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Date: Friday, March 12, 2010
Location: Winton Woods and Miami Whitewater Forest
Reporter: James Mundy
Other Birders:
This Morning I had a Eastern Phoebe at Winton Woods behind the Winton Centre and later in the afternoon one at the Prairie Nursery at Miami Whitewater.
Trip List:
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Location: miami whitewater wetland
Reporter: Frank Frick
Other Birders:
amoung other waterfowl that has already been reported I had my first of season Blue Winged Teal.
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Location: William H. Harsha Lake (East Fork)
Reporter: Linda Romine
Other Birders:
As I got out of my car this morning at the Visitor Center I was greeted by a singing E. Phoebe!
Yesterday I spent the day learning about wildlife at the Diversity Conference, then enjoyed Am. Woodcock, Jefferson's and Spotted Salamanders, and Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs at Cincinnati Nature Center Rowe Woods.
On Monday, I found 2 Mourning Cloaks and 4 Eastern Commas - Finally Spring Has Arrived!
Date: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Location: Bath, IN
Reporter: Deb Gross
Other Birders:
Woodcocks displaying along the woods in adjacent fields. Nearly dark so my estimate was 5 or more.
Old Bath, Indiana flooded field has several Mallards and Northern Pintail.
Brookville Lake is beginning to thaw and over the weekend some of the highlights along Fairfield Causeway were American Widgeon, Redhead, Canvasback, Bufflehead and Goldeneye. The Sandhill Crane were still there, but in a field to the west of the lake. You could here them from lake which led us to them.
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Location: Armleder Park -- around dusk
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders: Eric Burkholder
at least 3 American Woodcock (2 around the south parking lot and 1 at the north end of the park)
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Location: College Hill
Reporter: Steve Pelikan
Other Birders:
Newly arrived birds: American Woodcock, Eastern Phoebe.
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Location: Milford
Reporter: Alison Lake
Other Birders:
Saw a great snowy owl flying overhead near Route 50!!! Amazing in flight!!! Could not have been anything else (based on size, head shape and wing beat). A lifer for me!
Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
7:30 a.m.
Of note:
* 3 Gadwall and 1 Rusty Blackbird in the bean field.
* 1 Barred Owl in the woods near the bean field.
* Song Sparrow, RW Blackbird, and Killdeer really making a bunch of noise. It is nice to hear after a long winter.
* 2 Horned Lark (flyover)
Also sighted: RT Hawk, Grackle, Downy, Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Mallard, Canada Goose, Am Tree Sparrow, WB Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Crow, Robin, Starling
Date: Monday, March 8, 2010
Location: Armleder Park -- around dusk
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
1 Wood Duck
1 Green-winged Teal
1 Eastern Bluebird
2 Rusty Blackbird (in the muddy field to the northeast outside park boundaries)
Also FOY spring peepers and FOY bat.
Date: Monday, March 8, 2010
Location: Columbia Road By Sharon Nursery near Kings Island
Reporter: STEPHEN RICE
Other Birders:
Around 7:30 pm as i was headed towards Kings Island on Columbia, A Barn Owl flew thru the sky. My Brain had to work to understand what my eyes were seeing since this is the first time in the wild, i have seen one. It was flying towards I 71 kinda. A Drive around revealed some hunting grounds that were cut to meet such requirements last year(not done for the owl but to try & sell the land.)Bye bye Honey Suckle, Hello Open Field.
Date: Monday, March 8, 2010
Location: East End - Ohio River
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
Had a couple of new 'yard' birds in the past days down here by the river. I should add here that I expanded my definition of yard to anywhere I can still see my place, so that I could include river sightings. As a birder I just couldn't be sooo close to the river but not have ducks on my yard list. Saturday at Schmidt field boat launch 2 Greater Scaup, 7 Common Goldeneye (many adult males). Today in riparian strip along the river, a lone Rusty Blackbird.
Date: Monday, March 8, 2010
Location: CNC Rowe Woods
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders: 12 total, including Adie and Isaac Eastlake
Peent!!!
6:45-7:30pm: 3 Woodcocks heard, 1 sighted
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010
Location: Union KY
Reporter: Benjamin Hart
Other Birders:
6 Sandhill Cranes heading north. A flock of 4 Woodcocks.
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010
Location: Fernald/Miami Whitewater Wetlands
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
Fernald (mid-afternoon):
Had all the ducks I had at Camp Dennison yesterday in different numbers minus Goldeneye plus N. Pintail. Also 2 Mute Swan and 1 A. Pipit.
Miami Whitewater Wetlands (late afternoon to nightfall):
15 American Woodcock
11 Wood Duck, 1 A. Wigeon, 4 A. Black Duck, 10 N. Pintail, 30 Redhead, 12 Ring-necked, 1 Lesser Scaup, 5 N. Harrier, 1 Great Horned Owl, 1 A. Pipit, 9 Rusty Blackbirds
Also hundreds of Canada Geese, Mallards, Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds.
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: W. Travis Young
Other Birders: Don Martin
4:00-6:30
Don stayed later to look for Am. Woodcocks. Do not know if he was successful.
Norther Harrier 1 (beautiful female hunting over the north fields)
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Falcon (Unidentified) 1 (Flying high and far away)
Great Blue Heron 1
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Killdeer 10
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Song Sparrow 15
Am. Tree Sparrow 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Chickadee 4
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Canada Goose 2
Mallard 4
Crow 20
Turkey Vulture 3
European Starling 10
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010
Location: Miamiview Rd, just west of Cleves
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
49 Wild Turkey in the middle of a cornfield on the Great Miami. All were actively feeding except for 4 huge Toms which were huddled together in full display, barely moving. It was easily the best look that I've ever had at a large flock of turkeys (other than Christmas dinner at the in-laws). Seriously though, it was a prolonged look at very close range - quite amazing.
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010
Location: Brookville Reservoir/Hueston Woods
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders:
Pretty large numbers of waterfowl at Brookville Reservoir. Most of the numbers below were seen at Brookville from the various stops along 101. Spotted a Red-breasted Merganser south of Sagamore. The two Sandhill Cranes were on the mudflats south of Sagamore. The heron rookery on State Rt. 52 in Indiana is active again, with 16 Great Blue Herons on the nests. Had two flocks of Rusty Blackbirds, one on Rt. 101 and another along Buckeye Road, south of Hueston Woods. Acton Lake was mostly frozen, with the open water filled with hundreds of Canada Geese, a few Pintails, Black Ducks, Widgeons and Mallards.
Trip List:
Canada Goose 1800
Gadwall 19
American Widgeon 5
American Black Duck 9
Mallard 500
Northern Pintail 20
Canvasback 32
Redhead 172
Ring-necked Duck 40
Lesser Scaup 10
Bufflehead 10
Common Goldeneye 25
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck 10
Great Blue Heron - 16
Turkey Vulture 10
Bald Eagle 2
Red-tailed hawk 9
American Coot 50
Sandhill Crane 2
Killdeer 8
Ring-billed Gull 800
American Crow 30
Carolina Chickadee 10
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
American Robin 15
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Rusty Blackbird 20
Common Grackle 8
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2010
Location: Mockingbird Hill Farm Williamsburg Ohio
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders:
This morning from two different locations I had Field Sparrows singing. There were also two Wood Ducks flying west parallel to Barn's Run that flows across the south end of the property.
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Location: Five Mile Trail, Anderson Township
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders: Adrienne Eastlake
9:00pm Eastern Screech Owl. What a beautiful sound.
Visited Camp Dennison earlier in the day and saw almost exactly what Kirk reported earlier...
Date: Friday, March 12, 2010
Location: Rocky Fork State Park
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders:
Most of the reservoir was frozen, with the exception of a large spot in the middle (viewed from the North Beach) and a chunk of water by the campground office. Didnt find huge numbers of waterfowl, but there was a good variety. There was one Bald Eagle sitting on the nest, and another on the ice. The nest is best viewed from the turnaround by the docks and the moored tugboat, but you can get closer looks from the one past the RV area (the first park entrance off North Shore Rd.). Only three kestrels on the whole drive out Rt. 50.
Trip List: Canada Goose 100, Mute Swan 3, Wood Duck 2, Gadwall 4, American Wigeon 1, Mallard 100, Northern Pintail 4, Canvasback 2, Redhead 30, Ring-necked Duck 4, Lesser Scaup 1, Bufflehead 7, Hooded Merganser 8, Ruddy Duck 2, Great Blue Heron 12, Turkey Vulture 4, Bald Eagle 2, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Kestrel 3, Ring-billed Gull 150, Belted Kingfisher 1, American Crow 8, Carolina Wren 1
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Location: E. Walnut Hills and Armleder
Reporter: Mary Jo White
Other Birders:
East Walnut Hills, 1am, Barred Owl calling "Who Cooks For You" for 15 minutes. Armleder Park, 5pm, two male Red-winged Blackbirds singing.
Date: Friday, March 12, 2010
Location: French Park
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders:
I was greeted this morning by three singing Red-winged Blackbirds as I entered the park. Mallards were found on the creek, where they've been pretty regular.
Trip List: Canada Goose 5, Mallard 4, Mourning Dove 3, Red-bellied Woodpecker 5, Downy Woodpecker 8, Hairy Woodpecker 2, Northern Flicker 3, Pileated Woodpecker 2, Blue Jay 7, American Crow 5, Carolina Chickadee 20, Tufted Titmouse 5, White-breasted Nuthatch 1, Brown Creeper 5, Carolina Wren 1, American Robin 7, American Tree Sparrow 4, White-throated Sparrow 7, Dark-eyed Junco 1, Northern Cardinal 17, Red-winged Blackbird 3, American Goldfinch 6
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Location: Hess Road Brown County/ Highland Stone Highland County
Reporter: Robert Foppe
Other Birders: Julie
Hess Road off of SR 32 had 500+ Canada Geese, 2 American Wigeon, 40 Mallards, 25 Black Ducks, 9 Pintails, 21 Redheads and 1 Canvasback.
Highland Stone area was productive as ususal. There is a pond at the SE corner of Rouch and E Danville which is just West of the gravel pits that had 600+ Canada Geese, 150+ Mallards, 75+ Am Black Ducks and 31 Sandhill Cranes.
Highland Stone had 125 Canada Geese, 2 American Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 60 Mallards, 10 Am Black Ducks, 12 RN Ducks, 2 Lesser Scaup, 153 Redheads, 2 Northern Harriers and 40 Horned Larks.
Date: Friday, March 12, 2010
Location: East Fork Beach area
Reporter: Robert Foppe
Other Birders: Julie
Julie and I stopped on the saddle dam but the light was rough so most of the birds were seen from the beach. RHWP's were at Ginny's.
Trip List: Canada Goose 110, American Wigeon 29, American Black Duck 12, Mallard 235, Northern Shoveler 5, Northern Pintail 45, Green-winged Teal 2, Canvasback 88, Redhead 14, Ring-necked Duck 29, Lesser Scaup 23, Bufflehead 7, Common Goldeneye 10, Hooded Merganser 39, Pied-billed Grebe 12, Bald Eagle 1, Ring-billed Gull 300, Herring Gull 2, Red-headed Woodpecker 3
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Location: Camp Dennison/Armleder
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
Nothing unusual for this time of year.
Camp Dennison (around 11am; very rough estimates):
12 Canada Geese
6 Gadwall
6 A. Wigeon
10 Mallard
5 N. Shoveler
3 GW Teal
30 Canvasback
80 Redhead
20 Ring-necked
4 Lesser Scaup
10 Bufflehead
3 Common Goldeneye
7 Hooded Merganser
80 A. Coot
1 Killdeer
1 Horned Lark flyover
Armleder:
2 Black Vulture
5 Turkey Vulture
2 Killdeer
10 Horned Lark
1 Brown Creeper
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Location: Great Miami River, Hamilton
Reporter: Mike Busam
Other Birders: Charlie Saunders
Greetings... Charlie Saunders and I checked a couple spots along the Great Miami River in Hamilton and Fairfield this morning. There was a Tree Swallow, one American Pipit, 4 Killdeer, 4 Greater Scaup and 5 Lesser Scaup along the river in Hamilton.
Roughly two miles south of Hamilton in Fairfield, along the Joyce Park bike trail, we found a Least Sandpiper on the Tetanus Beach gravel bar. We assume it's the same bird that has been seen off and on this winter upstream on the gravel bars in Hamilton, though we haven't seen the sandpiper there in three weeks. We saw the bird at close range as it flew around, and we heard it call.
I checked the Ellis Lake Wetlands on the way home. The corn field is flooded, and there were over 150 Canada Geese, 300 Mallards, 1 Black Duck, and 1 Northern Pintail on the water. The retention ponds at Ellis Lake were frozen. They fixed the drainage in corn field last year, and I assume the pool will disappear quickly. The conditions are similar to--though not as good as--what they were like out there two years ago, but I doubt that will last.
The Big Pond area on the east side of Bypass 4 was frozen. There's an active Red-tailed Hawk nest in a Sycamore at Big Pond.
Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Location: Howell Ave. backyard
Reporter: Lisa Haglund Slack
Other Birders:
A pair of Eastern Screech Owls are nesting in a north-facing hole in a backyard silver maple tree. This is the 3rd of 4 years they've been in the same spot.
Date: Friday, March 5, 2010
Location: Voice of America
Reporter: Jim Brown
Other Birders:
I saw a pair of Chukars. It was right after dusk. They were walking along the old road, then walked right in front of our car; we got a good long look at them. Looked to see if they have been spotted here before but didn't see any mention of them. Also saw several red tails and horned larks.
Date: Friday, March 5, 2010
Location: Camp Dennison
Reporter: Robert Foppe
Other Birders:
Should be a good waterfowl weekend. Couldn't see well due to the sun this morning but there were 4 Pintails and 175+ Redheads on the pits in addition to the other recently reported birds and numbers.
There are probably some decent Redhead totals if you were to check out all the local lakes. A small retention pond in a new development in Miami Twp Clermont county had 19 Redheads today and a pay lake in Goshen had 12 yesterday.
Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010
Location: Route 52, Across from Augusta, KY
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
Secondhand report from Donna Eastlake, my stepmom: while driving on Route 52 across from Augusta (approximately halfway between Chilo and Higginsport), she saw a juvenile bald eagle over the Ohio River. She stopped to take a closer look and saw it make multiple (apparently unsuccessful) grabs at something in the water.
Date: Friday, March 5, 2010
Location: Shawnee Lookout
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
I was pleasantly surprised to still find snow on parts of the Miami Fort Trail. On this beautiful and fresh morning I heard and saw a Pileated Woodpecker overhead, as well as several Red-bellied Woodpeckers and a Downy Woodpecker. On one of the hillsides, a handsome Eastern Towhee was singing his heart out! So glad to see the sun and blue skies again.
Date: Friday, March 5, 2010
Location: Old St. Joseph's Cemetery
Reporter: Bill Zimmerman
Other Birders:
Stopped this morning (have not been in a long time) and found a single, beautifully marked male Merlin atop a tall spruce tree just west of the large cross at the center of the cemetery. Also a large, juv. female Cooper's Hawk (with the squarest tail I've ever seen) and a flyover Grackle.
Date: Friday, March 5, 2010
Location: Various
Reporter: William Hull
Other Birders:
Signs of spring
- 3 male Red-winged Blackbirds displaying from the utility wires along SR32 by the sod farm between the Beechmont levy and Newtown
- 1 Killdeer calling while flying over the Technecenter hills in Milford
Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010
Location: Caesar Creek Lake US Army Corps Visitor Center
Reporter: Rebecca Elefante
Other Birders:
As of 27 February at least 2 Fox Sparrows and 2 Purple Finch have been feeding at the Visitor Center black oil sunflower feeder.
Date: Friday, March 12, 2010
Location: Alexandria, Kentucky
Reporter: Mark Smith
Other Birders:
My yearly Canadian geese have returned last week to my pond but what's different this year is that there is also one Blue Goose as well. I have never recalled ever seeing a Blue Goose around here. I was wondering if anyone else has?
Trip List: Snow Goose 1, Canada Goose 60+, Mallard 8-10, Turkey Vulture 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Mourning Dove 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Downy Woodpecker 1, Blue Jay 4, American Crow 2, Black-capped Chickadee 4, Tufted Titmouse 3, Carolina Wren 3, European Starling 4, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Northern Cardinal 8, Red-winged Blackbird 6, House Finch 4, House Sparrow 6
Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Location: Maineville, OH
Reporter: Jo Johnstone
Other Birders:
On my way home from work this morning I saw many Turkey and Black Vultures in town. They were using the trees across the street from the post office. I've seen as many as 100 or more at one time flying and hanging out in that area. Impressive!
Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Location: Monfort Heights
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Other Birders:
At 4:35 a.m. this morning I first heard a GHO. Sounded fairly close. As my eyes became adjusted to the darkness I spotted the owl at the top of a cedar tree approx. 30 feet away. Nice find!
Date: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Location: East Fork State Park North Boat ramp
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders:
About 11:45am there was a selection of ducks on the lake. It is interesting how the mix changed since yesterday at 11:45am. The list from yesterday is included below todays list.
March 3
Canada Goose 23
Gadwall 8
American Wigeon 15
American Black Duck 2
Mallard 20
Canvasback 5
Redhead 5
Ring-necked Duck 32
Lesser Scaup 4
American Crow 2
March 2
Canada Goose 45
American Wigeon 2
American Black Duck 8
Mallard 24
Northern Pintail 24
Lesser Scaup 4
Bufflehead 24
Ruddy Duck 2
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Ring-billed Gull 6
Pileated Woodpecker 1
American Crow 2
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders:
3:30 - 4:30
Noticed a birder with long scope staring across the Little Miami for quite a while. Later-on his interest became obvious as an immature Bald Eagle appeared briefly, then an adult, also briefly.
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Location: East Walnu Hills
Reporter: Linda Wallpe
Other Birders:
At 10 AM a Coopers Hawk flew across the backyard chasing something.
At noon a Barred Owl flew around the neighborhood changing trees every hour or so. Stayed until 3 PM.
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Location: Red-winged Blackbird Mason Natorp Blvd
Reporter: Doug Bonhaus
Other Birders:
Red-winged Blackbird (2) singing spring songs this morning @8:30 across from Natorp's in field
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Location: White Oak backyard
Reporter: Barbara Casson
Other Birders:
This makes second day I've seen a coopers hawk in tree and on power line
surveying my backyard and neighbor's
backyard. Rather disconcerting since
I have several bird feeders and one year
chased a hawk away who was trying to
catch a bird that had hidden in a spirea
shrub in my backyard. Altho I like hawks
I would rather see them go somewhere
else for dinner! There was a coopers
hawk nest in Farbach Warner Nature
Preserve last year which is about three
miles from my house.
Date: Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
7:30 a.m.
2 Hooded Merganser
20 Canada Geese
35 Mallard
1 Kestrel
4 RT Hawk
2 Cooper's
1 Harrier
5 Great Blue Heron
3 Killdeer
2 Meadowlark
2 Horned Lark
1 Hairy WP
40 RW Blackbirds
Also present: Dove, Carolina Wren, Crow, Chickadee, Titmouse, Cardinal, Song Sparrow, Am Tree Sparrow, Starling, Downy, WB Nuthatch, RBWP
Date: Monday, March 1, 2010
Location: Backyard, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
FOS (1)American Woodcock flew over my head while standing on the back porch.
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve/Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders: Chris Clingman, Wayne McClain
Our annual spring waterfowl party has been underway for over a week. The gathering stretches out across from the Preserve and Park on the Kentucky side. We made an attempt to count the occupants at about 5pm (they seem to congregate most during mid afternoon into the night). On Saturday the biggest group was directly across for the Park Visitor Center.
7 Bufflehead
24 Lesser Scaup
52 Canvasback
5 Common Merganser
37 Wood Duck
74 Black Duck
37 Pintail
97 Am. Wigeon
5 Gadwall
1 Ring-necked
67 Redhead
1000+ Mallards
1600+ Canada Geese
52 Ring-billed Gull
We only attempted to count ducks and geese on the water. There were more flying.
Also in the Preserve estuary: 5 Hooded Merganser, 7 Common Merganser, 3 Bufflehead, 2 Red-Breasted Merganser, 26 Mallards
Also 4 Bald Eagles. See Chris' message board post. We've been seeing 1-3 eagles daily since Feb. 15. This was the first time this year we've seen 4 at once.
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Location: Western Hamilton County
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders: 9 Bird Club field trip participants
The Cincinnati Bird Club field trip hit a number of spots in western Hamilton County and south-eastern Indiana today. Beginning at the Shawnee Lookout boat ramp, we stopped off at Lost Bridge, the Oxbow, Hidden Valley, the Kilby Road gravel pits, Campbell Lakes Preserve, the fields along Simonson Road, and ended the day at Fernald. While we didnt turn up any signs of any large movement of ducks northward, we did have a few good finds.
Highlights included a group of 19 Common Mergansers and a Double-crested Cormorant on the river at Lost Bridge, several flocks of Horned Larks along Simonson Rd., a Rough-legged Hawk and a male Northern Harrier at Fernald. One thing we noted was the significant number of breeding pairs of Red-tailed Hawks along the valley. Most of the 20 Red-tails we saw where perched in pairs.
Trip list:
Canada Goose 700
Mute Swan 3
Gadwall 5
American Black Duck 8
Mallard 200
Canvasback 6
Redhead 11
Ring-necked Duck 300
Lesser Scaup 2
Bufflehead 3
Hooded Merganser 5
Common Merganser 19
Wild Turkey 15
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 2
Black Vulture 6
Turkey Vulture 3
Northern Harrier 1
Coopers Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 20
Rough-legged Hawk 1
American Kestrel 2
American Coot 5
Killdeer 9
Ring-billed Gull 3
Rock Pigeon 30
Mourning Dove 20
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 3
American Crow 100
Horned Lark 30
Carolina Chickadee 20
Tufted Titmouse 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
American Robin 15
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 1000
Song Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 1
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 15
American Goldfinch 1
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Location: Woodland Mound
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders: Dave Schwallie, Hazel and Rosie (bassets)
We enjoyed a pleasant and quiet walk on the nature trail behind the visitor center and then on the Hedgeapple Trail. Our early afternoon sightings included 2 Bluejays, 3 Cardinals, 3 Carolina Chickadees, 3 Tufted Titmice, 1 Downy Woodpecker, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker and one hawk of unknown id that flew from the woods as we began our hike.
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Location: Cincinnati Nature Center Rowe Woods
Reporter: Michael Kravitz
Other Birders: 3 bird walk participants
It was a cold snowy morning, but the birds could care less they were active and singing. Very nice views of pileated woodpeckers were the highlight. Other species seen or heard (h) included: red-shouldered hawk, red-tailed hawk (h), coopers hawk, mourning dove, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, blue jay, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren (h), northern mockingbird (eating sunflower seed at the feeder), eastern towhee, American tree sparrow, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow, dark-eyed junco, northern cardinal, house finch, American goldfinch. Just after the walk ended, some of us observed a yellow-bellied sapsucker.
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Location: Armleder and East Fork Lake
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders:
At Armleder
Immature Red Tail - almost entirely Black!
Adult Redtail
1 Kestrel
2 Great Blue Herons
1 Pileated
4 Wood Ducks
1 Great Horned Owl - the resident. Is there a mate?
At East Fork
The usual Immature Bald Eagle often seen with 2 adults - soaring for 15 minutes before settling into the area we suspect for a nest - but haven't found.
2 Wood Ducks
50+ Coots
22 Hooded Mergansers
100+ Gulls
2 Great Blue Herons
Date: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Location: Armleder & Kellog Ave soccer fields
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
Took the dog for a stroll up the river from the north overlook. We saw: 26 Mallard, 8 Black Duck, 3 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Kestrel, 1 3rd Yr Bald Eagle, 1 Pileated, 1 Hairy Woodpecker, several GBHeron, singing Red-winged blackbirds.
Stopped to look at a flock of 150+ Candada Geese grazing the soccer fields and noticed a flock of ~107 Horned Lark very close to the parking area as well as 4 Killdeer.
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Location: Norwood front yard bird feeders
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
American Goldfinch 2
House Finch 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
Carolina Wren 2
Carolina Chickadee 3
Downy Woodpecker 1 female
Hairy Woodpecker 1 male
Cardinal 1 male, 1 female
House Sparrow 3
American Tree Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling 12
Mourning Dove 3
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders:
Late morn.
2 adult Redtails and an immature.
1 Kestrel
2 Merlins, a male and a female. A small mammal's last cry behind me found the female Merlin jumping up and down on the ground with prey in talons.
100's of Crows around.
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2010
Location: Bass Island, Little Miami River
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
Noon: 1 Mature Bald Eagle, just north of the bridge
Date: Friday, February 26, 2010
Location: Clermont County
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
A 3 Kestrel day. First, my regular bird, one of a pair that nests about a mile from my house, perched in his usual place on Felicity-Higgonsport Rd. Next, a bonus with the return of another kestrel at a spot along SR 133 at 774 where I used to see one frequently. Both seen about 8am.
Finally, about 6pm this evening, a surprise bird, holding a prey item as he perched on a wire in Newtown, along SR 32, just west of Brewer Coat. (Guess that is technically Hamilton County, isn't it?)
Falcon hat trick!
Date: Friday, February 26, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
1 RT Hawk, 1 Harrier, 1 Kestrel, 3 Crows, 4 Mallards, 3 Ring-Billed Gulls, 3 Downy WP, 1 Titmouse, 1 White Throated Sparrow, 1 Cardinal, 1 Hairy WP, 1 Red Bellied WP, 1 Carolina Wren, 1 White Breasted Nuthatch
EXTREMELY windy. Smaller birds hunkered down or absent in the fields.
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Location: Camp Dennison/Grand Valley
Reporter: Lee Gruber
Other Birders:
along with the Redheads, Canvasbacks, Widgeons, Ruddys, Buffleheads
I saw one Northern Pintail
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Location: VOA Park Horned Lark
Reporter: Doug Bonhaus
Other Birders:
Excited to see a lifer at VOA park drive. Horned Lark hanging around singing on top of a snow mound along side of the road down past the big hill where the median ends and road splits. It was not shy at all when I pulled the car up near and took pictures.
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders:
10:30 - 11:45 AM. 1 kestral,1 rt hawk, 1 fem.harrier,1 mature b. eagle (same tree as prev. reported), 100+ canadas, 7 mallards, 8 gb herons, 1 rw blackbird (fos), several crows, but no small birds active.
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Location: Fe
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
Add 1 male Red-winged Blackbird to my previous report of returning backyard birds.
Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Location: Covedale
Reporter: David Brinkman
Other Birders: none
See message board for mystery bird - white outer tail feathers, size of sparrow ...
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Location: Felicity
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
1 Common Grackle and 3 Killdeer were new arrivals to my yard this morning, first time in 2010. If the half-hardy birds are back, can spring be far behind?
Date: Monday, February 22, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve/ Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders:
3 Woodcocks! About two weeks late for us. 1 displaying in the Preserve field and 2 in the Park field. To me the first Woodcocks are always mark the first day to spring!
Date: Monday, February 22, 2010
Location: St. Rt. 32 in Anderson Township
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders:
4 Bald Eagles, 1 mature and 3 immature eating a dead deer in the field close to the road on the northwest side of Hwy 32 just east of Turpin Lake Road.
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Armleder Park
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders: Eric Burkholder
1215-3pm Highlights:
2 Hooded Merganser
1 Bald Eagle (imm.)
1 Northern Harrier (female)
2 Red-tailed
1 A. Kestrel
1 Merlin (FINALLY! My first one all winter.)
1 Killdeer
~56 Horned Lark
2 A. Pipit
1 E. Meadowlark
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Crooked Run Preserve/Chilo Lock and Woodland Mound
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
Crooked Run/Chilo sightings of note:
16 Wood Duck (mostly males)
10 Hooded Merganser (mostly males)
1 Pileated
1 Yellow-Rumped Warbler
1 Killdeer
1 Red-Shouldered Hawk
1 Kingfisher
20 Ring-Billed Gull
Also stopped at Woodland Mound on the way back and was surprised by how many fresh Turkey tracks I found in the snow in one of their wildlife management areas.
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Location: Valley View Preserve
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
Sightings of note:
1 Red-Shouldered Hawk
1 Cooper's Hawk (picking on the Red-Shouldered)
1 Killdeer
4 Golden-Crowned Kinglets, all male, all together
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: East Fork Lake
Reporter: Samantha Sayre
Other Birders: Jonathan Frodge
We saw a ton of gulls when we were driving over the dam, so we pulled over at the entrance to the boat ramp which is now closed presumably due to snow. From the end of the boat ramp we saw ring-billed gulls, pied-billed grebes, am. black duck, C. Geese, common goldeneyes, hooded mergansers and mallards. Then we went up to the viewing platform by the visitor's center and in addition to the previously mentioned species we saw (approximately 40) NORTHERN PINTAILS and (4) RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS.
Also notable: killdeer, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, GBH, kingfisher and an audible barred owl, green-winged teal, gadwall, am. wigeon.
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Price Hill
Reporter: John Hines
Other Birders:
Juvenile Coopers Hawk in the backyard harassing the mourning doves
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Miami whitewater forest
Reporter: Frank Frick
Other Birders:
Today and yesterday I've seen a Winter Wren on Oak leaf trail. At the bottom of the hill where the pond drains through two big pipes into the creek, look down into the creek. Its been easily seen here for two days now.
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Location: Clifton Backyard
Reporter: Lori Brumbaugh
Other Birders:
One Yellow-rumped Warbler drinking from the pond. Other than an young unsuccessful Cooper's Hawk, none of the winter visitors of years past.
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Backyard, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
Killdeer must be coming back, one flying around above the yard calling.
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: armleder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders:
10:30-11:45 AM. Correction to yesterdays post. It was a mature bald eagle, not imm. It was on the same limb today directly across from north overlook. Flew towards bean field but never saw it again. 2 Canadas, 7 mallards, 2 gb herons, 5 (fos)wood ducks, 1 kestral & 1 kildeer.
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Mockingbird Hill Farm Williamsburg Ohio
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders:
I was just working outside and saw 2 Killdeers in the small patch of open grass and water in the field in front of the house.
Date: Sunday, February 21, 2010
Location: Mockingbird Hill Farm Williamsburg Ohio
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders:
I walked the property this morning and found a few interesting things. 1st: A Killdeer called but by the time I got to where it called from I couldn't find it. The area it called from is a low wet area where the snow is melted and puddles and grass are exposed. 2nd: I checked the bluebird box that was recently full of bluebirds on a cold snowy day. From the outside I couldn't see anything, but when I opened the box there were three dead Eastern Bluebirds inside.
Here is what I saw in the yard this morning.
Canada Goose 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Killdeer 1
Mourning Dove 10
Barred Owl 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 8
American Crow 3
Carolina Chickadee 4
Tufted Titmouse 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Carolina Wren 1
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 20
Eastern Towhee 2
American Tree Sparrow 3
Field Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 15
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 5
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 7
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 4
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Location: Armeleder Park / Camp Dennison gravel pits
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
I spent about 45 minutes at Armeleder this afternoon - highlights include: juv. Cooper's, 1 Am. Pipit on an exposed gravel bar, Pileated and 1 Merlin. Apologies for kind of silently doubting the past Merlin reports from this location, but Armeleder DOES have a very dull colored Am. Kestrel that I've had to really scrutinize to tell apart from other species...
At Camp Dennison, species are listed in order from greatest numbers to lesser numbers present. Everything was clustered in the 1 area of open water. Coot, Ring-necked duck, Canvasback, Gadwall, Ruddy duck, Bufflehead, Redhead, both Scaup species, Hooded Merganser, Canada Goose, Mallard, C. Goldeneye (1 m, 3 fem./imm.), Am Wigeon (1 m., 1 fem.). pied-billed grebe, Ring-billed gull (1 - that's the fewest I've seen all winter here), and 1 juv. accipter species.
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Location: armleder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders:
10:30 - 12.
Imm. eagle sat in tree across LMR for twenty minutes. 2 red-tails, female harrier. 2 tree sparrows, 25 mallards,2 canadas, 1 gb heron,1 meadowlark & 1 lone e.phoebe by river. Also lots of yard birds & crows.
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg to Lost Bridge
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: 4 Oxbow Walkers
Trip List: Canada Goose 1000, Mallard 75, Ring-necked Duck 4, Common Goldeneye 2, Hooded Merganser 2, Common Merganser 20, Great Blue Heron 10, Bald Eagle 2, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Ring-billed Gull 8, Mourning Dove 2, Red-bellied Woodpecker 5, Downy Woodpecker 4, Northern Flicker 1, American Crow 100, Carolina Chickadee 3, Tufted Titmouse 7, Northern Mockingbird 1, European Starling 75, American Tree Sparrow 40, Song Sparrow 1, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Northern Cardinal 30, Red-winged Blackbird 300
Date: Saturday, February 20, 2010
Location: Dunham Recreation Complex-Price Hill
Reporter: Bill Zimmerman
Other Birders:
Upper parking lot, near the recycling bins, had a single Killdeer this morning.
Date: Friday, February 19, 2010
Location: Arleder Park
Reporter: Cathy Geering
Other Birders: none
Treated to the male Harrier very actively hunting for the better part of 2 hours.
Immature bald eagle made an appearance.
2 white crowned sparrows
2 white throated sparrows
3 tree sparrows
1 song sparrow
2 white breasted nuthatch
1 female cardinal
5 chickadees
numerous goldfinches in flight
Date: Friday, February 19, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
Of note:
1 Bufflehead on the LMR
1 male Harrier
2 White-Crowned Sparrows
1 Hairy W.P.
30 Rusty Blackbird
1 Red-Tailed Hawk
250+ Crow on the ground
Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: none
A short walk in the snow revealed about 350 Canada Geese in the wildlife crop stands in the Oxbow. Also saw 2 Turkey Vultures and a Great Blue Heron.
Date: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Location: Westwood backyard
Reporter: Elizabeth Brennan
Other Birders:
A red-breasted nuthatch at feeder.
Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Location: Winton Woods (Kestrel Point)
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
This afternoon, I heard two Barred Owls calling back and forth from across the lake. I looked for them, but did not see them. I tried calling them, but I do believe I interrupted them, so after that I just listened.
Beautiful walking in snow that is still nearly knee deep in places!
Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Location: Batavia
Reporter: Keith Robinson
Other Birders:
1 adult Bald Eagle soaring over the river in downtown Batavia.
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Location: Norwood front yard
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
A Northern Mockingbird fought off a Red-Bellied Woodpecker to get to the suet this afternoon. The suet seems to be a popular item. My husband and I came home late Friday night to find a doe feeding at the suet. I told her it was for the birds and to head on back into the woods, and she proceeded to calmly climb the steps to our front door as though she expected to be let in! She managed to squeeze out along the porch railing, and headed back to her home.
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Location: Home /East Fort Lake
Reporter: Rob Edelen
Other Birders: Ginny Fantetti
Trip List: Canada Goose 30, Gadwall 11, American Black Duck 8, Wild Turkey 17, Pied-billed Grebe 7, Black Vulture 13, Turkey Vulture 7, Red-shouldered Hawk 3, Ring-billed Gull 11, Mourning Dove 6, Red-headed Woodpecker 17, Red-bellied Woodpecker 5, Downy Woodpecker 5, Northern Flicker 7, Pileated Woodpecker 2, Blue Jay 33, American Crow 8, Carolina Chickadee 35, Tufted Titmouse 33, White-breasted Nuthatch 3, Carolina Wren 5, American Robin 3, Eastern Towhee 7, American Tree Sparrow 7, Field Sparrow 4, Fox Sparrow 3, Song Sparrow 7, White-throated Sparrow 17, Dark-eyed Junco 23, Northern Cardinal 63, Rusty Blackbird 1, Purple Finch 5, American Goldfinch 17
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Location: Mockingbird Hill Farm Williamsburg Oh
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders: Tammie Stanley
A Horned Lark came to our feeder today. The swamp sparrow is still coming to the feeder as well.
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve and Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders: Chirs Clingman
We saw two Northern Harrier a male and a female. We first saw the famale fly out of the backwater estuary and across The Preserve field and on through the treeline into the Park. The male and female were both hunting in the Park fields later in the afternoon.
Chris also saw a female Harrier on February 11th in the Park fields and all afternoon on February 12th there was a male Harrier hunting the Park and Preserve fields.
That's four days in a row with Keith's on the 14th.
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve adjacent to Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders: Chris Clingman
While the snow was falling there were 3 Bald Eagles in the backwater estuary close to where it meets the river. There was 1 mature and 2 immature. They were chasing each other and circling and perching and circling again. Two flew past our house and went downriver along the preserve bank. They came back again later and perched in the estuary.
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Location: Our Backyard near Owensville
Reporter: David Johnstone
Other Birders: davidljohnstone
All these snow storms have given us more numbers of our regular birds only now we have a Brown Thrasher and some Rusty Blackbirds. Also a Red-shouldered Hawk was trying to catch birds with no luck yesterday. He's very hungry and too slow! Enjoy seeing everyones observations!!
Date: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Location: Backyard, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
Great Backyard Bird Count highlights: 1 Red-headed Woodpecker, 15 Eastern Towhee (at one time), Sharp-shined hawk, 1 Fox sparrow, GH and Screech owl. See complete summary at:
http://donaldthebirder.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-great-backyard-bird-count-summary.html
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Location: Fernald Preserve/Miami Whitewater
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
Afternoon-nightfall
Fernald:
1 Eastern Phoebe in the same spot I had one Jan. 2009
2 Northern Harrier
1 Barred Owl
Miami Whitewater Wetlands:
5 Northern Harrier (2 males)
No Short-eared Owls for me.
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Location: Okeana backyard
Reporter: Bob Schlake
Other Birders:
Sorry,,I found 1 more Purple Finch pic...hope you don't mind....
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4361223652_df43baeced_b.jpg
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Location: Okeana backyard
Reporter: Bob Schlake
Other Birders:
It was a busy place at the feeder today. Cooper's Hawk stopped by at least 4 times, without success that I could see.
We had this odd colored Junco.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4359949741_99c0728c9b_b.jpg
The Purple Finch were here all day, my count, 2 male 8 female.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4360636510_ee4a749835_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4360628132_3bee5aa13b_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4360637832_1e3c89bf55_b.jpg
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Location: Felicity
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
correction: Make that 4 towhees.
Date: Monday, February 15, 2010
Location: Felicity
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
I have 8 inches of new snow and no sign of it stopping. The only good thing about this storm is the traffic at my feeders. Seventeen cardinals, two male Eastern Towhees, and lots of sparrows, including House, Song, Tree, White-throated, White-crowned, and one gorgeous Fox. All the usual suspects, too.
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Location: Backyard Feeders, Anderson Township
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
The snow is really bringing them in. In addition to larger than normal numbers of the regular visitors, one fox sparrow, five male towhees, and one american tree sparrow showed up. I see ATSs all the time, but hadn't ever seen one at my feeders (suburban woodland) before today.
Another first was an orange variant male house finch...
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Location: Mehldahl Lock and Dam, KY east 8
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders: Samantha Sayre
Up river from the dam.
TWO SURF SCOTERS
One was an adult female and the other was a 1st winter male. They were in a group with redheads and lesser scaup. There were Canada Geese, mallards, Am. Black duck, GBH, Gadwall, and ring-billed gulls in the distance.
An immature bald eagle was flying around on the otherside of the river and a killdeer flew over our heads. On the drive out we saw a Coopers Hawk, Red-tailed hawk, and a N. Flicker. Finally we saw eight male wild turkeys in a field off of KY 8.
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Location: Hamilton Riverside Natural Area/Great Miami River
Reporter: Mike Busam
Other Birders: Charlie Saunders, Jack Busam
The Least Sandpiper was still on the gravel island in the river at Hamilton Riverside Natural Area.
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Location: Chilo Lock 34 Park/Crooked Run Nature Preserve
Reporter: Keith Robinson
Other Birders: Park Visitors
Two park visitors spotted an immature (3rd or 4th year) perched in a tree across the estuary from the Caretaker's residence. It was easily observed from the bird blind. Another immature was present for a short time, but did not stick around.
In the park area, a Northern Harrier made several passes over the frozen wetland and adjancent fields along the park road.
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Location: Camp Dennison gravel pits
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders:
Stopped by the gravel pits on my way back from the Audubon field trip. The northern pit only had a small sliver open in the corner, with 7 Coots on it, but the main pit still had a good bit of open water. Highlights included:
Canvasback 12
Redhead 10
Ring-necked Duck 15
Lesser Scaup 2
Ruddy Duck 8
Bufflehead 5
Gadwall 1
American Coot 150
Canada Goose 50
Mute Swan 7
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010
Location: Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee
Reporter: Joe Kappa
Other Birders: Paul Krusling, Norma Krusling & Norma's sister, Judy Meiman
I thought birders might find this post interesting even though the lake is nearly seven hours away by car.
We drove down Friday morning leaving at 7AM and were checked into our hotel rooms by 2:00 PM and on the road birding by 2:30. Between 2:30 and 6:00 we saw 40 Bald Eagles, over 1,000 Greater White-fronted Geese, 2 Loggerhead Shrikes, and far to many Snow Geese to even take a wild guess at. The Snow Geese stayed in a large field but took to the air each time a Bald Eagle flew over them (which was about every 10 minutes. We saw one tree near the geese that had 9 Bald Eagles in it. Since it was "Eaglefest" weekend, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) offered educational programs at their facility and Eaglewatch tours for the public. We attended one of the programs Friday night. The TWRA official speaking at the event informed us that several days earlier a group of ten TWRA officials counted 450,000 Snow Geese in the Reelfoot Lake area. Interestingly he stated that approximately 30 years ago there were few Snow Geese and many Canada Geese. Now there are hardly any Canada Geese in the area (we saw very few).
In addition to the birds mentioned above, we saw 2 Winter Wrens, a total of 6 Loggerhead Shrikes, several thousand Greater White-fronted Geese (called "Speckle-bellies" by all the locals), a variety of common dabblers and diving ducks, and five Bald Eagle nests. TWRA officials also claimed that Reelfoot averages over 125 Bald Eagles in the winter and has 17 Bald Eagle nests on the lake itself. We saw one nest on the lake and four along the river levee. That makes at least 21 nests in the area.
It's a great weekend trip if you have the opportunity to go.
Date: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Location: Huron County, Ohio
Reporter: K athy Tuttle
Other Birders:
My mother who lives nearby called today to inform me she had counted 14 robins in her tree outside of her window. We are about 40 miles south of Lake Erie.
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Location: Lost Bridge
Reporter: Joe Kappa
Other Birders: Paul Krusling
Paul & I ran into Alan Clayborn at the Lost Bridge on Saturday and admired the four jeuv. Bald Eagles and two Mute Swans (see Alan's post on the message board). In addition to the Eagles, Paul and I saw a Harrier searching the field near the bridge. We then drove to the Shawnee boat ramp where saw an adult Bald Eagle fly overhead. On the way home we drove over the Lost Bridge again just in time to witness a Peregrin Falcon fly in front of our car and land at the top of a tree next to the river. The area also produced Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Wh-Th Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Chicadees & Titmouse, Hooded Mergansers, Black Ducks, Mallards, Canada Geese (in the hundreds), two Red-tailed Hawks, one Kestral and several Great Blue Herons.
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Location: Armleder Park -- noon to mid-afternoon
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
500+ Canada Geese
4 A. Black Duck
40 Mallard
2 Bald Eagle (1 imm., 1 adult)
1 Northern Harrier (looked Female)
2 Red-tailed
1 A. Kestrel
1 Great Horned Owl (unusual time of day but roosting in the same tree that I see it in around dusk)
2 A. Pipit
Date: Saturday, February 13, 2010
Location: East Fork State Park
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders: 5 participants of the Audubon Society Bird Walk
Six of us braved the cold and went to East Fork Sp to look for birds. Most of the park access is closed due to snow, but the dam is accessable. We saw Golden-eyes and the Common Merganser from the first dam that you cross when entering the park. From the dam we went to Williamsburg Bantam Rd on the NE side of the lake. We walked the road and found a Hermit Thrush, Fox Sparrows, a flock of Rusty Blackbirds, Black Vultures and many other birds. It was a good day to bird in the park.
Numbers of birds are from memory.
Canada Goose 150
American Black Duck 1
Common Goldeneye 5
Common Merganser 1
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Great Blue Heron 8
Black Vulture 2
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-shouldered Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 12
Ring-billed Gull 24
Mourning Dove 24
Red-headed Woodpecker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 10
Downy Woodpecker 6
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 4
Pileated Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 36
American Crow 12
Carolina Chickadee 24
Tufted Titmouse 24
White-breasted Nuthatch 8
Carolina Wren 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Hermit Thrush 1
European Starling 4
Eastern Towhee 12
American Tree Sparrow 8
Fox Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 24
White-throated Sparrow 50
Dark-eyed Junco 12
Northern Cardinal 36
Rusty Blackbird 36
Common Grackle 36
House Finch 1
American Goldfinch 6
Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
Location: Covedale
Reporter: David Brinkman
Other Birders:
My birding has been very limited of late with a busy school schedule, but I thought this was worth reporting. We found a dead carolina wren in our house, apparently entering through a hole in our foundation. It was killed by our cats. Yes, I keep my cats indoors and I try to keep my birds outdoors, but unfortunately this one didn't follow the rules.
Cheers.
David A. Brinkman
Graduate student, Xavier University
Middle Childhood Education
Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders:
2:30 - 3:45 PM. 3 Canada geese floating by the canoe launch. 2 N. flickers right there. 2 gb herons. 1 mature b.eagle flying upriver. 100 yds upstream from canoe launch 2 gadwell & 1 bufflehead before the bend. 12 tree sparrows, 1 white throated, & 1 female harrier. Lots of yard birds.
Date: Friday, February 12, 2010
Location: Campbell Lakes
Reporter: Bob Schlake
Other Birders: Sam
We had an immature Bald eagle flyby along the river.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2700/4351158941_d80f25fa71_b.jpg
About a half hour later we had a vocal pair of matures stop by.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/4351160267_3906ff9e2c_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4351910218_815642ba9d_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2771/4351912000_26639fa71c_b.jpg
Date: Thursday, February 11, 2010
Location: Mockingbird Hill Farm Williamsburg Ohio
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders:
While walking back up from the creek tonight I looked into the opening of one of the bluebird houses. The box was cleaned out in the fall, but I could see the back end of two bluebirds. I assume that the box was full of bluebirds underneath the two in front of the opening, but I didn't want to disturb them by opening the box.
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve adjacent to Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders: Chris Clingman
There was in an immature Bald Eagle perched along the esturary where the wind kept the water open behind the house. It was mottled with a full white tail.
On Tuesday Feb. 9 there was an immature Bald Eagle that was very motteled but did not have a white tail. It flew back and forth through the estuary and perched near the middle bird blind.
On Saturday Feb. 6 there was a mature Bald Eagle that skimmed the water in front of the house and perched at the corner of the river trail near our garage for over an hour.
The snow has made the bird feeders very entertaining, what a crowd! We especially enjoy the fox sparrows, purple finches and our one brown thrusher.
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Location: Mockingbird Hill Farm Williamsburg Ohio
Reporter: Bill Stanley
Other Birders:
We had our first Swamp Sparrow ever at the feeder. I did see one in the valley by the creek a few days ago, but we have never had a Swamp sparrow come to our feeder. Tammie saw a Field Sparrow at the feeder earlier in the day. It is very rare that we have field sparrows come to the feeder. In addition to these rare visitors we have had plenty of White-crowned, White-throated, Song, and American Tree Sparrows, Juncos and Towhees.
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Location: East End - Backyard
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
There was a swirl of activity at my sunflower tray. A new yard bird, 1 Fox Sparrow and a FOS Field Sparrow showed among numerous Tree Sparrows, the usual large flock of Juncos and an unusual bird for here, a male Towhee.
Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Location: Norwood front yard
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
Watched the feeders on and off today; birds I saw: Mourning Doves, 2 different Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Nuthatches, European Starlings, American Tree Sparrow, House Sparrows, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrows (a new one for me), Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Cardinals, House Finches, American Goldfinches,
Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Location: Okeana backyard feeder
Reporter: Bob Schlake
Other Birders:
1 Brown-headed Cowbird
4 Purple Finch (they have been regular visitors this winter)
Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Location: Backyard, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
1 Fox Sparrow at feeders.
Date: Monday, February 8, 2010
Location: Rivertowne Marina, River Downs
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
Stopped by various spots along Ohio River on my way back from downtown. Highlights:
3 horned larks, 1 juv. dc cormorant, 1 pb grebe at Rivertowne Marina. 1 Killdeer at River Downs parking lot by horse stalls. My attempt to photograph a horned lark out car window (hard to get pic of!):
http://donaldthebirder.blogspot.com/2010/02/winter-river-hopping.html
Date: Monday, February 8, 2010
Location: Loveland (My Backyard)
Reporter: Mary Huttlinger
Other Birders:
HOLY COW -- we saw a warbler (my husband and I are still debating on which one - isn't this too early?) also have a Carolina Wren, Mockingbird (who chases our starlings - yay!) and 4 bluebirds (they seem to eat at my feeder every February!)
Date: Monday, February 8, 2010
Location: Finneytown Home
Reporter: Daniel Hadley
Other Birders: Mary Elizabeth Huey
Our first Chipping Sparrow of the year at our feeder this afternoon.
Date: Monday, February 8, 2010
Location: Mercy Hospital Mt. Airy
Reporter: Barbara Casson
Other Birders:
A red tailed hawk in tall trees near
visitors parking lot.
Trip List: Red-tailed Hawk 1
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010
Location: Loveland, OH
Reporter: Janet Pace
Other Birders:
I saw 6 Eastern Bluebirds in my backyard.
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Location: Miami-Whitewater Wetlands & vicinity
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders: Samantha Sayre
Stopped by the Shaker Trace wetlands today around 3pm to peruse the snowy fields. Had to walk a ways to get there, as the parking area is inaccessible.
Sightings:
Red-shouldered Hawk
Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
N. Harrier (at least 3)
Turkey Vulture
Short-Eared Owl (3! near the bathouse path)
E. Meadowlark (7)
Swamp Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
House Finch (flock of ~30)
Red-winged Blackbird (two large flocks;50 and 100 birds respectively and the flock that came closer seemed to have other 'blackbirds' mixed in it, but none were identifiable, but the vocal red-wings certainly were the dominant members of the flocks.)
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Location: Our backyard near Owensville
Reporter: David Johnstone
Other Birders: Jo Johnstone
Today we had 6 mature and 2 immature red-headed woodpeckers, a male and female pileated woodpecker, 3 female and 1 male northern flickers visiting our suet and peanut feeders. They have been regulars this winter along with 3 or more fox sparrows and the usual feeders birds. Great season! We have 50 plus cardinals!!
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: William Hull
Other Birders: Eric B.
I was at Armleder from about 12:00 - 2:30. Highlights were a Cackling Goose, Merlin and lots of American Tree Sparrows. The Merlin came from the direction of the bank building, landing in a tree near the overlook and then made a direct flight out of the park towards the north. The Cackling Goose was with a group of Canadas in the flooded field adjacent to the park.
Darlena, I am curious about your Rough-legged Hawk. Did you note any plumage details? I saw 7 Red-tailed Hawks, 5 juv., 2 adults and 1 one of the adults was very suggestive of a Rough-legged Hawk from a distance. Suggestive enough that I chased it down across one of the fields to get a better look. It perched on the top of the small trees and its belly band was very dark. However, closer looks showed a beautiful red tail.
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Darlena Graham
Other Birders:
Suffered from a severe case of laziness this week-end. Happily so, finally got my act together and headed out to Armleder. Started out with an Am. Pipit, nearing the end of my walk, I added a Rough-legged Hawk, a lovely female No.Harrier, my first this winter, and last but not least a S.E. Owl. The Meadow Larks are also still there. Something was calling that I couldn't identify to send me home scratching my head!!! All of this fun between noon and 1:30 or so.
Date: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Location: Great Miami River, Hamilton
Reporter: Mike Busam
Other Birders:
There was one Least Sandpiper on the southernmost gravel bar at Hamilton Riverside Natural Area, in addition to two or three American Pipits. The Least Sandpiper certainly seems like a wintering bird. I don't know where it goes when its favorite island is submerged, as has happened three times or so since December, but the river drops enough for the island to reappear, and so does a Least Sandpiper. There were scattered pipits along the river from roughly the Columbia Bridge south to Riverside. A single Killdeer at the Hamilton-Miami low dam.
Waterfowl were less abundant than I had hoped for. There were 700 to 1000 or so Canada Geese on the river between High Street and Riverside. 200+ Mallards, 3 Lesser Scaup, 4 Greater, 1 Bufflehead, 2 Common Goldeneyes. These are roughly the same numbers--and possibly the same individuals in the case of the scaup at least--that have been on this stretch of the river for a month or so.
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010
Location: Backyard Feeders, Anderson Township
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
One fox sparrow and several towhees came in with all of the regulars to feed in ths snow.
Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010
Location: Rivertown Marina / Luncan Airport
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
I made two quick stops today and had some notable sightings: at the marina 1 male Wood Duck, 1 1yr Herring Gull over the river. At Luncan 2 flocks, of ~6 Horned Lark in each.
Date: Friday, February 5, 2010
Location: Norwood front yard
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
Was glad to see the Red-Bellied Woodpecker chase the Starlings away from the suet, so he could eat. He was actually quite agressive!
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2010
Location: French Park -- around dusk
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
1 Eastern Screech Owl
1 Great Horned Owl
Both heard. The ESO was doing its non-whinny call from somewhere near the cell tower.
Date: Thursday, February 4, 2010
Location: Felicity
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
Many times in the past, I have thought I heard a Pileated Woodpecker drumming, but always dismissed it because I didn't think there was enough old growth woods in the vicinity to support them. Tonight, a PILEATED WOODPECKER flew across Richey Road, heading toward the small woodlot behind my neighbor's horse pasture. There is no mistaking their flight or the flash of the white wing linings. Hurray!
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Location: Muscatatuck NWR / Oxbow, Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders: slightly out of area
Stopped at both locations yesterday while driving back to Cincy fr/ some work in southern Indiana. Muscatatuck had great feeder action, with 8 Purple Finch and 4 Fox Sparrows in view at one time. 4 Greater White-fronted Geese, one of which showed a bright orange bill, consistent with the Greenland race, were among the Canada's on the one-way loop. Waterfowl diversity was low, with Mallards, 2 Gadwall, and 1 or 2 probable Cackling rounding out the field. Also present 1 2nd yr. Bald Eagle.
At the Oxbow, late afternoon, things picked up a bit. There's a pond or flooded field that's accessed by driving straight in to the chain and walking pas the chain (south?) into the corn stubble fields. All sightings were thru a scope: 10 N. Pintail, 4~ Gadwall, 200 Mallard, 50+ Black Duck, 100's Ring-billed Gulls, 6~ Herring Gulls, 1 suspicious large,2nd year Gull, still probably Herring, 1000's Canada Geese, 25 Great Blue Heron, and NO 'white' geese (although I scanned more than thrice through everything). The cool part was how so many birds were concentrated on this back pond. My guess is that as water recedes it creates nice feeding conditions in the shallows.
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Location: armleder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders: Eric Burkholder
Just to add to what Eric already put in,there was 1 pileated, 1 kingfisher, and I thank Eric for his diligence. Two of the immature redtails were hard to classify despite their relative tameness. Eric left & got a different guide to make sure they were what he thought. Dang, I was hoping for something more exotic. However, the one was so tame that it allowed me to walk within five feet of it, talk to it(I'm sure he understood) for five minutes. A walker came by & told me, as we both stood next to it, that he had the same thing happen a couple of days earlier. Finally flew kaddy-korner to the other stop sign where Eric found him when he returned. The bird showed no agitation or nervousness the whole time.
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: eric burkholder
Other Birders: John Zahnen
The park is open with a lot less cover in the fields. Stopped by around lunch. Found 2 Great Blue Herons, 8 Mallards, 5 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 American Kestrel, 1 Belted Kingfisher,20 American Tree Sparrows, 6 Eastern Meadowlarks and a large flock of 90+ Starlings.
At one time there were 4 Red-tailed Hawks in the row of trees between the N field and the soccer fields. Two of the hawks were immature. They allowed us to get very close to them when they perched on the stop signs and nest boxes.
There are still plenty of meadow voles around. I checked the ODNR website and not only are meadow voles prolific breeders but also excellent swimmers.
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Location: Winton Woods Parcours Trail 5:30 pm
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
Lots of woodpeckers out today! I heard one pecking on a nearby tree, so I put my ear on the tree, and it was pretty neat!! Even though she (Downy) was drumming on a very small branch near the top, I could hear it in the trunk, and I could feel the tree vibrate too.
Date: Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Location: GM River Hamilton; McGonigle nr Oxford
Reporter: David Russell
Other Birders: Miami U Ornithology class
With class this morning we found a Snow Goose in a Canada flock at the trailer park right off 27 in McConigle; the Snow left soon after our arrival with about 6 Canadas heading west. From the marina near MU Hamilton on the river we had an Am Pipit, female RB Merg, and a small mixed flock of Greater and Lesser Scaup. While looking for a Killdeer near the dam a DC Cormorant flew over headed upstream. We found no unuaual geese among the 1,000+ grazing along the banks, although a couple domestics always make life interesting, and the ducks were limited to a couple dozen Mallards, a single Bufflehead female, and about 8 Gadwall. Two imm Herring Gulls were actively working the shoreline.
Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Location: Shawnee boat ramp, 3:30 PM
Reporter: Mike Murphy
Other Birders:
Mature Bald Eagle perched in a tree at the parking lot.
Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010
Location: Delaware, Big Island & Killdeer Plains WA's
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: Mark Gilsdorf and Jack Stenger
The following report is from locations that lie outside of the immediate Greater Cincinnati region, but may still be of interest to local birders who regularly visit these spots. Delaware, Big Island and Killdeer Plains Wildlife Areas (WA) are all located in west-central Ohio, a bit northwest of Columbus. Delaware WA is about a 2.0 hour drive from Cincinnati. Add another 20 minutes north to Big Island plus 15 minutes more to Killdeer Plains. Maps of these sites and all Ohio Wildlife Areas can be found at:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wild_resourcessubhomepage/WildlifeAreaMaps/tabid/19694/Default.aspx
On Sunday, January 31st the three of us decided to check out the large winter raptor populations that are annually attracted to these sites. Mark and I left Cincinnati at 8:30 am and picked up Jack in Delaware, Ohio around 10:30 am. From there we made a quick pass through Delaware WA to pick up a wintering Northern Shrike, that was cooperatively right where it usually is. We then made a quick pass through Big Island and arrived at Killdeer Plains after noon. At sunset, having the option of looking for Short-eared Owls at Killdeer or Big Island, we chose Big Island where we stayed until dark.
Our days highlights included Northern Shrike, 3 Cackling Geese, a Greater White-fronted Goose, 32 Tundra Swans and lots of raptors. Keeping a strict and conservative count, our totals for the day included 48 Red-tailed Hawks, 5 Rough-legged Hawks, 24 Northern Harriers, 22 American Kestrels, 5 Bald Eagles, 3 Short-eared Owls and 2 Great Horned Owls. All of these birds were seen from or near our car.
Some of the species we saw included:
Cincinnati to Columbus: Red-tailed Hawk 8, American Kestrel 5.
Delaware WA: Red-tailed Hawk 5, American Kestrel 2, Northern Shrike 1 (large field in area G, south of US 229).
Big Island WA: Red-tailed Hawk 14, American Kestrel 3, Northern Harrier 18 (5 adult males), Bald Eagle 4 (2 adult, 2 immature), Short-eared Owl 3, Great Horned Owl 2 (the owls were seen near last light).
Killdeer Plains: Canada Goose 3000 (low estimate), Cackling Goose 3, Greater White Fronted Goose 1, Tundra Swan 32, Mallard 100+, Black Duck 30+, Northern Pintail 3 (most of the waterfowl were seen in the ponds along CH-68), Red-tailed Hawk 21, Rough-legged Hawk 5 (2 black morph, 3 light morph, including 1 immature), American Kestrel 12, Northern Harrier 6 (2 adult males), Bald Eagle 1 (adult), Red-headed Woodpecker 1, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Northern Mockingbird 1 (uncommon up there)
Horned Larks were numerous everywhere we went.
Date: Monday, February 1, 2010
Location: Beckjord soccer fields, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
1 Northern Harrier. Also, RS and RT Hawk in area. Haven't seen too many harriers this season.
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: Trammel Fossil Park
Reporter: STEPHEN RICE
Other Birders:
Saturday night heading home from work at Jungle Jims, stopped at Trammel Fossil Park to look at the Full Moon 10PM & heard at least one Great Horned Owl hooting up on the hill in the forest. Once saw a large owl fly thru the woods there at dark.
Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010
Location: Great Miami/Miami Whitewater
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders: Mike Sweeney
If you want to see eagles, invite expert birder(Worth Randall taught)Mike Sweeney along. We were looking for an eagle nest reported to me by a birder at Armleder - visible from Lawrenceburg Rd. across Watson Gravel just left of a maintenance bldg. in a Sycamore. I missed it, but Mike spotted it, saying we should get a closer look. Turns-out, the nest was on the other side of the Whitewater adjoining Dave Lutz' canoe livery. Hearing a Redtail protest as we got near, it became obvious it was a RED TAIL NEST- way too small for Bald Eagles. Mike thought it was a Redtail nest from far away.
We got a 100' close 5 minute watch of an immature Baldy next to U.S.50 bridge at Great Miami River, and later a quick shot of one of the pair 400yds. from the Whitewater nest, finally a different immature Baldy circled close over our heads at Campbell Lakes Preserve.
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: St. Joesph Cemetary
Reporter: Jim Terlinden
Other Birders: Patricia Terlinden
Female Merlin in the "Old Single" section just north of St Anthony near W 8th and Enright.
Date: Sunday, January 31, 2010
Location: Our home near Owensville
Reporter: David Johnstone
Other Birders: Jo Johnstone
Today brought us six mature and two immature Red-headed Woodpeckers!! It appears the really cold temps bring them all in. It is a treat to watch them! We also had four Fox Sparrows!
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: Magrish Preserve/Camp Dennison
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
Magrish Preserve:
1 immature Bald Eagle (probably around 930 am)
Camp Dennison (late morning; there were more ducks among the distant coots that I didn't ID):
200+ Canadas
5 Mute Swan
27 Gadwall
50 Canvasback
12 Redhead
4 Ring-necked
4 Greater Scaup
8 Lesser Scaup
5 Bufflehead
3 Common Goldeneye (all female)
20+ Hooded Merganser
2 Ruddy Duck
100+ A. Coot
I made 2 stops at Armleder as well but there didn't seem to be much going on when I was there.
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: Fort Thomas, KY
Reporter: Debra Hausrath
Other Birders: The family
An immature Bald Eagle has been flying over the Ohio River and our woods today. Saw it 3 times. Assume it's one (or both?) of the ones that were spotted at Armleder yesterday.
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: grand valley
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders:
late afternoon -
11 Lesser Scaup
5 Mallards
51 Canvasbacks
100+ Coots
50+ Hooded Mergansers
23 Rednecks
5 Buffleheads
1 Widgeon
1 Snowgoose
120+ Canadas
6 usual Mute Swans
1 immature Bald eagle
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: Woodland Mound - Anderson Township
Reporter: John Cimarosti
Other Birders: Penny Borgmand, Larry Jones
One adult bald eagle flying over the visitor center about 1:15pm. Pretty cool.
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2010
Location: Winton Woods (Kestral Point)
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
About 2:30 pm, I saw a Red-shouldered Hawk along Winton Lake.
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: Bethel
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
Seen at 5:30pm, in the side yard of the house at 448 N. Main St (SR 133) on the east side of the road, north of SR 125 between Circus and Kennedy-Ford: A huge roost of vultures, both Black and Turkey. There had to be at least 100 birds. The sycamore tree had 15 or 20, which is what caught my eye, but the 3 large old evergreen trees were filled with vultures, stacked on every available branch. Quite a sight!
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: Norwood front yard
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
New visitors to my bird feeders; this afternoon I saw a beautiful Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Carolina Wren hanging around. This experiment is getting expensive; I never realized birds could eat so much!
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Joe Kappa
Other Birders: Paul Krusling
Fly-over Rough-legged Hawk heading East. Flew right overhead.
Two Jeuv. Bald Eagles flying East up the river. Several gulls in the distance all appeared to be Ring-Billed.
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: IKEA Pond on Mulhauser Road
Reporter: Jay Lehman
Other Birders:
At about 5:00 pm, the Snow Goose previously reported was on the pond by the parking lot with the local flock of Canada Geese. This was species # 103 for Ohio in Janauary 2010 for me.
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: Columbia Parkway
Reporter: Rockin Birder
Other Birders:
Immature Bald Eagle was flying around near the large church at the top of the Mt. Adam's hill. Closest I've seen an Eagle to downtown.
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: Lake Isabella - 12:30-1:00 PM
Reporter: Allan Claybon
Other Birders:
Approx. 30 Hooded Mergansers far out on the lake that was mostly clear of ice.
Adult American Bald Eagle moved to 3 different perches around the lake.
Photographed from the car. Still there when I left.
First stop was at Armleder around 10 where no unusual gulls were seen.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsxbirder/
Date: Friday, January 29, 2010
Location: Armeleder
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders: No Sighting
This morning before work spent about 15 minutes checking the flooded park from the main entrance at the closed gates. Mark G. was there a bit before me and no interesting gulls were sighted at all. There are plenty of Ring-billed Gulls present though; perhaps 100. 1 Killdeer on the 'shore' immediately opposite the gate. I'd guess that the 'interesting' gulls that have been sighted there in the past days (Glaucous, Lesser Black Backed, Bonaparte's) could be around but just not visible. Certainly worth checking back at this location in the coming days. I can't think of any other viewing access to this area, but other nearby lower Little Miami areas could have these birds. Gulls were visible last night and this morning in the distance flying up and down the river at Armeleder.
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders:
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1
Stopped by Armleder after work, from 5 6 p.m. Water still rising. Among a group of six Ring-billed Gulls floating in the water I spotted one LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL. The bird was an adult gull, with black wings, a reddish spot on its lower beak tip and was roughly the same size as the ring-bills, maybe slightly larger. I observed it through my scope for about 10 minutes before something put the gulls up and they dispersed, with only a couple ring-bills remaining in view. The gulls still seem to be feeding on meadow voles.
In addition, a juvenile Northern Harrier was hunting low over the unflooded fields at the north end of the park.
Trip list:
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL 1
Ring-billed Gull - 10
Killdeer 1
Great Blue Heron - 1
Northern Harrier 1
Eastern Meadowlark 5
Mallard - 3
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Location: union center blvd
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders:
Rough Legged Hawk dives on top and drives away Red Tail from squirrel prey.
Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Mark Gilsdorf
Other Birders:
Stopped by for about an hour this morning before work. Park completely flooded. About 50 Ring-billed gulls, 1 Northern Harrier, 5 Canada Geese, 4 Mallards and 10 Crows. One interesting thing was that the gulls seemed to be picking the furry little corpses of drowned meadow voles out of the water. The Harrier was picking off the ones who managed to make it to dry land. No sign of the Glaucous Gull Paul reported yesterday, but it would be worth checking the park again.
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Paul Krusling
Other Birders:
I stopped by Armleder after work today hoping to see if the high water brought in anything interesting.
Canada Goose 20
Mallard 8
Great Blue Heron 1
American Kestrel 1
Bonaparte's Gull 4
Ring-billed Gull 30
Glaucous Gull 1 (See notes below)
Rock Pigeon 20
Mourning Dove 4
Tufted Titmouse 2
European Starling 20
Northern Cardinal 2
Notes: Glaucous Gull - I was unfortunately alone when I spotted this bird. I spent about ten minutes staring at the bird through the scope trying to note every field mark. The bird was white without the gray on the wings or the black wing tips of the ring-billed gulls and the Bonaparte's Gulls which were also present. The bill had a black tip and the wings had very light tan freckling. I hope it sticks around so someone else confirms it.
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Location: West Chester
Reporter: Laura Keene
Other Birders:
The Snow Goose I reported this morning was not present later this afternoon. Pic from this morning: http://www.flickr.com/photos/keeneone/4309844281/sizes/l/
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Location: Susana boat ramp, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
1 Male wood duck with the ~30 mallards and ~15 Canada geese in the flooded trees to the left of ramp.
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve/adjacent Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders:
15 Purple Finches at our back feeder today. The most so far for the year at one feeder. The cold brought them back but seems to have chased off our Phoebe. The last we saw it was 1/18/10. It was happily eating Virginia Creeper berries off the front of the house.
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Location: West Chester, Allen Road
Reporter: Laura Keene
Other Birders:
On my way to work this morning (~9:30 AM) I got a nice close up view of a Snow Goose with about 10 Canada Geese in a small pond on Allen Road east of Ikea- probably the same one John Hull spotted down the road at the Ikea pond yesterday. I'll just post a map: http://maps.yahoo.com/?ard=1&mvt%3Dh%26lat%3D39.313252%26lon%3D-84.425668%26zoom%3D18%26q1%3D39.313729%2C-84.424241#mvt=h&lat=39.313252&lon=-84.425668&zoom=15&q1=39.313729%2C-84.424241
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Location: Miami Whitewater wetland
Reporter: Frank Frick
Other Birders:
Rusty blackbirds: Across Baughman rd. from the parking lot in the woodlot on the left side of the trail. I had a small group of birds mostly a.robins with some e.bluebirds,red-winged blackbirds,starlings and two RUSTY BLACKBIRDS. The first I've seen this year.
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Location: Ikea pond, West Chester
Reporter: John Hull
Other Birders:
I saw a white blob in with the Canada Geese as I drove by on 75 so I circled back later and found a lone Snow Goose along with 40 Canada Geese, and 3 Mallards. Also 3 Starlings, and 3 Ring-billed Gulls.
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Location: Batavia Wendy's
Reporter: Lola Irvin
Other Birders:
An American Kestral hanging out on the light pole by Wendy's at Route 32 and Half Acre Road. Probably stopped in for a hot bowl of chili like I did.
Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Location: armledder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders:
Went looking for the great horned owl at the cavity I saw it in a few days ago. No activity. Bean field nicely flooded. 50-60 Canadas, 6 cackling (going on the basis of size. Closer to mallard size than Canada). Maybe forty ducks, mostly mallards and a few I won't call. Need a scope, as all were on the far side.
1 female harrier & 2 rt hawks.
Date: Sunday, January 24, 2010
Location: Miami Whitewater/Fernald
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
Afternoon-nightfall
Miami Whitewater Golf Course:
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
14 Wild Turkey
1 Hermit Thrush
Fernald:
2 Mute Swan
21 Gadwall
210 Ring-necked Duck
65 Redhead
4 Canvasback
Miami Whitewater Wetlands:
9 Cackling Geese
1500+ Canada Geese
700+ Mallard
4 Gadwall
10 A. Black Duck
4 Northern Pintail
1 N. Shoveler
6 N. Harrier
1 Killdeer
The Cackling Geese came in as one flock, half the size of the other geese in the air. They were easily distinguished by their short, higher-pitched honks despite the cacophony of Canada Goose sounds. They mixed briefly with a Canada flock but ultimately didn't land and flew south in their own flock. My numbers for Canadas and Mallards are very rough since I was mostly just enjoying the spectacle.
Date: Monday, January 25, 2010
Location: Fernald
Reporter: John Hill
Other Birders:
Late afternoon -
18 Mallards
8 Canvasbacks
23 Redneck
2 Buffleheads
5 Piedbilled Grebes
220 Hooded Mergansers
12 Common Mergansers
1 Gadwall
2 Mute Swans
15 Canadas
4 blue-morph Snow Geese
1 Harrier
300+ crows
Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Location: Crooked Run State Nature Preserve/adjacent to Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Suzanne Clingman
Other Birders: Chris Clingman
An Immature Bald Eagle, we first saw it flying over the estuary. It perched in a tree next to the middle bird blind. Later it flew over our garage to the river and flew downriver along the preserve bank. It had very mottled plumage underneath.
Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Location: Rt. 1 (Indiana near the slopes)
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Other Birders: Michele Leonhardt
We located a new GBH rookery on our trip back from Starve Hollow & Muscatatuck. At Muscatatuck the regulars and a few Muted Swans. The highlight was watching a family of river otter break thru the ice. I have photos posted for those who wish to view.
Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Location: Spring Grove Cemetery
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
1 Fox Sparrow (next to the woodlot across from section 60)
2 Mute Swan
2 Horned Lark (see message board)
Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Location: armledder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders:
At about 10:15 this AM while in the woods a GH owl flew out of a tree cavity (nest?) and sat for my viewing pleasure a good five minutes. I finally won the staring contest.
Also, 1 RS hawk, 1 merlin,1 female harrier, 2 mallards, ,2 gw teal, & hoardes of titmouse. Also many other backyard feeder birds.
Date: Saturday, January 23, 2010
Location: Fernald Preserve, Lodge Pond
Reporter: Allan Claybon
Other Birders:
Nice variety this afternoon about 3PM.
Counts on Redheads, Ring-necked, and Mallards are estimates.
Trip List: Mute Swan 2, Mallard 30, Northern Pintail 2, Canvasback 2, Redhead 40, Ring-necked Duck 40, Bufflehead 3, Common Goldeneye 2, Hooded Merganser 4, Belted Kingfisher 1
Date: Friday, January 22, 2010
Location: Armleder Park -- around dusk
Reporter: Kirk Westendorf
Other Birders:
1 Great Horned Owl (2 on 1/19)
3 Savannah Sparrows
I watched one of the GHO cough up a pellet on both nights but couldn't find either one of them in the leaf litter. The Savannah Sparrows are almost always in the field between the shelterhouse and the picnic shelters along with meadowlarks. I sometimes see them but usually just hear their weak call notes from the bike path when I'm there at dusk.
Date: Friday, January 22, 2010
Location: East End - Ohio River
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
This morning before work -
1 immature Bald Eagle flying low from the river up the hill, paralleling (approximately) Delta Ave.
Date: Friday, January 22, 2010
Location: Clifton backyard
Reporter: Lori Brumbaugh
Other Birders:
I just had a immature CAPE MAY Warbler on my suet in the backyard...and got photos!
Date: Thursday, January 21, 2010
Location: Winton Woods (various)
Reporter: Barb Schwallie
Other Birders:
Walked in the rain this afternoon between 4 and 6 pm and saw more birds than I thought would be out; quite a few robins on the ground,feeding. I saw a couple of Downy Woodpeckers, 1 Pileated overhead, some Carolina Chickadees, a Brown Creeper and a couple cardinals. Also saw Canadian Geese flying overhead in several groups as it was getting dark.
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Location: East End - Ohio River
Reporter: Jonathan Frodge
Other Birders:
I had a probable Cackling Goose fly over in one of numerous skeins of Canada Geese late this afternoon. I'd like to know where they've all been headed, as it's towards downtown from here, which is relatively urban and close in. 22 Mallards and a Great Blue Heron were on the river bank. As dusk settled an E. Screech Owl trilled quietly in the cottonwoods.
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Location: Valley View Preserve
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
1 Red Tail
1 Sharp-Shinned
Field, Song, and American Tree Sparrows in droves. Also some White-Crowned.
Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Location: Armleder
Reporter: Joshua Eastlake
Other Birders:
2 Red Tails
1 Harrier
1 Kestrel
1 Pileated
1 Hairy
Plenty of White-Crowned and Am. Tree Sparrows
Date: Monday, January 18, 2010
Location: Cincinnati Nature Center - Rowe Woods
Reporter: Kathi Hutton
Other Birders:
Heard along Edge Trail, behind the Rowe Building: a pair of Barred Owls calling back and forth to each other.
Date: Monday, January 18, 2010
Location: Fernald
Reporter: John Marvin
Other Birders:
In the front pond there was a pintail in addition to the mallards, ring necks, redheads, canvasbacks, and green-winged teal. Also saw a pipit, meadowlark and horned larks in the fields. Still haven't been able to track down any of those longspurs though...
Date: Monday, January 18, 2010
Location: Great Miami River, Hamilton
Reporter: Laura Keene
Other Birders:
A Trumpeter Swan landed in the Great Miami River upstream from the lower dam around 3pm today, stayed for about 10 minutes, then flew south. I missed the Least Sandpipers Mike Busam reported(again)!
http://www.so-keene.com/IMG_8709.jpg
http://www.so-keene.com/IMG_8712.jpg
Date: Monday, January 18, 2010
Location: Camp Dennison Gravel Pits 1 pm
Reporter: Everitt Kitchen
Other Birders:
Only one area of about 100 yds by 50 yds in the South pond free of ice.
80 coots, 6 mute swans, 40 Canada geese, 24 canvasbacks, 8 red heads, 10 bufflehead, 6 hooded mergansers, 10 ruddies, 4 scaup, 6 gadwall, 3 wigeon, 20 ring-billed gulls.
Date: Monday, January 18, 2010
Location: my backyard (West Price Hill)
Reporter: David Brinkman
Other Birders: Adam Brinkman (3 yrs old)
28 goldfinches (on 2 thistle feeders) is a record count for my yard. Pretty good for inside the city limits. No siskins yet.
Date: Sunday, January 17, 2010
Location: Campbell Lakes Preserve
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Other Birders:
1 Adult Bald Eagle gave me a great show as it went for a freestyle flight over the lakes. I have 7 photos posted in my gallery.
Date: Sunday, January 17, 2010
Location: Hamilton Riverside Natural Area/Great Miami River
Reporter: Mike Busam
Other Birders: Charlie Saunders
Charlie and I birded the Great Miami River in Hamilton for a little bit Saturday and Sunday mornings. Some highlights include 1 Peregrine Falcon on Saturday, and 3 Least Sandpipers on the Hamilton Riverside Natural Area gravel bar on Sunday. These birds seem intent on wintering here. Also Sunday, one Double-crested Cormorant, and 1 Killdeer.
Ducks include the following, and with the exception of hundreds of Mallards and 6+ Gadwall over two days, all the numbers are of five or less individuals:
American Wigeon, American Black Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, and Red-breasted Merganser.
There are many Canada Geese (1000+) up and down the river, but we couldn't find anything unusual. There were still a few Herring Gulls hanging around, and we had a nice view of three individuals of different age classes, which were fighting over a dead fish. That's what passes for high times when it comes to river birding in Hamilton . . .
Date: Sunday, January 17, 2010
Location: MWF, Fernald, Shawnee
Reporter: Albert Scruggs
Other Birders: julie morris
Rough-legged hawk at Fernald.. Also 9 duck sp.-- American Black, Mallard, Gadwall, Canvasback, Ring-necked, Redhead, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy, Green-winged teal. Saw 20 wild turkeys in 3 different flocks. Raptors other than rough-legged were Red-tailed, Cooper's, Red-shouldered, Am. Kestrel, N. Harrier.
Date: Sunday, January 17, 2010
Location: Grand Valley, St. Joe Cemetery, Lost Bridge, Harrison, Miami Whitewater Wetland
Reporter: Jay Lehman
Other Birders:
I discovered that my total list reported after three days was low by two species. I missed reporting Swamp Sparrow seen on the East Fork Christmas count and did not count the Winter Wren. So, I started Saturday, 01/16/10 with 77 species. I ended the Saturday, 01/16/10 with 88 species.
I started the day at Grand Valley Park/Camp Dennison looking for several waterfowl still missing from my list. All of the ponds were frozen except for a hole in the south pond where I found new birds Northern Shoveler-2 (m) and Green-winged Teal-1 (m). The Green-winged Teal was feeding on the ice edge somehow finding food. The Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Hooded Merganser and Mute Swan were still present. I was lucky that the fog was still high enough that at first I could see from the dike along the road, when I first saw the N. Shovelers. When the fog dropped obscuring my view from the road side dike, I went to the park in Camp Dennison and was able to see the Northern Shovelers and find the male Green-winged Teal. I heard later from other birders that the fog dropped further obscuring a good view. I thought I heard a Red-winged Blackbird only once flying over in the fog, but couldnt find it and decided that I was hearing a Starling doing an imitation or a similar sound.
Next I went Armeleder Park hoping for pipits. I found American Pipits-2, flying over and calling. I checked out the extensive sparrow habitat, looking for Savannah Sparrows, even though they have not been reported there recently. No luck. The snow and cold weather probably drove them south. I met Jonathan Frodge, who had found a flock of Red-winged Blackbirds along the river. So, we returned to the rivers edge and found them. There was one long-tailed bird in the group and a few potential candidates for Rusty Blackbird in the flock, but I didnt have a scope at that time and they were too distant for a cloudy day to identify. Other birds present but not new were two different flocks of White-crowned Sparrows, 10 in each, and lots of Song Sparrows and Tree Sparrows. There was a small flock of about 8 Horned Larks, several Red-tailed Hawks, one American Kestrel and two immature Red-shouldered Hawks.
Next stop was St. Joe Cemetery on West Eighth Street. I found a Merlin by driving up the hill from the entrance building on Seton Road. The local crows were harassing it.
I headed west to the Lost Bridge area. There I found the Common Goldeneye-8 (1 m the rest f or imm.), Ross Goose-1, Northern Pintail-1 (m) and Common Merganser-18. There was a second smaller white goose, but I could not get a good look at its bill. I kept its head tucked, and when it un-tucked its head, it was actively preening and moving too fast to see the bill well. There was a large white domestic goose, with bright orange bill, legs and feet and bigger than the Canada Geese. Hopefully, this was not previously reported as a Snow Goose. The N. Pintail appeared when some shooting flushed a large flock (+300) of Mallards and Black ducks off the river. The Common Mergansers were on the river, south of the bridge (scope necessary). Other birds while I was there were one adult Bald Eagle, perched in a tree north of the bridge in back of the gravel operation, one Northern Harrier, hundreds maybe 1000 Canada Geese and at least 20 Gadwall, a few American Coot and at least one female Ring-necked Duck. I checked the cornfield to the south, but there was no flock of Horned Larks, longspurs, etc. visible while I was present.
Next I stopped at the end of Southwest Parkway and found at least one Lapland Longspur in a flock of about 250 Horned Larks. Every time the whole flock flew I heard the dry rattle flight call of Lapland Longspur. I looked for Snow Bunting in this flock but never saw any. Turn left on Dry Fork off of I-74, continue straight across Simonson on Southwest to the dead-end.
I continued to Miami Whitewater to the wetlands, and stayed at the observation hut until almost 6:00 pm. watching for the Short-eared Owl recently reported. No luck. However, up to six Northern Harriers were seen north of the observation hut, with up to five sitting on the ground in view at one time. There was one male (gray ghost) in the mix. Just before I left the observation area, a flock of Common Grackles-5 flew by followed a little later by a single Common Grackle. A third group of three blackbirds flew over, but I did not see them well enough to identify them.
Date: Saturday, January 16, 2010
Location: Great Miami River, Dayton
Reporter: Laura Keene
Other Birders: Shane Egleston, Frank Frick and 2 other birders
I arrived at 11:45AM to find the Glaucous gull in the exact location reported yesterday.
Date: Saturday, January 16, 2010
Location: Backyard, New Richmond, OH
Reporter: Donald Morse Jr.
Other Birders:
2 Female Purple Finches at feeders. Always seem to show up right after the snow melts.
Date: Friday, January 15, 2010
Location: Twin Creek Park
Reporter: John Hull
Other Birders:
A little north of the area but I found a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the southern portion of the Twin Creek Metro Park yesterday if anyone is interested.
The area is in Warren county off Route 4, N of Middletown. There is a fishing pond and entrance off Morning Star road. If you drive back and park, walk past the maintenance area and across a field to a stand of pines with a nice crop of cones. I had walked the entire Southern trail in the late fall and had seen a pair of nuthatches at that time so I thought I would see if any are around this winter and at least one is.
Also seen: Brown Creeper, Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, C Chickadee, C Wren, A Goldfinch, A Crow, and R Belly Woodpecker.
Date: Sunday, January 3, 2010
Location: Grand Valley, Bethel area, Hillsboro, Armeleder
Reporter: Jay Lehman
Other Birders:
I started day 3 following up on some good birds reported on the East Fork State Park Christmas Count. At the end of day three I had 75 birds on my list. A quick stop at Grand Valley yielded Yellow-bellied Sapsucker-1 in the park at the south edge of the south pond. I looked for but did not find Northern Shovelers. Unfortunately, I did not find the Brown Thrasher and White-crowned Sparrows at the power lines, reported by Bob Foppe and Donald Morse on the Christmas Count, but I did find one White-crowned Sparrow along the road near the corner where they also reported American Pipits on the count. I did not find the pipits either. I then went to Grant Lake as I worked my way north and east toward, Highland Stone and Gravel, Highland County, the quarry southeast of Hillsboro. I didnt find anything new at Grant Lake, so I headed toward the quarry near Hillsboro. In the park across from the office, there were 6 Sandhill Cranes, and while driving around south of the area, I found a flock of 32 more. In the gravel pit area, there was a Killdeer-1, a Northern Harrier-1 in the grassy areas around the pits, and a flock of Horned Larks-20 in a harvested soybean field. I headed back to Cincinnati, and stopped again at Grand Valley looking for Northern Shoveler. No luck. There was till enough light to stop at Armeleder Park before dark. There I added Eastern Meadowlark-3 and also saw a flock of 20 Tree Sparrows.
At the end of day three, I was well on track to get to 100 with a total of 75.
However, this quest was interrupted January 09 -12 by a successful trip to south Texas to see the Bare-throated Tiger Heron.
Date: Saturday, January 2, 2010
Location: East Fork State Park
Reporter: Jay Lehman
Other Birders: Joe Bens, Linda Rommine, Kathi Hutton, one additional counter-Rick?
I joined the East Fork State Park Christmas Count. At the end of the day my list was 68. I arrived almost too late to join the count, but followed Joe Bens and his group. One my way to the south beach, I added Red-shouldered Hawk-1. At the beach in a small flock of Canada Geese flying by, I added Greater White-fronted Goose-2. The Eastern Phoebe had survived a very cold night (13F) and was still present near the bath houses and added to the Christmas count list. At the prairie I added Field Sparrow-2. The prairie habitat is not as good this year, because all vegetation was cut in the fall to limit woody plants. At the trail access parking area along the entry road from the South Bantam Entrance, I added Winter Wren-1, which popped out of the ground cover around the small frozen pond near the blind and wood duck box. It promptly disappearedas usual for Winter Wren. At a private nearby feeder, Brown-headed Cowbird-3 and Fox Sparrow-1 were added. Great Blue Heron-1 was added at the dam. At the raceway, I added a distant Belted Kingfisher-1 rattling. On the way back to Bethel for lunch, I added Coppers Hawk-1. In the afternoon along the south side of the lake, we birded the roads that end at or near the lake. I added Brown Creeper-2, Hermit Thrush-1, Turkey Vulture-3, Black Vulture-3, Sharp-shinned Hawk-1 and a beautiful male Purple Finch-1.
A list of 68 species for the second day is about average for me for the past three years.
Date: Friday, January 1, 2010
Location: Madeira, Grand Valley, East Fork SP & area
Reporter: Jay Lehman
Other Birders:
January 100 Species in Ohio Quest
This is the report for my first day trying for 100 birds in January in Ohio (aka January Century List). My strategy this year was again to start in the south and try to get all of the more common birds in the south before heading north. At the end of the day I recorded 53 species. Below is the list of the new birds with the number seen following each species name. Additional sightings of previously sighted species are also added at the end of each section/location. On my way to spend Christmas in Pennsylvania with family, I picked up cold, so I wasnt sure how long I could stay out in the cold to bird.
I started on my front porch with my morning cup of coffee, getting in order Great Horned Owl-1, American Robin-5, White-throated Sparrow-1, American Goldfinch-1, House Finch-2, Blue Jay-2, House Sparrow-2, Northern Cardinal-1, Song Sparrow-1, American Crow-1, European Starling-8, Mourning Dove-2, Carolina Chickadee-1.
Then I headed to Grand Valley/Camp Dennison only a few miles east, where I added Golden-crowned Kinglet-1, Ring-billed Gull-30, Ring-necked Duck-20, Greater Scaup-2 (1m, 1 f), Lesser Scaup-3, Canvasback-8, Redhead-6, Ruddy Duck-46, Bufflehead-8, Canada Goose-3, Horned Grebe-1, Pied-billed Grebe-5, American Coot- 100, Carolina Wren-1, Bald Eagle-1 (adult), trying to catch coots in north pond, Mute Swan-6, Mallard-4, Hooded Merganser-6, American Wigeon-3, Gadwall-10. I also saw 3 Carolina Chickadees and 15 American Robins at Grand Valley.
In Milford I added Rock Pigeon-15.
At East Fork State Park (EFSP) at the Visitor center by the dam, I found Red-bellied Woodpecker-2, Dark-eyed Junco-15, White-breasted Nuthatch-6, Tufted Titmouse-25, Hairy Woodpecker-1, Downy Woodpecker-1, Eastern Towhee-1 as well as 15 White-throated Sparrows and 20 Carolina Chickadees.
At the raceway below the dam at EFSP, I added Northern Flicker-1, Pileated Woodpecker-2, Eastern Bluebird-8, as well as 2 Downy Woodpeckers, 10 White-throated Sparrows, 3 Tufted Titmice, 5 Carolina Chickadees and 1 Hairy Woodpecker.
At the prairie at EFSP, I added Tree Sparrow-2 as well as 1 Song Sparrow, 1 Carolina Wren and 1 Eastern Towhee.
At the south beach at EFSP, I added Eastern Phoebe-1, which was snagging food off the ground and flying into and out of the bath houses. There were also 200 Ring-billed Gulls and 3 Pied-billed Grebes.
On Route 222 on the way back to Batavia, I added Wild Turkey-1 and Northern Mockingbird-1 and a flock of several hundred European Starlings.
On the way east on Route 32 to the rest area east of Sardinia, I added Red-tailed Hawk-1, and at the rest area I added Red-headed Woodpecker-1 and American Kestrel-1.
On my way back home on Route 32, I stopped at the pond west of Bodman Road, visible from Hess Road and added Black Duck-1 and Cackling Goose-1. There were also about 40 Mallards and 50 Canada Geese on the ond.
A total of 53 birds is not bad for a first day.
I called Joe Bens to report the Eastern Phoebe for the East Fork Christmas Count and signed up to help on January 2.
Date: Friday, January 15, 2010
Location: Armleder Park
Reporter: Bill Doss
Other Birders:
I failed to locate the Merlin in the park but found it in a large Sycamore tree at 16:00 about 1,000 feet North on Wooster Road.
Trip List: Canada Goose 20, Mallard 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Merlin 1, Rock Pigeon 14, Mourning Dove 2, Belted Kingfisher 1, Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Northern Flicker 1, Blue Jay 1, American Crow 1, Carolina Chickadee 4, Tufted Titmouse 5, White-breasted Nuthatch 3, Brown Creeper 1, Carolina Wren 1, American Robin 3, Northern Mockingbird 1, European Starling 20, American Tree Sparrow 12, Song Sparrow 4, Dark-eyed Junco 2, Northern Cardinal 3, American Goldfinch 1
Date: Friday, January 15, 2010
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Reporter: Mike Busam
Other Birders: reported by Rick Asamoto
I thought this report taken from the Ohio-birds list (http://www.birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/OHIO.html#1263582573) of a Glaucous Gull along the Great Miami River in Dayton might be of interest. It's a close location and easily accessed from I-75:
Subject: Glaucous Gull, Great Miami River, Dayton (Montgomery County)
From: Rick Asamoto
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:07:13 -0800
The Glaucous Gull reported by Dave Collopy was located by Shane Egleston today.
It was on the ice on the Great Miami River between Carillon Park and the UD
Arena.
Ducks in the area included Mallard, Hooded Merganser, Gadwall, Common
Goldeneye, and female Green-winged Teal.
Rick Asamoto Miamisburg
Date: Friday, January 15, 2010
Location: Chilo Lock 34 Park
Reporter: Chris Clingman
Other Birders:
One Peregrine Falcon at the visitor center. It headed down river towards Meldahl Dam.
Between Chilo and Felicity on State Route 222, One Eastern Meadowlark.
Date: Thursday, January 14, 2010
Location: armledder
Reporter: john zahnen
Other Birders: Ruhikant, Tom, Lola, all in part
1 female harrier
1 coopers
1 kestral
on LMR
7 mallards
2 gw teal
5 gb herons
1 kingfisher
7 canadas
6 maybe cackling geese. Half the size of the canadas they were next to. Markings different. However, not positive without another verification
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