Ohio Birds and Natural History |
Range Maps | Photodocumentation Library | Where to Find Birds | More Ohio Birding Websites

February 1999

The Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve Northern Saw-whet Owl remains as of yesterday - Craig Caldwell. February 19 and 22 saw 5 Sandhill Cranes at Stump's Pond (private) in southwestern Darke County (near village of Nashville) - Regina Schieltz.

The East Fork State Park Western Grebe continues through 10:00 am this morning - Hank Armstrong.

Five Snow Geese (3 blue) were at Mentor Lagoons Park (Lake Co.) on Sunday - Dale Craig et al.

The East Fork State Park Western Grebe continues through 9:00 am Friday morning - Hank Armstrong.

Do Northern Flickers stage for spring migration in the interior of Ohio? We expect some numbers of Northern Flicker at Killdeer Plains W.A. in winter, but what to make of a single flock of 24 birds decorating a couple of small trees near the upground reservoir at Killdeer Plains early Saturday morning - V.W.F.III. Later in the day, Jed Burtt's party located the 11 Tundra Swan, and further reported 150 Northern Pintail and estimated 120 Lapland Longspur in the area. John Pogacnik's Killdeer Plains experience that day included 4 Greater White-fronted Geese and 1 Snow Goose (blue morph) at Pond 27. John also had another notable February concentration of Northern Pintail with 70 at Medusa Marsh. At nearby Bay View, John saw hundreds of Canvasback and Redhead as is the norm at this time of year. Today, however, these sites were 90% iced over and I witnessed none of these birds. On the way up to the lake, John also noted a Northern Goshawk near Republic (Seneca Co.). Saturday's census on Kelleys Island reaffirms that area as a winter haven for Bucephala within the Great Lakes region. Tom Bartlett et al. counted almost 1400 Common Goldeneye and an impressive 548 Bufflehead. The Red-shouldered Hawk observation provides strong evidence for this species surviving the winter on the island.

The recent cold snap has seen increasing ice conditions on northern Ohio still waters. This usually bodes well for gull watching which has been lacklustre of late. On Sunday, John located a few of the more regular species; a Glaucous Gull was a Lakeshore Metropark flyby, an Iceland Gull at Ashtabula Harbor, and a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull at Conneaut. Conneaut also held 5 Tundra Swan. Nearby Grand River Wildlife Area (Trumbull Co.) hosted a northerly Northern Mockingbird. The Northern Saw-whet Owl at Sheldon Marsh S.N.P. was still present on Sunday - Bob Balogh. A pair of White-winged Scoters on "Shelleys gravel pit" along the east side of Rt 33 south of Lancaster (Fairfield/Hocking Co.?) was of local interest Saturday - Jean Kuhn, Darlene and Alicia Gaughan. Jason Larson followed up on the original American Woodcock report from The Wilds; locating 4-5 birds on Friday. Back on the 16th, The Wilds also hosted a Merlin and a Snow Goose (white morph) - Barbara Hohman et al. Another Merlin was noted along Fairport-Nursery Rd. in Fairport (Lake Co.) on Sunday - Emil Bacik, Haans Petruschke, et al.. A late raptor report of interest is that of 18 Turkey Vultures over Irwin Prairie State Nature Preserve the evening of the 11th - Rick Nirschl.

The East Fork State Park Western Grebe continues as of 9:00 Tuesday - Hank Armstrong.

An Osprey was reported from Cowan Lake (Clinton Co.) for Sunday - Neill Cade. Ohio observers are reminded that no photographic or specimen evidence supports the occurrence of this species in the state during the winter period 1 Dec.- 28 Feb. Sightings are made but few are documented. Presently, I am aware of no OBRC Accepted record for February. I mention this report however, in part, because of a Feb. 5th bird in Sullivan Co. Indiana. Also it is apparent that hacked birds in southern Ohio and elsewhere are returning to their release site well before migrants generally make an appearance in the state. I would be very interested in any further reports of the Cowan Lake bird.

Turkey Vultures have reclaimed the northeast in recent days including a bird at famed Hinckley Reservation (Medina Co.) :

Monday - Killbuck Marsh W.A. (Wayne), one - Paul Rosenberry
Sunday/Monday - Hinckley Reservation, one - Nick Barber/Rob Harlan
Tuesday - Findley State Park (Lorain), one - Vic Fazio III
Tuesday - Indian Point (Lake Co.), one - John Pogacnik
Tuesday - Hidden Valley, (Lake Co.), one - John Pogacnik
Tuesday - Mayfield Hts, three - Nick Barber.

Another Turkey Vulture was among an interesting arrray of birds seen at The Wilds yesterday. A multiple observer systematic effort to sweep the area for raptors resulted in some oustanding numbers. Jack and Jay Stenger, Joe Bens, and Paul Wharton tallied 83 Short-eared Owls, and 51 Rough-legged Hawks. Their complete list with an account of their effort appears here.

Two-three Northern Shrikes continue into this week at Killdeer Plains W.A. - m.obs. A Greater White-fronted Goose was found amongst Canada's on Pond 27 of Killdeer Plains W.A. on Sunday - Kevin Longberry, Cam Lee. Probably the same bird was located Monday on Pond 3 - John Games. The 11 Tundra Swans remain at Killdeer Plains W.A. through Monday - Richard Cressman. Richard added another chapter in the saga of Ohio's Black Swans finding one at Big Island on Monday. The Avon Lake Surf Scoter continues through Sunday - John Pogacnik. Migrant duck numbers have been slowed somewhat this week but Ring-necked Ducks have been accumulating a bit early; 15 at Wellington Reservoir on Tue., 77 at The Wilds yesterday (see above), and 80+ at Killbuck Marsh W.A. on Monday - Paul Rosenberry. Paul also noted 10 Wood Ducks and 2 Green-winged Teals at Killbuck. Adam Blank had 6 Green-winged Teal at Pickerel Creek W.A. yesterday.

Multiple Bald Eagle sightings have been coming in from around the state away from known nesting areas. Most are of singles but the most interesting report lately has been of 5 birds at Dillon Reservoir on Monday - Dave St. John. On the matter of the Magee Marsh Bird Trail eagle nest, most of you know that the area has been cordoned off, however, as yet no official word on the extent or duration of the apparent shut down off the Bird Trail. I have heard from many of you, especially from the out-of-state crowd who would normally be making hotel reservations right now. When I know - you will know.

The pines at Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve often shelter spring migrant owls. From Monday through yesterday, a Northern Saw-whet Owl has been present there - Mary Warren. While I have expressed concern over Red-shouldered Hawk populations in southeastern Ohio, their stronghold in the northeast appears to be holding up. Several observers have reported 6-8 birds at Grand River W.A. this winter, while Monday Craig Rieker noted 9 birds within the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. Craig further added reports of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and 4 Red-breasted Nuthatches.

The fallout from last Thursday's frontal passage includes an adult male Purple Martin in Holmes County. Seen Thursday and subsequently photographed on Saturday - Bruce Glick. Another Turkey Vulture was reported; from Paulding County Saturday - Doug and Micki Dunakin. A Killdeer was also noted Thursday in Mill Stream Run (Cleveland Metroparks) - David Kriska. The 11 Tundra Swan at Killdeer Plains W.A. remain through yesterday - Jenny Brumfield. Jenny adds that the Killdeer Plains W.A. Short-eared Owl flock numbers close to 20 at this time. A few Short-eareds have been reported this year in the vicinity of the Albany (Athens Co.) at the Ohio University Airport. - Bob Scott Placier. Bob further comments on the frequency of Fox Sparrow in the area, noting three individuals (two at feeders) just the past week in eastern Athens and western Hocking Counties. Red-breasted Nuthatch has also been wintering at Greendale Wetlands (Hocking Co.). Doug Overacker discovered 2 Savannah Sparrow northeast of Buck Creek State Park (along Baldwin Lane, Clark Co.) yesterday. Another American Woodcock report; two birds last Tuesday at Gilmore Ponds, Butler Co.- Cincinnati RBA. An Eastern Meadowlark was back at its Seneca County Airport territory yesterday. - V.W.F.III.

Richard Cressman reports 5 orange-billed Greater Whitefronted Geese at Walden Waterfowl Refuge, Blendon Woods Metropark, Columbus last Tue. Apparently present since the previous Saturday. They were not reported by Metroparks staff for Friday. Metroparks staff did report a Common Tern yesterday at Slate Run Metropark . A Columbus area birder may be interested in verifying this record.

Waterfowl elsewhere have included two Harlequin Ducks at Fairport Harbor John Pogacnik - check the marina east of the beach. Arrivals in Wilmington (Clinton Co.) on Wednesday included 7 American Wigeons, 12 Hooded Mergansers, and 6 Ruddy Ducks - Larry Gara. Also on Wed. a male Oldsquaw was present on Wellington Upground Reservoir (Lorain Co.) - Phyllis Jones. On Tue. the Tundra Swan number at Killdeer Plains W.A. had risen to 11 - Bill Whan, while in Mentor 2 Green-winged Teals were present in Veteran's Park - Jim McConnor. Clague Park in Westlake hosted 3 Ring-necked Ducks and 4 American Wigeons - Rich Nicholls. A drake Wood Duck was at Medusa Marsh on Thrusday - V.W.F.III.

Signs of Spring : An American Woodcock was a very early arrival in the Oak Openings on Thursday - Matt Victoria. The Bath Twp. (Summit Co.) Great Blue Heron rookery had 30 birds present this week - Gordon Demars. Apparently as many as 10 birds overwintered there. Joe Hammond had 4-5 Killdeers and 3 Turkey Vultures overhead in Dublin on Thursday. Three more TV's passed over Greenlawn Cemetery (Tiffin, Seneca Co.) on Friday - Dave and Charlotte Hunt. The Hunts also have had a Fox Sparrow at their feeder all week. Another Turkey Vulture was noted in Kirtland on Wed. - John Pogacnik. John further reports an Evening Grosbeak at Girdled Rd. Reservation (Lake Co.). If you're wondering where the other missing species of the winter (e.g. Red-breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch, and Pine Siskin) have been ask Dave Sapienza. The first two species can be found at the feeders of Lake Hope State Park (Vinton Co.) while Dave has siskins at his feeder at Lake Alma State Park.

Phones went dead on me Thursday night (high winds?) so you may want to scroll down to read my Thursday entry only now just posted.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, 2 Brant were seen in a swamp north of Jaite (Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area). Bob Roach confirmed his Tuesday find with a scope view on Wednesday. Bob writes "You can park in the Park office at the corner of Highland and Riverview Roads and either walk north up the railroad tracks or north on Riverview Road. I saw the Brant from the tracks and they were a lot closer to Riverview Road."

Hank Armstrong has been staying on top of the Western Grebe at East Fork State Park. Hank saw the bird today around 1:30 pm, however it roams more than ever, and has been seen in flight several times.

It is the 11th of February. Repeat after me . . . it is the 11th of February. Or so says the calendar but on the southwestern shore of Lake Erie today with record heat (low 70's across Ohio) and a southwesterly breeze . . . well who'd have thought? Certainly a few early birds did, but then those facultative migrants we see on the wing when the least opportunity knocks always were incorrigable. On a hunch, I decided to watch for a diurnal on the sledding hill at Maumee Bay State Park. From 8:20 - 10:50 am I censused a mix of species I rarely have detected before March let alone this early in the season. The complete list of terrestrial diurnal migrants is as follows :

Killdeer - 39 - 2nd highest state count for February?
Northern Harrier - 2 thermalled then headed to Monroe, MI.
Horned Lark - 104
American Crow - 113
American Robin - 1
Eastern Meadowlark - 3
Red-winged Blackbird - 273
Common Grackle - 174
Lapland Longspur - 298
Snow Bunting - 57

End Note - larks and longspurs can be tricky to count as they often mix together. On the other hand Snow Buntings are almost always in pure flocks. The above number was mostly the result of a single flock of 52 birds. All birds counted are east to west migrants except for the crows which move west to east. After 2.5 hrs and a drive around the park the Northern Goshawk was not evident despite the Tuesday success of Bill Whan. An immature Merlin hunting the area just east of the sledding hill was a nice consolation (independently observed by Ben Morrison's party). At high altitude (1500+ ft), V's of Canada Geese heading due north totalled 700+ birds during the observation period. Higher numbers are routinely detected staging in the Lake Erie marshes, but I rarely see so many on the move at altitude during the day.

Elsewhere : Park Colony Rd (off Corduroy east of Maumee Bay State Park) in Lucas Co. had 105 Snow Bunting, 6 Killdeer, and 44 Northern Pintail. None were on the move but cowbirds crowded area feeders in Ottawa and Lucas Co. with at least 5000 present. An hour hawk watch at Magee Marsh yielded only two more Killdeer flybys and 38 Rusty Blackbird perched by the tower. Moments after leaving at 12:30, a Turkey Vulture was seen crossing Darsch Rd. parallel with Rt 2. Eight Great Blue Herons occupied 6 nests at Little Portage W.A. and another Killdeer was at Pickerel Creek W.A.

Over the phone this afternoon, Leroy Schlabach wanted to know particulars on separating Common and American Green-winged Teal. I assumed this was in reference to the bird that he found on his farm pond on Friday and subsequently seen by his brother Ed flying away. Turns out Leroy's detailed study already had the identification nailed down for what would be among just a few examples of the European race of the Green-winged Teal detected in Ohio. So I asked him whether the bird had returned and he replied - "I am looking at it right now".

The East Fork State Park Western Grebe was last reported throughout the day Saturday - Scott Moody, Tim Fitzpatrick.. Both observers also report the Little Gull still present. The gull has been more reliable over at the dam lately.

Of collared Swans - Jim Fry reports a friend's sighting of 4 green-collared swans in Fairfield County. I think most of you are aware of the Trumpeters being released in Ohio with green collars. What is more interesting, today, a friend of the friend discovered a swan with a blue collar near the original four . Some of you may recall in these pages past, my report on the Tundra Swan banding program at Long Point Bird Observatory (now Bird Studies Canada) on the north shore of Lake Erie; they be sporting blue collars. I wonder whether the new NGS field guide will incorporate these ID features.

The Long-eared Owl number rises to 6 at Killdeer Plains Friday while 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl remains - Todd Chapman. Had not heard of the Big Island W.A. Northern Shrike since early December but Jamie Krupka had one 8 Jan. in the exact spot as the month before (the southeastern diked marsh). February is perhaps the best month for Long-eared Owl sightings throughout Ohio. Jamie had a bird Thursday in a cedar grove by the Patty Rd. shelter at Englewood Metropark. Two winters ago, based on some scattered observations, I speculated in this column that systematic survey of The Wilds would yield significant numbers of Rough-legged Hawks. Glad to see some young observers enthusiastically covering that region. After Dave St. John's count of 22 Rough-legged Hawks the week before, Jason Larson ventured out this Friday to census 31 birds, 12 dark and 19 light morph. Not a record concentration, but then neither do I see this winter as a "flight year" for the species, despite John Pogacnik's recent remark upon three Rough-leggeds last week in Lake Co. John's point is well taken however, that the January freeze may have been the impetus for several irruptives to vacate southern Canada in a secondary flight. Also John adds another Northern Shrike, this one from Leroy Twp. in Lake Co. The Spencer Lake Northern Shrike was still present Saturday - Clyde Witt. The Fairport Harbor shrike was confirmed as a Northern on the 31st Jan. - Emil Bacik. Meanwhile a Loggerhead Shrike, present on a Noble County farm since the summer was last seen 18 Dec. - fide Ben Morrison.

Lester Peyton reports Saturday "an American Woodcock was found calling and displaying along Strimple Road on the border of Miami Whitewater Forest in Hamilton County. Elsewhere Jason Larson tallied 18 Killdeer at Salt Fork State Park on Saturday - Spring migrants? The association of 18 Common Mergansers and 16 Ring-necked Ducks would suggest so. Mike Busam reports three Sandhill Cranes flying over Gilmore Ponds (Butler Co.) late Sunday. Again Spring migrants? - a bit too early. The Bath (Summit Co.) Merlins continue at their winter roost - Jenny Brumfield. Another Merlin presented a striking image at The Wilds on Friday - Bill Thompson III. The on-again, off-again female Harlequin Duck at Fairport Harbor was on-again Saturday - Ray Hannikman, Nick Barber, et al.. The far northeast was a boon to John Pogacnik over the weekend with observations of Oldsquaw, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Iceland Gull, and an immature Black-legged Kitiwake at Conneaut. In North Kingsville, John discovered two Greater White-fronted Geese east of Poore Rd. I was hopeful of the latter among the 2000 Canada's coming out of Ottawa N.W.R. yesterday to feed in fields just south of Toulon Rd (Reno Beach just west of Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area). Just one adult Snow Goose - V.W.F.III. Over at Maumee Bay State Park, where Joe Hammond and Dan Sanders were successful in sighting the immature Northern Goshawk on Friday, there was merely a blinding snow squall. Certainly no viewing opportunity for the immature Surf Scoter or adult male White-winged Scoter, and thousands of bay duck seen Friday.

The East Fork State Park Western Grebe was last reported this morning in the usual spot by the beach - Hank Armstrong.. Hank also reports the Little Gull still present. Both these birds have started to roam and are not so reliable at the beach as before. The Common Loon was still present yesterday.

Local (Toledo area) birders may wish to followup on a recent report of possible White-winged Crossbills (heard only) at Monclova Cemetery (same location that hosted dozens of White-wingeds this time last year). The Maumee Bay State Park Northern Goshawk was relocated yesterday - Dan Sanders. Yet another Northern Shrike report - this one from the northwest shore of Spencer Lake (Medina County) - Gordon Demars. Usually one of the first signs of spring, Gordon had 2 Killdeer at Big Island W.A. yesterday. A Tundra Swan and Mute Swan were also at Big Island W.A. - Jim McConnor, while 7 Tundra Swan were at Killdeer Plains W.A. yesterday. All these swans, at both locations were seen again today - Todd Chapman. The Canvasbacks are back at Sandusky Bay with Bill Whan estimating numbers in "four figures". The timing of this annual spring staging is strictly coincident with ice break up, whether that be the first week of February or the ides of March. Elsewhere along the shoreline, Bill had a single Surf Scoter at Avon Lake. The presence of 2 Canvasbacks, Common Mergansers (6 since Sunday), and a Pied-billed Grebe on Pond 27 - Jim McConnor - are further signs of a spring push of waterfowl into the central portion of the state.

The East Fork State Park Western Grebe was last reported Sunday in the usual spot by the beach - John Rakestraw.. John also relocated the Little Gull.

A Northern Shrike continues at Mosquito Lake thru Sunday - Dave Hochadel. An immature Northern Goshawk was seen at Maumee Bay State Park on Saturday across from the headquarters building - Tom Kemp. Two Iceland Gulls (1 ad., 1 imm.) were seen at Headlands Beach S.P. on Saturday- Nick Barber. Mike Guisinger reports Double-crested Cormorant from Bay View (Sandusky Bay bridge) on Sunday. A Green-winged Teal and Gadwall were added to the mix of waterfowl pouring into Killdeer Plains W.A. on Sunday. Northern Pintails numbered 12 and the Snow Goose was still present. - V.W.F.III.

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