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January 1997

Summary mainpage: Winter 1996-97

Bird of the week may be the Brant present since the 26th with Canadas along the Greater Miami R. in W. Carleton ( Dayton area: specific directions would be helpful ). A pair of Black-crowned Night-Herons have graced the campus of Ohio State recently; present as late as today (fide Marcus England). Numbers of Northern Harrier continue at Killdeer Plains W.A. as of yesterday (fide Brad Courson). Five Tundra Swans were there on the 25th. Confirmation of the report of 18-20 Mute Swan at Sheldon's Marsh this past Sunday would be interesting - although expanding numbers in recent years, O.D.N.R. has made serious efforts toward discouraging breeding in the Western Lake Erie marshes. More Mute Swans - seen at the sewage treatment plant in Toledo and one at Reed Park (below dam at C.J.Brown Res.), both the 26th. A blue Snow Goose was at C.J. Brown the same day. An unusual January sight for NE Ohio was a Sandhill Crane flying off Lake Erie with Canadas at Lakeshore Park on the 26th - an Oldsquaw was also at that location that day. Snow Buntings have been regular in Cleveland at Burke Lakefront Airport and recently a flock of 70 at Edgewater park. The power plants are reporting a variety of the common bay ducks. A cormorant was at Ashtabula Power Plant. I have late reports of a Peregrine Falcon at Lakewood on the 22nd and an albino crow at North Chagrin Reservation.

Apparently the Castalia Greater White-fronted Goose had returned as it was studied carefully by Elinor Elder on the 21st. Not seen on the 22nd - I have no more recent reports. A pair of Bald Eagles are visiting Putnam park near bridge 6 on the Muskingum in the Zanesville area - same spot as a pair last year - are we looking at another inland nest site? The tape highlight from Youngstown this week is a flock of 110 Wild Turkeys at Mosquito Lake W.A. - the sort of number expected in Hocking Valley but not the NE. Late news from last week includes Glaucous Gulls at both Avon and Lorain from the 18-19th. with 3 at Avon Lake on the 22nd accompanied by an Iceland Gull

Linda, Susan, Mary Jane, and Margaret (hope I got that right) found an adult Thayer's Gull at Eastlake Power Plant today around noon. Snow Geese and Greater White-fronted Geese (numbers?) were still at Pickerington Ponds on Tuesday the 21st. Mild weather has many central and southern Ohio locales reporting diverse waterfowl mixes more usual for late February. Two adult and one immature Bald Eagle were noted last weekend in the Dayton area (as late as the 22nd at Englewood Reserve).

A thank you to Roger Troutman for salvaging identifiable remains of the Loudonville Rufous Hummingbird (now with the O.S.U. collection) - an apparent feline victim found dead on the 11th January. John Condit was kind enough to also show me yesterday the other O.S.U. RUHU specimen (from several years ago at Maumee). Unfortunately freezer-burn had destroyed the details of the back - the photos taken at the time of death suggest a greenish patch of feathers - rare in an adult male. So rare that Mark Robbins of Missouri has been examining such specimens (at least one had proved to be a hybrid) and recently communicated that Ohio's first specimen is just what I had described, an adult male RUHU with a green back (sigh-of-relief). The point here, other than to make up for a lack of sightings to report (hint hint), is to state that one may not know the value of a specimen until years later. There is no general collecting of specimens in Ohio, to my knowledge, which behooves the birding community to assist local biodiversity efforts with the salvage of what material you may - your basic road and window kills. It need not be as scarce as the Varied Thrush that got tossed on the garbage heap a few years ago (would have been . . . 2nd or 3rd state specimen), nor even a mid-January Wood Thrush that almost was dismissed but for Carl Slater's thoughtfulness (anyone out there know of another SPECIMEN for North America of Wood Thrush for mid-winter ; reports yes, photos maybe TX and LA, but specimens - ??). I would hope that birders would automatically consider such rarities but the immature Ring-billed Gull (= dirt common) from Lorain I dropped off yesterday at the O.S.U. museum was just as appreciated. Sightings are useful, photographs better yet, but a specimen is a morphological and genetic time-capsule revealing insights into the species for centuries.

The Snowy Owl at Maumee Bay State Park has proved elusive but is reported again from the 19th. Over the weekend the Maumee River rapids held 11 Mute Swan, 5 Snow Geese, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. More Snow Geese were present at Providence Park Dam on the Maumee. Three were at the Miami Whitewater Wetlands (Hamilton Co.) on the 18th and 19th (fide Mike Busam) along with 2000 Canadas. Pam Raver reports the flock of Greater White-fronted Geese at Pickerington Ponds was down to 6 as of yesterday. Observers on Rt 523 west of Rt 53 failed to see the Snowy Owl but had a Northern Mockingbird at that location. Eastlake was the place to be this weekend as Larry Rosche reports 1 each Oldsquaw, Surf Scoter and White-winged Scoter. Gulls included - 4 Glaucous Gulls the 18th, 1 Iceland the 18th and 2 on 19th, 3-4 Lesser Black-backeds the 18th, and 1 Black-legged Kittiwake. Also reporting 1 Thayer's at Avon Lake on 1/18 and 1 at Eastlake 1/19; 1 Glaucous Gull at Headlands Beach State Park on the 19th.

The dozen Greater White-fronted Geese continued at Pickerington Ponds through the 14th. Snow Geese continue in the region away from more usual mid-winter locations with 2 white morph at Killdeer Plains today and birds reported from both Oberlin and Wellington Res. last weekend on the 12th. Apparently the Ross' Goose was again in the company of those geese at Oberlin on the 12th. seen departing for surrounding fields around 9:30 am. A Little Gull was reported from Eastlake power plant on the 12th. A 1st winter Iceland Gull was at Avon power plant on the 18th as was a Peregrine Falcon chasing a Great Black-backed Gull. For only about the fourth mid-winter Ohio record, 2 Blue-winged Teals was seen on the 16th in the Cleveland area{Rocky River Nature Center}. Thayer's Gull was recently reported from Lorain {yesterday?}. Uncommon in SW Ohio, Bill Pratt reports a Lapland Longspur this week from along SR 177 near the Ohio-Indiana border. Also on the wind was an apparent one-day wonder Varied Thrush at a Cleveland Hts feeder mid week - nothing more.

The Sandusky Co. Snowy Owl reported Wed. was still present in the area today - Sat. the 18th. The bird was about 80 meters into a field N of Rt 523 less than 300 meters from Rt 53 { This is just N of its location from Wed. }. The bird was a conspicuous blob on the ground - from the markings I'd guess an adult female. Remarkably tolerant of 4 ski machines barrelling along just 60 meters away. For those visiting the area, this is immediately east of last winters Brewer's Blackbird location. Just two intersections west turn S on Rt 174 (Weikert Rd). This loops you back to Fremont past fields good for larks and longspurs (we only saw 60 HOLA). But if last years routine of manure laying is followed these fields may be of interest in the near future. I received word today {Sunday} that Lapland Longspurs and Rusty Blackbird were seen here on the 19th. We visited Castalia via Castalia Rd (Rt 412; another good Snow Bunting/Lapland Longspur road) but discovered the Greater White-fronted Goose missing along with virtually every one of the other 600 Canada Geese that had been present. I understand from Nick Barber the GWGO was still present this morning but he missed it by half an hour. Nick did have 15 white morph Snow Geese land in a field at the juntion of Rt 101 and Rt 2.

NORTHWEST OHIO: I observed the Greenland race (orange-yellow bill) Greater White-fronted Goose at Castalia Pond again on the 14th. - same place across from the Grace Lutheran Church. Paul W. Schwalbe reports a Snowy Owl in the top of a tree out in a large field east of Rt. 53, about 1/2 - 3/4 miles south of Rt. 523. on 15 Jan. 1997.This is along the road between Fremont and Port Clinton. It was 9:35 a.m. when the bird was observed.

THE LAKE: On Tues. the 14th Huron held 950 Canvasback - a sea of males. An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was close to shore at Sherrod Park. A 2nd winter Glaucous Gull was sitting on the beach below the power plant at Avon. A surprising 550 Bonaparte's Gull remain at that location. Along with a peculiar mix of coot, Bufflehead, 650 Canada Goose, 200 Great-black-backed Gull, C. Merganser, Redhead, Greater Scaup, and 3 kingfishers. Thayer's Gull, Iceland Gull, and Glaucous Gull were reported from Eastlake over the weekend 11-12th. Late word is that last Sat's Pomerine Jaeger remained the next day at Lorain resting on the grass at the end of the pier by the "hotwaters". I saw only 270 Canada Geese in that spot on Tues. yet another Pomerine Jaeger was seen (noon-4:30) by Vince Urbanski on the 11th at Fairport Harbor. Both this species and a Little Gull (4:00 - 5:15 pm) were spotted from the boat launch at the end of Water St.

DAYTON AREA : From the 11-16th Lapland Longspurs have been observed in cornfields along Dog Lake Rd (take Rt 40 W of airport). A Snow Bunting was also observed along this road. A Double-crested Cormorant was found on open water between E. River Rd and I75 on the 11th. A dozen Wood Ducks were on the Stillwater R. at Stiehl Dam (Date?). Also Mute Swan (Reed Park) and probable Tundra Swan (on the ice) were reported at C.J. Brown Reservoir.

An adult Greater White-fronted Goose was photographed at Castalia Pond this afternoon. Check the NW end where the stream begins. Other birds at Castalia : Mallard - 7000, Am. Black Duck - 1400, Mallard X Am. Black hybrid - 62, No. Pintail - 26, Gadwall - 30, Am. Wigeon - 114, Canada Goose - 780 {only interior and maxima}, Wood Duck - 1, No. Shoveler - 98, Bufflehead - 14 / perhaps most bizarre of all in my annual study of plumage variation was a Mallard - perfectly normal adult male from the neck ring up and the remainder typical female plumage but for a dozen isolated gray vermiculated feathers on either flank; photographed.

LORAIN - At the MARINA one Pomarine Jaegerwas observed both sitting on the ice and flying around [ed. note - with acceptable documentation this would become the latest record for Ohio and one of extremely few mid-winter records for the Great Lakes]. There were thousands of gulls, but, the reported Little Gull and Lesser Black-backed gull of earlier in the week eluded us. HURON - One Black Scoter was observed amongst many Canvasbacks and other ducks out by the lighthouse. CASTALIA - Black Ducks, Mallards, Pintails, Shovelers, one Wood Duck, and GadwallKILLDEER PLAINS - 8 Snow Buntings were observed just west of the south end of Washburn Rd. on Morral-Kirkpatrick Rd. in the driveway of a white house on the north side of the road. One Northern Harrier was seen. And, starting at the Resevoir at about 5:00 16 Short-eared Owls were observed flying at various places along the road that passes in front of the Sportsman's Club. Two more were observed along Washburn Rd. - D.L.

I can add that today, Sun 12 Jan., at Castalia were at least 6 small Canada Geese with characters of Lesser CAGO, B. c. parvipes. Heavy mist prevented a good census but there are about 5-6000 waterfowl present - I had expected higher numbers with this weekend freeze but large flocks have been moving south at high altitude the past two evenings. The vanguard of 200-250 Canada Goose against the moon just now {7:00pm} took 4 seconds to traverse that orb; my guess a height of a half mile or more. - V.W.F. III

Some belated goose news: To clarify the Zanesville CBC Greater White-fronted Geese were found by Bill Thompson and Julie Zickefoose in a private area of The Wilds near Cumberland. Mike Busam reports a Gr. White-front was located on the December 21 Hamilton/Fairfield (Butler County) CBC. Subsequent efforts to re-locate the bird saw only the discovery of "four miniature Canada Geese, often called Cackling Geese". [CORRECTION : likely Richardson's - I previously stated there was no record of "Cackling" for Ohio however an individual with characters of this form was studied by Jim Heflich et al. at E. 55th St. Marina in Cleveland 6-7 Dec. 1993; from The Ohio Cardinal 17:39. ]

. . . and now Ross' Goose making the news - apparently {confirmed?} from the 7th-9th a white morph at Oberlin Reservoir in Lorain County. Present each afternoon but mornings it may be out in the fields feeding. Seen flying in the direction of Wellington Reservoir so check there. Another Ross' Goose is apparently back at Gallipolis (Gallia Co.)(here 2 years ago) - I have no further details.

Other stuff - Two 2nd yr Glaucous Gulls at Oberlin Reservoir on the 8th. Seven Tundra Swan at Mosquito Lake on the 5th. Back on the 3rd a nice concentration of Bald Eagle saw 12 at Old Woman Creek and 2 more at Sheldon's Marsh. A Surf Scoter was seen at Huron the same day. - from the 11 Jan. Cleveland RBA

Greater White-fronted Geese making the news - check out the Columbus RBA.

Just got word that the Holmes County Rufous Hummingbird is still there - at least for the CBC and then some. Read on as to why that should not be such a surprise. Pending OBRC review the two recent RUHU records are the 12th and 13th records{photos of Wood Co. bird} contrary to some newspaper accounts stating about 6 records. These do not include at least 3 probable RUHU for which OBRC never saw any documentation. All in the last 11 years. Now that's a paradigm shift.

All those with birds at the feeder for the first time in a month raise your hands. My maximum weekly junco count for this winter (since last week of Oct.)

9 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | and today 17

Dale Rothert reports 1 possibly 2 Bald Eagle at Tappan Lake near Cadiz.

Only just learned of the following SW Ohio birds from last Wed. the 1st Jan. A Brant along the Great Miami R. in Middletown - viewed from bridge. 5 Surf Scoter at Caesar Creek Reservoir viewed from the N end of Harveysburg Rd. An Oldsquaw was present at C.J. Brown Reservoir at the south end of the Beach.

Extreme weather makes for extreme birds on today's Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Christmas Bird Count. I photographed this counts first Turkey Vulture as it spent at least 90 minutes sailing back and forth over Reno Beach. A Pomerine Jaeger off Crane Creek S.P. beach - afforded a decent study. Rob Harlan's party added Harlequin Duck {2 flybys at Magee Marsh} and Mark Shieldcastle's group tallied 3 Black Scoter off Navarre Marsh. Compiler Tom Bartlett, who contributed a Least Sandpiper had to make room on the all-time list for yet another species; Trumpeter Swan - 9 were found - mostly collared. Extreme wind saw songbirds a skulking but waterfowl on the wing. Our tally of 6500+ Common Goldeneye is extreme for Ohio (Peterjohn 1989 lists only one comparable total - the 6000 birds Tom LePage and I counted along the Lorain County lakefront in March of 1984). Today's goldeneye were largely on the move heading west into the teeth of the storm. So too were most of the 5700 Common Merganser; or were these birds merely moving into the relative shelter of Maumee Bay? Showing a bit more sense were the flocks of Tundra Swans headed southeast much of the morning - over 400 sighted. Later with the rain/sleet/snow transformation in the early afternoon Mallards and Canada Geese were piling in from the northeast. In the space of 3 hrs, watching from the corner of Decant and Seaman (one rd N of Rt 2), 17,000 Mallard and 14,000 Canada Geese took cover in the corn stubble. Where there are large numbers of CAGO look for Snow Geese - the CBC tallied at least 200. - V.W. F. III

It seems I need not have been so speculative on the number of puddle ducks in the Sandusky Bay. Mark Shieldcastle and the ODNR surveyed 125,000 two weeks ago from the air. Mark also informs me that yet another Snowy Owl recently spent several days at a marina opposite the Moose Lodge on rt 163 west out of Port Clinton - still there?

The Sandusky Bay was ice free today with gull and duck concentrations greatly diminished. Further east an immature Green Heron was reported from Sheldon's Marsh on the 1st. [ed. note: I am aware of only one other January record for Ohio - 1 Jan. 1942 Cleveland; it would help our understanding of the biology of this species if the OBRC could see documentation]. Black-legged Kittiwake, Pomerine Jaeger, Little Gull, Oldsquaw, and Snowy Owl brightened the scene at Headlands Beach State Park last weekend on the 27th, a Turkey Vulture was a flyby on the 30th along the lakeshore east of Cleveland, and 40-50,000 blackbirds (6 species) have been on Alabama Rd at the N end of Stark Wilderness Center. Look for Brewer's and a 1st winter Yellow-headed Blackbird . . . summarized from the 3 Jan. Cleveland RBA III

December 27, 1996 Dunlin in Township Park, Conneaut, Ohio

Returned to the Sandusky Bay for the Gypsum CBC. You can take a look at the complete list of 55 species {sans pigeon and crow!} but the highlights include locating one of yesterday's Glaucous Gulls at the rt 269 exit just east of the Sandusky Bay bridge. The ice has been shifting around with the wind so check out the Great Black-backed Gull concentrations. Easier said than done - the latter are ALL OVER the Bay. Susan and I counted 800 today {possibly the second largest concentration recorded in Ohio only surpassed by the 1000 on this same CBC in 1986}with 540 on the inland pond on Catawba Island at the junction of Rt. 53 and 163. No good access points but try Muggy Rd off 53 N of the junction. I am sure there are some more interesting gulls in the area. We had our hands full censusing the 63,000+ Ring-billed Gull and 7000+ Herring Gull. - V.W.F. III

Spoke to some hunters at Pickerel Creek W.A. today. They reckon there is appx. 100,000 puddle duck on Sandusky Bay. After viewing 11,000 Mallard, 1900 Am. Black Duck, at Willow Pt. W.A. along with the scattered thousands visible from the few public access points I'm inclined to agree. It will be interesting to see what the ODNR will survey from the air later this month. Anything much over 25,000 Mallard would be unprecedented for January. Historic counts of Am. Black Duck approach 40,000 - my guess is there may be a quarter of that present at the moment. I was able to count 2900 total for the southeast shore of Sandusky Bay. Duck variety has not been hurt either as I mustered 17 of the 22 species I know are in the Bay area. Excluding the now seemingly ubiquitous Trumpeter Swan. Where are these unmarked birds coming from? {possible answer} Nine sightings in Nov-Dec. for Seneca Co. and today birds at Ottawa .N.W.R., Magee Marsh, the Portage River, and Willow Point W.A. Come to think of it - where are all the collared birds? The duck variety helped push the day's species total to 59 on an otherwise cold drizzly foggy day, missing the likes of junco, waxwing, robin, and 10 other species I had a couple of days ago in the same area. Highlights today include the obligatory Wood Duck at Castalia Pond, Yellow-rumped Warbler at Resthaven W.A., Rusty Blackbird and Carolina Wren on the Magee Marsh Bird Trail, 2 Mute Swan at Medusa Marsh, 750 Redhead at Huron, 1400 Common Merganser off the beach at Crane Creek State park, and 2 adult Glaucous Gulls resting on the ice shelf formed around the Sandusky Bay bridge {rt. 2}. The gulls are best viewed from the old 269 bridge N of Rt. 2 - take the Rt. 269 exit immediately east of the bridge, go N to the stop sign and turn left. About 6000 Herring Gull, 8000 Ring-billed Gull, and 95 Great Black-backed Gulls surrounded the Glaucous Gulls.

The Toledo Hotline reported a Thayer's and Lesser Black-backed Gull. These birds were seen again about noon, Jan. 1, directly across the river from the Acme Power Plant in Toledo. Several other Ohio Birders and myself spent a few hours at Maumee Bay State Park and could not locate the Snowy Owl or any of the three Short-eared Owls

maintained by Victor W. Fazio III / last modified 26 Nov. 2000