the cemetery, evidence of the abundant fruit crop available on this important migratory stopover sight.

While we saw multitudes of Woodpeckers and Robins, we heard a good many Golden-crowned Kinglets and Ruby-crowned Kinglets fluttering about in the trees. When we stopped to try to see these little sprites, smaller than some of the leaves on the trees, it was a challenge to get a good look in the binoculars because of their quick movements. Patience pays off and it’s a treat when you get a glimpse of the crown colors.

Among the Kinglets in the trees, we found many Warblers. What a treat it is to see them in their Fall plumage – Bay-Breasted Warbler was a nice find as well as Wilson’s Warbler and a fairly large number of Yellow-rumped Warblers. A Winter Wren also popped up for a quick moment.

The beauty of Elmwood Cemetery’s avian species continues to amaze me – this is a great setting for a peaceful commune with Nature and all she has to offer – and a great way to Bring People & Nature Together. Many thanks to those who attended, to Bill Rapai for his assistance and photography, to Karen McLeod-Hill for her photography, and to Joannie Capuano for making these walks possible.

Rosann Kovalcik, Owner
Wild Birds Unlimited - Grosse Pointe Woods

Bird species seen at Elmwood Cemetery on October 7th, 2016
39 Species
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-necked Pheasant
Ring-billed Gull
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
House Finch