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February 1997

Summary mainpage: Winter 1996-97

Yesterday, Feb. 27., S. Burris observed 52 Tundra Swans in a field with standing water north of route 2 between in Erie County. 1.4 miles east of route 250. B. Rayburn reports a Northern Shrike near the Sportman's Center at Killdeer Plains. Also seen there yesterday were 3 Long-eared Owls and 5 Short-eared Owls, 2 Snow Geese, and at least 1 Rough-legged Hawk remains.

Howard Rd continues to afford good views of Snow Geese and Tundra Swan.. The 101 Blue and 38 White Snow Geese together in one flock today were especially impressive as they were the dominant goose species in the field. Thirty-three Tundra Swan were there with scattered flocks of 15-20 found in Ottawa and Erie Co. fields. Metzger Marsh is proving the puddle duck haven that its new aquatic character suggests; 350 Northern Pintail, 60 Green-winged Teal, were among a thousand or so duck sheltering out of the wind. An immature Northern Goshawk was on Rt 53, across from Muggy Rd, on Catawba Island around noon. The MM Bird Trail was quiet with just Winter Wren and American Woodcock before a morning downpour, even the Saw-whet has gone missing with observers failing to locate it Tuesday and again today (any word to the contrary would be appreciated). If visiting Pickerel Creek W.A. for ducks the next few weeks take the time to check out Ohms and Coonrod Rds just to the west off Rt 6 - high water and private marshes visible from the road held 3500 Mallards today compared to 6000 around Pickerel Creek. - V.W.F. III

Three Sandhill Cranes were at Lawrence Woods Preserve (a new 1100 acre purchase by the Div. of Natural Areas and Preserves) in Hardin County on Tuesday (fide Nelson Moore).

Dorene Linzell reports seeing the Ross' Goose yesterday take off with the attending Snow Geese at 6:30 p.m. from the pond at Slate Run Metropark; accounting perhaps for its absence this morning. I have no further reports of this species. The 15 Greater White-fronted Geese continue at Pickerington Ponds as of yesterday. Not too many Short-eared Owl reports lately so I'll mention the 3 at Killdeer Plains over the weekend and 3 at Huffman Prairie near Dayton on the 22nd. Eight Snow Geese and Rusty Blackbird were also at Killdeer Plains over the weekend. Belated news that American Woodcock had reached the Miami R. valley by the 20th. A Peregrine Falcon was reported from downtown Dayton on the 24th.

A Ross' Goose was found this morning, February 25, at Slate Run Metro Park by park naturalist Kim Kerr [and corroborated by several birders]. The goose is in the company of 8 blue [morph] Snow Geese and numerous Canada Geese.

To reach Slate Run Metro Park, go south from Columbus on US route 33 to state route 674. Follow the signs south on 674 to Slate Run Metro Park (about 7 miles). Enter at the main entrance then follow the main road to the end to a parking lot beside the barn and play area. Follow the trail behind the barn to the pond. The Ross' goose was still present at 4:30pm. - Cece Johnston

A flock of 23 Sandhill Cranes headed directly north flew over our place in northwest Paulding Co. around 1:30 this afternoon (2-24) - Micki Dunakin [Historical Note: a flock of 23 flew over Mayfield Hts on 2-24 (1991) for the Cleveland area's earliest spring arrival - ed.]

45 Killdeer at Big Island W.A. today was a bit above average for central Ohio in February. Lapland Longspur and Snow Bunting were present in the new Big Island W.A. fields just south of Espyville. Another above average spring gathering for central Ohio were 225 Northern Pintail at Killdeer Plains W.A. (Pond 27East). Pond 27West held 14 Tundra Swan - V.W.F. III / No Snow Geese there today although reported there over the weekend. A Northern Shrike was near Jaite (Cuyahoga Valley) on the 23rd as were American Woodcock. Also on the 23rd Glaucous Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Thayer's Gull were reported from Headlands Beach S.P. near Mentor.

Intriguing raptor reports: Yesterday - two uncorroborated single observer sightings and with that caveat I pass them along. An apparent adult "Harlan's Hawk" over east Toledo and an immature Golden Eagle at The Wilds near Cumberland. With regard to the eagle I have the following directions - from Chandlersville (on 146 east of Zanesville) take Rt 284 south to Wion Ridge Rd. The bird was seen from Wion Ridge at the second lake. Another interesting raptor report on the Cleveland RBA is that of an immature dark morph Gyrfalcon flying east along the Lake - seen from N. Perry on the 23rd. More tangible comes word from Tom Bartlett of an immature Northern Goshawk that sat in a tree by the shed at Crane Creek State Park (you know the one by the lake just as you round the bend off the causeway) for an hour or more this morning - apparently quite approachable (the bird not Tom:-)).

A strong movement of waterfowl through Trumbull county the past week was highlighted by the presence of over 500 Northern Pintail at Mosquito Wildlife Area on 2-23. Most of these were in a newly created wetland at the northern deadend of Hoagland-Blackstub Road. Also present there were 100+ American Wigeon, 30 American Black Duck, and the usual throng of Mallards and Canada Geese. An unusually early (for northern OH) Eastern Phoebe was in Canfield in Mahoning County on the 22nd. - Dave Hochadel

Caesar's Creek Reservoir: A nice variety of waterfowl were seen in the sheltered cove off Harveysburg Road including: American Black Ducks, Canvasbacks, Redheads, all three mergansers, Common Goldeneyes, Lesser Scaups, and one Horned Grebe. An immature Bald Eagle was also seen flying over the flocks of waterfowl. There was no sign of the White-winged Scoter reported on 2/19. - John Rakestraw

Brad Courson reports the first Lake Erie gatherings of Ring-necked Duck and Ruddy Duck from the Cedar Point Causeway. The Northern Saw-whet Owl was present in the tangle near the bridge (Magee Marsh Bird Trail) Sunday.

Tundra Swans continue in good numbers in the northwest with 25 at East Harbor S.P. on Thursday while the field along Rt 4 just N of Lyme (Groton Twp. Erie Co.) held 105 Tundra Swans this morning - they had departed by sunset. More Snow Geese are reported from the Mosquito Lake area - Youngstown RBA.

Massive all-day migration of waterfowl and blackbirds through the Sandusky River drainage and the western lake Erie Marshes. Several fields in the Ottawa N.W.R./Metzger Marsh area hosted 2-3000 Canada's each. Of particular note was the gathering at Howard Rd and Rt 2 where 70 Snow Geese {33 white/37 blue} and 48 Tundra Swan were easily viewed. Puddle ducks were in abundance with a fair movement of pintail noted. Several thousand Common Mergansers on the Lake may have been some of the wintering population augmented by migrants. Killdeer noted yesterday in Delaware Co. as well as here in the NW were widespread today through Lucas/Ottawa counties - and in double digits at Killdeer Plains W.A. Peak blackbird counts included 5000 Red-winged Blackbirds at Howard Rd., 800 Common Grackle at Magee Marsh W.A. and hundreds each at Killdeer Plains W.A. In addition to displaying American Woodcock in Butler Co. one was noted in Morrow Co. yesterday. The Northern Saw-whet Owl remains on the Magee Marsh Bird Trail as of this morning. Same tangle of brush as the bird last April - just ten meters or so west of the little canal bridge (N side), a dead deer mouse lay across a branch nearby.

Todays news includes Killdeer overhead while walking the dog here in Tiffin. Another NW Turkey Vulture this one in Ottawa Co. near Oak Harbor. while 3 were noted over Kirtland east of Cleveland. Snow Geese and Tundra Swans were among the waterfowl throng again at Howard Rd (west of Metzger Marsh) - A. Osborn. Four Greater White-fronted Geese remain at Knox Lake, Knox Co., visible from Knox Lake Rd - S. Albaugh

Central and southern Ohio has seen opening waters fill with the early mix of divers and puddle ducks especially pintails and mergansers. More unusual waterfowl include the on again off again Brant along the Great Miami R. in West Carollton seen yesterday (19th). Four Snow Geese were at the N. end of C.J.Brown Reservoir on the 18th. Nearby Reed Park continues to host a Mute Swan. A Greater White-fronted Goose was found the 17th at Spring Valley. A belated report of a Harlequin Duck comes from the 12th at Eastlake Power Plant. Possible migrant Killdeer include 3 at Caesar Creek (parking lot) S. P. More definitive migrants were the two Turkey Vultures yesterday in Lucas County. Last week saw 1000 Snow Bunting just west of Waterville in the northwest. Formerly accidental inland, but apparently of increasing frequency, two immature Great Black-backed Gulls were noted in central Ohio; Griggs Dam (15th) and Greenlawn Ave. Dam this week. The two Black-crowned Night-Herons continue along the Olentangy near Lane Ave (O.S.U. campus). - various RBAs

The immature Snowy Owl first seen Feb 1 in Wayne County about 6 miles NW of Wooster is still there. Elaine and I saw it [yesterday] at 10:30 AM on the ground being harassed by a dark [morph] Rough-legged Hawk. The owl was 75 yards north of the green oil tanks which are on Smithville Western Road just west of Bates Road. - John Snively

One of the more stunning and under-appreciated migration spectacles to be witnessed in Ohio {and very few places elsewhere } is the annual spring staging of male Canvasbacks near the mouth of Sandusky Bay. Usually in early March, but on the occasion of this February thaw, the deep water (10ft) between the Rt 2 and Old Rt 269 bridges opens to become a sea of male Canvasbacks. Locked in by the ice of the remainder of the bay, these birds may be viewed exceedingly well from the Old Rt 269 bridge taken from Bayview. I was there this afternoon with 9000 (98% male). An ordinary number for this extraordinary sight. To see them wheel as one on the water's surface, the glint of the low February light reflecting off their backs, 20 years on, remains breathtaking. It is usually a short-lived affair, the thaw opening up a greater expanse of water dissipating their numbers. Get there soon and don't think of how common they must be but rather how privileged we are to have such a large percentage of this increasingly scarce population rest for a time in our own backyard. - V.W.F. III

Additional signs of spring on this breezy Tuesday. Diurnal passage migration all morning of American Crow (50+) and Horned Lark (100+) at Magee Marsh W.A. A 1 hr mid-day hawk watch saw three likely migrant Red-tailed Hawks over and above the locals. A Rough-legged Hawk and a Merlin ( Crane Creek SP entrance) were likely resident. Tundra Swans were widespread whether moving WSW or in stubble fields. Some 94 were counted at various Sandusky, Ottawa, and Lucas county locales. The 5000 Canada's in the vicinity of Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge did NOT yield any more interesting geese. Three Wood Ducks were additional flybys at Magee Marsh. Appx. 400 Redhead accompanied the above Canvasback. A Green-winged Teal was at Castalia Pond. Those visiting Castalia this winter may recall the brash male Wood Duck pushing his way to the front of the quacking onslaught for a handout, more often than not becoming a Mallard doormat. Well it seems if you cannot beat them join them - he is currently smitten with a female Mallard which he pursued amorously for the half hour I watched, competing all the while with a displaying male Mallard. Stay tuned - V.W.F. III

The Greater White-fronted Geese continue at Pickerington Ponds as of yesterday the 17th.

Sat. the 15th: The gulls were moving in very large numbers from west to east [ Mentor Headlands ]. In the hour and a half I was there, a Glaucous (either 3rd or 4th winter), Thayer's (1st winter) and another Glaucous (3rd year) flew by. - Nick Barber

Also Sat. Further west a crew from Columbus had little fortune at Eastlake Power Plant and in Cleveland but managed an immature Iceland Gull at Avon Lake Power Plant. A frozen Lorain Harbor did not yield a Snowy Owl but an adult Iceland and an immature Glaucous Gull were found at Huron. The several hundred Canvasbackof the past month remain. - Ignaz Wanders

Concentrations of Canada Geese have been yielding Snow Geese across the state this winter with the latest report coming from The Wilds near Cumberland with 10 found at sundown yesterday. The reclaimed strip mines of the area also hosted 6-7 Rough-legged Hawks and 5-6 Northern Harriers. - Bill Thompson, III

Last week's Northern Saw-whet Owl on the Magee Marsh Bird Trail was still present Friday the 14th (fide Tom Kemp).

Word comes of a Gray Catbird at Gilmore Ponds suggesting the December bird has survived much of the winter there. Killdeer (migrants?) have also been reported from there this week. Last Sunday saw 5 Greater White-fronted Geese at C.J. Brown Reservoir along with 5 Tundra Swan and 3 Trumpeters. An undisclosed number of Greater White-fronts remained at Pickerington Ponds as of Monday the 10th. In what has been an unprecedented winter for the species in Ohio {See Map}, four more Greater White-fronted Geese were to located in Knox Co. at a pond along S.R. 13 N. of Fredericktown on the 13th. (fide Scott Albaugh). A Snow Goose and a nice mix of duck were also present Thur. while a Tundra Swan was there yesterday. Twelve additional Tundra Swan were at Berlin Reservoir the 12th. A Merlin was reported (last weekend?) from Caesar's Creek Reservoir.

Robert Finklestein adds to last Sat.'s KILLDEER PLAINS notes 2 Snow Geese, several bluebirds back in the area, and continued double-digit numbers of Northern Harrier. This latter phenomenon may well be tied to an above average small mammal population ( Ohio Northern University survey data fide Dr. Nelson Moore).

"Fork-tailed Flycatcher" = Azure-winged Magpie

It's 12:30 pm: Do you know where your Azure-winged Magpie is? Contradictory information has reached me but one of the areas zoos does indeed seem to be less a few magpies. It may well be the lot of the NE Ohio birder in life to have the local avifauna spiced up a bit every 10 years or so by an area zoo (shades of past PABU's). On the subject of exotics, I am aware of the male Lady's Amherst Pheasant present at Findley State Park from October at least through January - V.W. F. III

Real Birds: Tom Bartlett reports the following from: KILLDEER PLAINS {8th am} - 2 dark morph Rough-legged Hawks and 1 Long-eared Owl. EASTLAKE {9th. am} - Lesser Black-backed Gul1(3rd year), Glaucous Gull 1 adult, Iceland Gull 2 (2nd year). AVON LAKE - 18 Double-crested Cormorant and 24 American Coot. [ed. Note: ice conditions are fluctuating daily during this thaw and the presence of gulls at these sites are hit and miss as attested by the lack of birds at Eastlake on Saturday (fide Nick Barber). Best to visit several sites along the Lake including the Cedar Point Causeway near Pipe Creek W.A. The embayment there has opened up and held hundreds of waterfowl yesterday including 300 Common Goldeneye.

Tundra Swans are moving into the area in numbers now; 154 along the causeway yesterday just west of Sheldon's Marsh, Erie Co. Check the latest Youngstown tape for yet more Snow Geese. The Cleveland RBA reports an Iceland Gull from Headlands Beach State Park and an adult California Gull (Kevin Metcalf and Larry Rosche) from Eastlake Power Plant {not located by Kevin today}. Kevin does report from AVON LAKE today several Glaucous Gulls, 1 Iceland Gull, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. The Wooster Snowy Owl (first reported on the 2nd; see below) is said to be still around - but I don't have date of last obs. Rob Harlan adds that Sat's complement of birds at Killdeer Plains included 12 Tundra Swans and an immature Trumpeter Swan, . Just think we are one good southerly breeze away from our first Killdeer - V.W.F. III

Birds in the Toledo area include a Greater White-fronted Goose along Howard Rd. north of Rte. 2 (just west of the turnoff for Metzger Marsh) on Feb 4. Howard is the first north-south road west of Metzger Marsh. A Saw-whet owl was along the [Magee Marsh] bird boardwalk on Feb. 3. - Both present 5 Feb. - Tom Kemp

My last report of the Greater White-fronted Geese at Pickerington Ponds is for 11 birds on Monday the 3rd. and immature Tundra Swan was also present. From last Saturday a Brant flew west past E. 55th marina in Cleveland on the 1st and possibly represented the bird at Lakewood the next day. Scarce this winter a report of 5 Common Redpoll comes from Hinckley Reservation on the 21st. Two Peregrine Falcons were observed in the vicinity of the G Building of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation last weekend. The Peregrines (3) of Winton Place continue in Lakewood and are best viewed from the Pier W Restaurant. Another Peregrine report comes from Akron at the Ramada Inn downtown - I was told to check out the A on the sign but not which one. An adult Bald Eagle was perched over the road at the west end of the Rt 224 causeway across the Berlin Reservoir yesterday. Sheldon's Marsh held two Mute Swans while 22 Tundra Swans were flybys last weekend. More signs of spring: E. Meadowlarks noted in numbers over the weekend at Killdeer Plains. A record species count (49) on the Sunday Ottawa N.W.R. birdwalk. Great Blue Herons putting in appearances in central Ohio and the northeast away from usual winter haunts.

Thanks to Gary Mitre for salvaging a Parasitic Jaeger from a Youngstown street intersection. The bird was discovered by Diane Frost last Nov. 7th and now resides at O.S.U. for an exceptional inland Ohio record (Peterjohn 1989 lists a 1919 record from Buckeye Lake). Just what the status of the jaeger species is in Ohio remains to be clarified especially the late fall-winter period. Records of Parasitic Jaeger after the first week of December remain dubious yet I just heard a second-hand report of two competent observers seeing one in January. Of the 55 jaeger reports verbalized to me this past season I hope a few written documentations come by my desk for the OBRC. We have much to learn of their presence in the Great Lakes. - V.W.F.

5 February 1997

Two Surf Scoters (M/F) and a White-winged Scoter (F) were observed on Sunday 2/2/97 11:30-2:00 pm on Lake Erie where Old Woman Creek empties into the lake. The 3 birds were in a large mixed flock of canvabacks, goldeneyes and scaup. Also seen at the same location were Common Mergansers, Redheads, 6 Bald Eagles, 1 Horned Grebe, 1 Tundra Swan and 1 Great Blue Heron. We observed the birds from the end of the first road east of the Creek, north off route 6. - Mark Skinner

Spring just around the corner? widespread reports of American Robins from Killdeer Plains to the Lake this weekend follow on last weeks incursion of Cedar Waxwings into parts of the NW. As a followup on a previous report George Pierse reports both Mute and Trumpeter Swans at Sheldon's Marsh over the weekend.

PICKERINGTON PONDS: 4:00 pm [Saturday 1 Feb.], 11 of the Greater White Fronted Geese were picked out of a large gathering of Canadas, Blacks, and Mallards. Also noted were 15 Northern Pintails - Mark Skinner

KILLDEER PLAINS W.A.: There was a great variety of waterfowl on pond 27 this afternoon. 8 Tundra Swans, white [morph] Snow Geese, pintails, Lesser Scaup, Redheads, Canvasback, Green-winged Teal, Common Mergansers, American Black Ducks, Mallards, American Wigeon, Wood Duck and, of course, hundreds of Canada Geese were present. At dusk 3 or 4 Short-eared Owls were observed as well as a few harriers. -Doreene Linzell

Marvin Smith reported seeing a Snowy Owl Saturday about 6 miles northwest of Wooster along route 302 between Bates Road and Ogden Road. It was perched on a utility pole beside the road on the north side. Evelyn Myers found it perched in the same general area at 4:30 or 5:00[Sunday]. - John Sniveley

If you are travelling along Rt 4 in Erie Co. just N. of the Huron Co. line the stubble fields on the west side between Smith and Strecker Rds have hosted numbers of Canadas and puddle ducks the past month. On Saturday the mix included 15 Snow Geese and several Tundra Swans. There is no pull off here. Tom Bartlett reports 1 Long-eared Owl at Killdeer Plains in the pines on Saturday. The Black-crowned Night-Herons continued over th weekend at the O.S.U. campus (fide Marcus England) - V.W.F.III

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