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April 1997

The FIVE Pomerine Jaegers were still present yesterday. part of the show at Whiskey Island Marina is watching for what else just may happen your way. For Gary Meszaros yesterday that included one of the local Peregrine's and a Glaucous Gull. I understand that at least two Poms were seen this morning. A Bobolink was easily the most interesting flyby at the Magee Marsh Hawk Tower although the tail end of a shorebird flight involving numbers of yellowlegs and surprisingly Solitary Sandpipers has me wondering just how many may have been tallied during the usual peak morning hours. The 35 Solitary Sandpipers after 10:00 a.m. would be a fair count for the day as is.

The Magee Marsh Bird Trail was not hopping with birds but as I was to make my way around the uniform density of Yellow-rumps, White-throats, Palms allowed for unexpected totals to accumulate. Tally of selected migrants. The highlights:
Local arrival of Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, and Cerulean Warbler. - V.W.F.III et al.

The American Avocet remains at Ottawa N.W.R. as of this afternoon. A Cape May Warbler reached Lake Erie today at Mentor Headlands - Cal Keppler et al. A calling Yellow Rail was reported from Irwin Prairie this morning (fide Tom Kemp).

Bob Conlon provides the following :

This afternoon [Tuesday], there was a Marbled Godwit at the Delaware Wildlife Area, Delaware County.
To get there, go north of Delaware on US 23. Just after you go under a stone overpass, turn right on Main Road. Follow Main about a mile until it ends in a tee at Panhandle Road. Turn left and go about a quarter mile until you pass over several speed bumps, and over a rise in the road. As you come down from the rise, there is a dirt parking area to the right; be careful going into this area, since there is about a 6-8-inch dropoff at the edge of the road. Walk up on the dike, and go 200-300 yards till you spot the water and flats on the left (north) side of the dike. The bird was at the far end of the nearest stretch of water.

Shawnee Forest was productive for Cece Johnston yesterday; included among the 15 warbler species were the first reports of American Redstart, Worm-eating Warbler, and Blue-winged Warbler.

Perhaps one of the few positive outcomes of persistent NE'ly winds in late April (during the peak Palm Warbler migration) is the appearance of the rare yellow or "eastern" form of the Palm Warbler. Nick Barber describes one from the 27th at Cuyahoga Valley N.R. and John Pogacnik banded such an individual at Lakeshore M.P on the 24th. For those seeking this colorful alternative to Dendroica palmarum be aware of increased numbers of intergrades at these times such as the example I photographed in late April 1984 in northeast Ohio under similar weather conditions. A true yellow Palm will be much more colorful yet many of these duller birds go misidentified. - V.W.F.III

Prothonotary Warbler and Warbling Vireo arrived over the weekend at Spring Valley while a Yellow Warbler had reached Eastwood Park by the 25th. A pair of male Surf Scoter were at the dam at C.J.Brown Reservoir on the 26th (Dayton RBA). Lester Peyton had Cerulean Warbler at Miami Whitewater Forest on Saturday.

After reading Bruce Glick's stunning raptor numbers for Conneaut, it is no wonder little is flying by at Magee Marsh. Last Saturday's 1230 Broad-winged Hawks were 10 times the SEASONAL tally for Magee Marsh at that point in time. A late Rough-legged Hawk was especially noteworthy in a non-invasion year. His crew also detected one more Lapland Longspur. Their 855 Turkey Vulture for 27 March is by far and away the highest number counted in Ohio. In more recent news, Bruce reports today a male Yellow-headed Blackbird at Mallard Club Marsh W.A. and a Peregrine Falcon disturbed the Dunlin at Ottawa N.W.R.

Elsewhere Eric Heinecke and Roger Barnhart report the first Cape May Warbler, a male at Miami Whitewater Wetlands on Saturday.

An adult male King Eider was reported from Arcola Creek (Madison Twp, Lake Co., Delorme Gazeteer p. 32 B3) for last Saturday. Four Tundra Swan were at Wildwood park east of Cleveland on the 27th. A Little Gull was reported from Lakeshore Park (Lake Co.) on the 23rd while a Yellow-throated Warbler was banded there on the 24th - Cleveland RBA.

A cool southerly breeze only succeeded in clearing out many of the birds on the bird trail at Magee. Compare todays list with that of Sunday's below.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 3
Hermit Thrush - 3
Palm Warbler - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 8
White-throated Sparrow - 6

One addition were the 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers (with another 4 over the hawk tower on diurnal passage).

I understand that a Nashville Warbler and a Northern Waterthrush were present yesterday (m.obs.). Belated news that Ovenbird and Wood Thrush were on the bird trail on the 20th. (Magee Marsh personnel). From 9:45 - 13:45 the hawk migration was no more impressive than in recent weeks. Eight migrant Bald Eagle were surprising but only another 25 hawks were tallied in that period. - V.W.F.III.

The American Avocet was still present at Ottawa N.W.R. this morning along with 850 Dunlin, 2 Least Sandpipers, 5 Short-billed Dowitcher (all five nominate griseus), and 4 Black-bellied Plover. - V.W.F.III.

The EnviroLink network problem affecting the Ohio-birds mailing list was corrected as off this afternoon. On another note a couple of readers have expressed difficulty in printing these pages. After some scrutiny I've tweaked a single item changing an 8 to a 4 possibly solving the problem. Let me know if further difficulties arise - V.W.F.III.

Our knowledge of Great Egret passage in southern Ohio is sparse so I appreciate Maxine Groves' report of three from Adams Lake nr West Union (Adams Co.) for the 26th. Migrants continue their trickle into the state with a Warbling Vireo noted by Bob Placier at the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati yesterday. Bob further reports the Whimbrel at Charlie's Pond was still present on Friday - ten days and counting. Bill Whan's Wood Thrush in Adam's County last week is the first I've heard of. The first Orange-crowned Warbler of the season was located at Delaware W.A. by Bob Conlon on the 24th.

Apparently email difficulties have arisen with the Ohio-birds mailing list. My guess at the moment that this is a server problem at Envirolink. Will advise when I know more. - V.W.F. III

Mallard Club Marsh WA (Lucas Co.) held 8 calling American Bittern and 8 calling Sora along with two singing Marsh Wren at first light this morning. Shortly after I was photographing 16 Willet at the 2nd pond of Ottawa N.W.R. Apparently this count was raised by Michigan birders later to 18. Astounding either way as other flocks of comparable size for the state number just a few in the literature :

18 at Eastwood lake, Dayton May 1st 1983 / P. Hall and J. Hill; The Birds of Dayton. 1984.
18 at Cleveland May 2nd 1987 / R. Hannikman and T. LePage; The Ohio Cardinal 10 (1).
20 at the Oxbow (Hamilton Co.) April 23rd 1988 / Chet Bowsher; The Ohio Cardinal 11(3).

The American Avocet continues (from last Wed.) at the same location as does at least one Least Sandpiper among numerous Dunlin. Five Snowy Egrets were easy to approach at one point I managed to frame a Snowy Egret within the same photo as the Snow Goose - present now 8 days. A Spotted Sandpiper and three Solitary Sandpipers were new for the season up here along the Lake. An American Woodcock is once again sitting on eggs (4) a few feet from the boardwalk at Magee Marsh - here's a hint it is on the south side. No sign of the Eurasian Wigeon but I may have been looking for the wrong thing i.e. a classic adult drake. I got a description of the bird today from Bill Murphy of what apparently is a typical American Wigeon with some reddish-brown around the eye and creamier pate than usual. If this is the bird this is not a Eurasian Wigeon. - V.W.F.III.

I only had time for cursory attention to the trail even though there was a distinct increase in migrant activity overnight. Yesterday's 6 Yellow-rumps grew to 35-40. Also appearing: 4 Palm Warblers - several singing | 4 Pine Warbler - 3 singing | 1 Yellow Warbler - also singing | 60-75 White-throated Sparrow | 20-25 Hermit Thrush | 1 Winter Wren |

I understand my numbers may be a bit low as I did not reach the trail until late morning. Some of you may recall the Great Horned Owl roosting within a cottonwood at the eastern end of the parking lot last May. One was perched in the same spot today. Whatever brought the migrants in was a cue for the American Coot to leave. The 1800-1900 that have been a fixture at Magee Marsh the past 5 weeks was reduced to less than 50 today. - V.W.F.III

Elsewhere Tom Bartlett reports a King Rail at Springville Marsh in Seneca and two immature Great Black-backed Gulls overhead. There are perhaps only a dozen inland records for Ohio and I am aware of none so late in the season.

An American Avocet located at the 2nd pond at Ottawa N.W.R. on Thur. remains as of today. A Eurasian Wigeon discovered at the 3rd pond at Ottawa N.W.R. also Thur. was seen Fri. (Bruce Bowman et al.) and by many today at the second pond. The Snowy Egrets are also still being seen and now number three. Dunlin numbers at O.N.W.R. improved from last Sunday's 250 to 350 today. One Least Sandpiper has been among them several days (m.obs.). All five Pomarine Jaegers remain as of today. While waiting for the electronic gate to open at the marina you may wish to listen for a Northern Mockingbird we had singing across the railroad tracks. Hawk migration remains slow along the western shore of Lake Erie although a Merlin flew past the hawk tower this afternoon, as did my first Chimney Swift for the Lake Erie shore. The Magee Marsh Bird Trail remains very quiet for migrant songbirds. . - V.W.F.III.

The Eared Grebe at Acton Lake continues as of yesterday - Maynard Schaus. In answer to my request for Spotted Sandpiper sightings Rebecca Levy reports one from the Hocking R. near Nelsonville, Athens Co. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird had reached southern Ohio (Hamilton Co.) by the 16th (fide Lester Peyton). Odd Mute Swan locations lately include one at Lake Isaac on the 23rd and another today on a pond along Martin Luther King Blvd near the Cleveland Natural History Museum. A Red-breasted Nuthatch was reported from the Shaker Lakes near Cleveland last Sun. (m.obs.). Upland Sandpipers are again reported from the Rt 93/Stowacre rd area of Denmark Twp in Ashtabula County {they have raised young in the area in recent years}.

Finally, I apologize to the readers of this forum for building a link to another website yesterday before previewing the content - it was several hours before I could correct the error and I have learned from the episode not to assume as much as I did - V.W.F.III

Definitely a slowdown to migration; fortunately the maples have only just popped their leaves here in Tiffin. The Pomarine Jaegers remain as of 3:30 yesterday - Marian Kraus. An otherwise slow couple of days at Clear Creek produced a Kentucky Warbler earlier in the week -Greg Links/Marc England.

The past two days has seen an Eared Grebe at Acton Lake (Preble County) where the Greater White-fronted Geese continue - Maynard Schaus. M.Sch. also had an Indigo Bunting in the area yesterday. As early as the season has been signs of a slowdown are seen in the somewhat delayed arrival of Chimney Swift and Whip-poor-will now only reported from Marietta - Bill Thompson III. For that matter has anyone seen a Spotted Sandpiper yet? Winnie Sarno reports a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (on private property) this morning from her northwest Massillon neighborhood.

At least 4 Pomarine Jaegers were present at Whiskey Island Marina at 6:00 p.m. yesterday. - V.W.F.III and Tom Bartlett

All five Pomarine Jaegers present yesterday (Paula Lozano). While observing the jaegers Pete Munson found several Veery for the first reported from the northeast. House Wrenwas also noted in Columbus yesterday - John Vandermeer. Sandhill Crane continue moving through the area as one was seen flying over Castalia Quarry Pond (Erie Co.) on Sunday - Robert Finkelstein. Ovenbird had reached the Dayton area by yesterday - Brian Rayburn. Semipalmated Plover was reported from Dayton last week (Dayton RBA) and Black-bellied Plover at Ottawa N.W.R. on Sunday - Elaine Snively

Jim Fry provides this update of the Whimbrel at Charlie's Pond.

There seems to be some confusion about Charlie's Pond and the Whimbrel location. To get to Charlie's Pond go south on Rt. 23 a few miles out of Circleville and turn right (west)on Radcliffe Rd. Go one mile and you will be at Charlie's Pond. Continue west 6/10 of a mile to a T intersection (there is no stop sign but stop anyway). Turn right (north)and go 1/10 of a mile and the shorebird area is on the left. The Whimbrel has been seen there and in the adjacent fields. Today (April 22)at 7:15 P.M. it was in the field just SSW of the shorebird area.

The Pomarine Jaegers at Whiskey Island Marina remain as of yesterday -Lois Wallin. Surprising word comes from Hueston Woods where the 5 Greater White-fronted Geese from March still remain at Acton lake seen regularly through Friday. - Maynard Schaus The Whimbrel at Charlie's Pond also has been entertaining visitors for several days through yesterday evening -Jim Arnold. Six Upland Sandpipers in that area on Sunday was a good total but the three young Killdeer may well be the earliest successful nesting for the state. - Joe McMahon, Bill Bosstic, Gladis Garver.The Oldsquaw at Oberlin Reservoir was still there on the 18th. - Phyllis Jones. Locally a House Wren in the yard this morning is about a normal arrival for the northwest (V.WF.III) but the Least Flycatcher elsewhere in Tiffin yesterday was decidely early -Dan Webb. Dan also noted a Grasshoper Sparrow at a traditional Seneca County site yesterday. The Adams/Scioto county area held multiple Northern Parula and Ovenbird on Saturday Mark Skinner and Cece Johnston. Red-eyed Viroes were on territory at Mohican State Park by Saturday - Brad Phillips. Big Island Wildlife Area hosted Great Egret, Snow Goose, and Sora on the 19th - Joe Hammond. Also on Saturday the Dunakins found the first Henslow's Sparrowin the north, a rare find in Paulding County, their first since 1991.

Pam Raver provides these detailed directions to the Columbus Yellow-crowned Night-Herons:
As of this morning (20 April) there were three birds and one nest located along the bike path south of Greenlawn Ave. To find the birds, go south on the bike path until you come to a white rectangle painted on the path (It's about 8X12"). On your right you should see a white building at Lou Berliner softball park. Just ahead, on the left and in the river are some old bridge pylons. The birds are located along the river between the painted rectangle and the pylons. You can often see them (until the leaves are out anyway) highlighted against the sky, just above eye level.

The last report of the Harlequin Duck at Gordon park is for last Wed. - Pete Munson. Jim Fry's Purple Finch flock had reached 46 by last Tuesday. A Yellow-throated Vireo was present at Aullwood Audubon Center last Thur. for a more normal arrival - Tom Hissong. Spring Great Egrets in southern Ohio are always worth mentioning - one was at Ross Lake last Friday - Joe McMahon.

The Painted Bunting has now gone unseen for more than 24hrs. Presumably it has departed. Elsewhere I understand the Whimbrel at Charlie's Pond south of Circleville remains as of yesterday. A Solitary Vireo on the Magee Marsh Bird Trail is the first for the northwest. -V.W.F.III

A few belated arrival notes for the southwest: White-eyed Vireo - 17th at Spring Valley. Broad-winged Hawk on the 12th. Louisiana Waterthrush on March 23rd at Miami Whitewater Wetlands. A Green Heron on the 13th and Great Egret on the 10th at Gilmore Ponds. 100 Pectoral Sandpipers were noted there on the 7th. Surf Scoter at the marina at C.J. Brown Reservoir last weekend. Winton Woods settling ponds held 40 shoveler. Twelve Fox Sparrows on the 1st at Xavier Univ. campus is as large a concentration I have heard about. In the northeast a Yellow-throated Warbler had returned to the Pinery Narrows haunt along the Cuyahoga River by the 16th. - various RBAs

Appx. 60 people showed up today some arriving minutes after the last visit of the day - that listed below. A mystery perhaps best explained by the fact that he simply has left us - time will tell. Most left with a consolation female "Oregon" Junco. Yet additional sightings of White-throated Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, sapsucker, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, displaying Cooper's Hawk, and a new yard bird - Great Horned Owl flushed by crows, I hope made the day less than miserable. - V.W.F.III

Elsewhere: Brad Etter on his way to the Pomarine Jaeger show Thursday he had an Indigo Bunting in Seneca County along 101 - a two bunting day! Also Friday down the street neighbors had Northern Oriole and 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Dr. Percy Lily). A Dark-morph Rough-legged Hawk remains along Darsch Rd, Ottawa Co. today - Paula Lozano. One of the ponds at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge is being drawn down for the first time in recent memory, providing excellent shorebird habitat with numbers of Dunlin, Pectorals, and a couple of dowitchers today along with the first Snowy Egrets (2) - Paula Lozano.

. . . and Oh Yes - the FIVE Pomarine Jaegers were once again spectacular today - m.obs.

Painted Bunting Update: With 26 degree morning temps he couldn't wait to get to the feeder already with the first cardinals and juncos of the day at 6:30-33 | again at 7:00-08 in song much of the time | - V.W.F.III

Painted Bunting update: The bird was a disappointment for a dozen birders who left after a 3 hr wait but at 1:00 p.m. he was back for several minutes. It is likely the nice weather imposes less of an energetic drain and so little need to visit the feeder as often. Only other sighting was a very brief look at the edge of the spruce at 6:18 p.m. We've now entertained about 90 visitors these last three days with 73 success stories. If visiting tomorrow come early; eightish. - V.W.F.III

Elsewhere: Doug Dunakin reports the last of the four regular tern species, and true to form for this spring, a record early Black Tern at Paulding Reservoir . . . and Michigan birders, Doug states "the bird, obviously not liking what he saw, continued flying north". Oh yes - Doug also mentions the LaFarge Cement Plant Snowy Owl is still present as of Tuesday.

The Painted Bunting first appeared at 7:20 this morning, then from 8:20-8:45 put on a show feeding and preening in the morning light. Just now at 9:15-35 it ended its feeding bout flying up to a spruce limb out in the open and burst out in song - it has been going several minutes now. - V.W.F.III

On the jaeger front yesterday was once again spectacular at Whiskey Island Marina at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River where FIVE Pomarine Jaegers milled about within a confined area. Observers say that first they put the scopes away then the binoculars as dark and light morphs sat nearby or flew close overhead. For those unfamiliar with jaegers in Ohio understand that we are NOT supposed to see ANY jaeger in spring anywhere in the state.

In other news a flock of 7 American Avocet set down in Knox County late in the evening Wed. but could not be relocated the following morning - Gary Burkholder (fide Scott Albaugh). This is the typical pattern for spring avocet in Ohio - to appear suddenly and briefly in mid-April, often away from traditional spring shorebirding sites. With the earlier report from Big Island WA now is certainly the time to be looking. I understand three Upland Sandpipers had returned to Bolton Field last Saturday - Bernie Master

45 persons have thus far come and gone satisfied with 20ft views of the Painted Bunting. The diary of visits reads

Wed. 16 April: 8:45 a.m. | 9:15 | 9:40 | 10:20 | 11:12 | drenching downpours began - no further sightings
Thur. 17 April: 9:09 a.m. | 9:53 | 10:40 | 11:20 | 12:20 | 13:05 | 13:41 | Not Watching | 14:52 | 15:15 | 16:04 | 16:30-17:00 | 17:30 | 18:00 | 18:25 | 18:46 | Not Watching | 19:20 |

Apparent routine is a feeding bout of 3-7 minutes with 35-60 intervals spent in a nearby spruce tree. At 4:30 p.m. the bird flew back to the spruce but remained sitting out on a limb until his next feeding bout so was visible continuously for 30 minutes. Seemed to come in at quicker intervals this evening with falling temps. - V.W.F. III

My own little Patagonia Picnic-table Effect. I just had to comment on the incidental observations that have been contributed by near round-the-clock observation of our feeders. In the past two days a Yellow-bellied Spasucker has come in (new for the yard), a Purple Finch (our 4th), White-throated Sparrow (our 4th), a Hermit Thrush popped out the spruce to feed at millet today!, and this evening casual-as-you-please Tom Bartlett mentions an Oregon Junco, to which I gave my usual response to Tom - "yeah right" - only to lift the bins and lo a perfect Oregon Junco the 3rd in 12 months. I don't believe there is anything special about the location or the yard or the feeders. All that is going on here is that a feeder is being watched intensively - no reason why this is not going on at your feeder. - V.W.F.III

In other news Cece Johnston had the first report of a Solitary Vireo at Scioto Trails yesterday. Giving further credence to this extraordinarily early spring migration is the Whimbrel at Charlie's Pond yesterday (Bob Conlon, Dan Sanders et al.) a good three days before the earliest published date of 19 April 1980 for Dayton (Peterjohn 1989).

Painted Bunting photos available | Cleveland Pomarine Jaegers still present this morning putting on a show - basically unprecedented in spring for the state - five seen at one time at Whiskey Island Marina near Edgewater Park immediately west of Cuyahoga River mouth. Late PABU report : no further sighting after 11:15 despite afternoon stakeout.

In other news the Rayland (Jefferson Co.) Osprey is back at its nesting site for the fourth year. - Scott Albaugh | And the Berlin Reservoir (powerline tower nest) pair are back for their second year.

An adult male Painted Bunting appeared at my feeder this morning at 8:45 (directions) in Tiffin (Seneca Co.). The bird has been thoroughly photographed and thus far corroborated by 8 other observers. The bird feeds on the ground amongst juncos and Chipping Sparrows for 5-10 minutes at intervals of 10-15 minutes roosting in a nearby spruce tree between feeding bouts. There is some white flecking evident where the blue cheek meets the red of the throat. Otherwise appears as a normal adult male. Last seen as of this writing at 11:15 in the rain. If found acceptable to the OBRC this would be the first Ohio record. Historically this species has been suspect with respect to captive origin. A quick perusal of the literature for surrounding states indicate a dozen records - mostly male, mostly spring. One Indiana specimen as early as 12 April. More on that later. - V.W.F.III

Jaegers in the news - Questar views led Ray Hannikman to confirm the four Pomerine Jaegers found yesterday by Paula Lozano and Tom LePage at the Westerly Sewage Treatment Plant in Cleveland.

And finally this morning Marcus England had an outstanding day at Clear Creek yesterday. Some abbreviated highlights:

1 Pine Warbler in the pines at the first house on the corner of CC Rd. & Rte. 33
1 early Northern Parula singing on top of a hemlock near the entrance to Camp Wyandot
1 early male Rose-breasted Grosbeak singing near the house with the Old English Sheep Dog
1 Black-throated Green Warbler singing near the head of the Hemlock Trail
1 Hooded Warbler singing in the same location
And 3 Henslow's Sparrows on Buena Vista Rd. despite the paucity of habitat this year (most of the grass has been mowed).

Also, at Delaware W. A.
Countless numbers of Pectoral Sandpipers, a few yellowlegs, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper {Ed: Extraordinary!}, 2 Common Snipe, and 2 Great Egrets (1 not countable if you're of the listing type because it was dead!) - M.E.

Monday - Big Island W.A. - pair of American Avocet feeding on mudflat N. of parking lot. A Snow Goose still remains with a group of Canadas at the area. C. Lee & T. Chapman

Monday, 4/14/97, Tom LePage found a male Harlequin Duck in the boat basin by the Gordon boat ramp of the Cleveland Lake Front State Park. Tom felt that the Harlequin is probably a first year male. Jim Heflich, Paula Lozano, and I got out to see the bird at noon today, and the view was much better today than it was last March. The entrance to the boat ramp area is just north of the Shoreway and a very short distance west of the Martin Luther King exit from the Shoreway. - Robert Finkelstein

Also the Black-crowned Night-Heron count along the Cuyahoga is at 85 - Paula Lozano

A belated report of Common Tern from the 5th at Lake White (Pike County) is the first of the season. - Bob Scott Placier. More arrivals from Scioto County include Black-throated Green and Black-and-White Warblers yesterday and another Prairie Warbler. - Cece Johnston. Admittedly ignorant of that part of Ohio involving the Miami Whitewater Wetlands I was nonetheless quite impressed with the following list {somewhat edited for brevity}by Neil Cade for Sunday the 13th. 6:45-10:30 AM

American Bittern - 2
Least Bittern -1 {first spring report}
Sora -15
Blue-winged Teal - 100+
Pectoral Sandpipers -20+
Common Snipe - 60+
House Wren - 1 {first spring report}
Swamp Sparrow - 100+
Field Sparrow - 80
Song Sparrow -150+

Today's light southerly winds did little for migration along the western Lake Erie marshes. The Magee Marsh Bird Trail remains fairly quiet - highlights:

Sora - 1 calling out in the marsh
Winter Wren -7
Hermit Thrush - 14
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 18
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 14
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2
Fox Sparrow - 5

. . . and little of note from the hawk tower although the board shows a few Broad-wings have been seen recently. A Sandhill Crane was standing in a field off Stange Rd (O.N.W.R.) today. Ruddy Ducks may well be at their peak staging efforts off the Lake Erie shoreline; 520 were off Crane Creek S.P. beach this morning. Thousands stage from Maumee Bay to Sheldon's Marsh every year at this time. We are coming up on the peak cormorant migration, some lucky observer from a point in the western basin, likely near the islands (e.g. the pull off just south of Marblehead light), may witness 10-15,000 on the right day. The flight starts at first light. Those of you inland check the larger reservoirs for up to 600 on the likes of Hoover Reservoir. - V.W.F.III

Over the weekend in the Dayton area new arrivals included Bank Swallow at Eastwood Lake, and Common Moorhen and Marsh Wren at Spring Valley. Two Surf Scoters were at the marina at C.J. Brown Reservoir. A male Oldsquaw was also reported from an area gravel pit. (Dayton RBA)

Two female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks put in an appearance yesterday at a feeder in Miami County north of Dayton (Jim and Machus Gaston). This is among the earliest of migrant records for the state.

Four Yellow-crowned Night-Herons from the Greenlawn Dam site in Columbus yesterday. The light morph Rough-legged Hawk remains at Killdeer Plains W.A. (m.obs.) and a Short-eared Owl also was detected there yesterday. - Todd Chapman

The first Cattle Egret of the season comes from Hinckley Metropark on the 7th. Some heavy concentrations of Bald Eagles in the northeast are worth mentioning; 4 at LaDue Reservoir (Cleveland RBA) and a remarkable 13 at Mosquito Lake (Judy Hochadel) on the 10th - virtually all immatures. Yesterday a vague report of Boreal Owl from just west of Geneva S.P. {unknown whether related to the bird released at Lakeshore Metropark}. A Snowy Owl was at Geneva S.P. on the beach yesterday. (Cleveland RBA)

An Eared Grebe was reported in the canal at Metzger Marsh yesterday, April 11. - Tom Kemp. Another from the 11th was found at Lakeshore M.P., Lake Co. (Cleveland RBA).

Rough-winged Swallows are now widespread in the south additionally reported today from Adams (Peter Whan) and Hocking Counties (L. Logan - V.W.F.III). Peter also had Prairie Warbler in Adams County today for an early presence. Green Herons debuted today with an individual in Lawrence County (V.W.F.III + S.C.) and at the "pit" in Greenlawn Cemetary, Columbus (Columbus RBA) reinforcing the apparent consistent arrival of this species in the southern half of Ohio annually around 12-14th April.

Misc.: The LeFarge Cement Plant Snowy Owl (Paulding Co.) remains as of 5:00pm Fri. - Doug and Micki Dunakin. Black-crowned Night-Herons are building numbers in Cleveland along the Cuyahoga River with 63 yesterday viewable from Merwin St. in the Flats - Paula Lozano. Great Egret is generally a rare spring migrant in the southeast so one today at Lake Logan was unexpected (V.W.F.III). We're approaching the peak Purple Finch spring flight, in recent years typically noted merely as a few birds overhead giving their diagostic "toc" call note (my rendition). However, Rockbridge in Hocking County every year exhibits a strange affinity for northern finches as we continue to learn through Jim Fry. Jim's flock of PUFI is now at 18 and should grow still larger. In finch years with grosbeaks and siskins a similar pattern can be seen spilling over into adjacent portions of Athens county and so I suspect a more widespread phenomena is yet to be revealed than we currently appreciate. - V.W.F.III

Yesterday a Snow Goose and two Bald Eagles were at Big Island Wildlife Area. - Todd Chapman

I failed to locate anything resembling a Ross' Goose at St. Mary's Fish Hatchery this morning. A few wigeon, scaup etc. are in ponds east of the main fish ponds. The Hoffman's report today an Oldsquaw and a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Oberlin Reservoir (Lorain Co.), the latter a rare inland record. They also had a jaeger at Edgewater Park on Cleveland's westside. I don't hear many reports of Wild Turkey from Lorain County so I'll mention two males crossing Rt 162, 2 miles east of Rt 511 this afternoon. - V.W. F. III

The Boreal Owl was to have been released at 7:30 this evening at Lakeshore Metropark in Lake County. A light morph Rough-legged Hawk remains at Killdeer Plains W.A. just west of the Sportman's Center as of this morning. Twenty-seven Lapland Longspur were flybys today at the new lands of Big Island W.A. just south of Espyville. The local Magnolias (trees) were completely burnt by the 17 degree chill of last night; lower temps expected tonight. - V.W.F. III

Southwest off the Dayton RBA: The Ross' Goose was reported again from St. Mary's Fish Hatchery at Grand Lake on the 6th. Updates on this much sought after extreme rarity would be appreciated. Sora had reached Spring Valley by the 5th and Osprey there on the 3rd. A Northern Waterthrush at Germantown Park on the 1st is only three days later than the earliest documented record (ref. Harlan 1994), but if correct the Prairie Warbler reported from Wilmington Reservoir is 9 days earlier than the earliest published arrival date - a turn of the century record for Fremont (ref. Harlan 1994). Already noted elsewhere Solitary Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs were at Spring Valley on the 6th.

Off the Toledo RBA: The first Franklin's Gull report comes from the junction of Rt's 2 and 19 on the 4th. Read the latest Youngstown and Columbus RBAs for more goodies including yet another remarkable early arrival a Yellow-throated Vireo at Clear Creek; a state record by one day.

Northeast Report from RBAs: 95 Pectoral Sandpiper at Funk Bottoms on the 6th along with a Barn Swallow. Lakeshore Metropark continues to attract owls including 4 Saw-whets and a Barn Owl - check the northwest side of the parking lot. Mentor Marsh saw 200 Northern Flicker and 33 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on the 6th. A Greater White-fronted Goose was reported from Hinckley Reservation on the 5th. An Osprey was at Meander Lake on the 2nd April { and finally noted at Ottawa N.W.R. on the 6th}. Mosquito Lake on the first held 15 Greater and 2 Lesser Yellowlegs.

The last Long-eared Owl report for Dawes Arboretum was 25 March , a week later than my latest report from Killdeer Plains W.A. Yellow-throated Warbler was also noted on the 5th at Clear Creek, Fairfield County. - Marjorie Baughman

Saw the Boreal Owl this afternoon in a rehab shed at Penitentiary Glen in Lake County. The bird suffered a mild concussion Saturday when it hit a window in Concord Twp, Lake County. Identified by plumage and measurements as an immature female, this should prove to be the first documented Boreal Owl for Ohio, although hardly unexpected. Malfunctioning equipment prevented me from bringing you photos today but I understand Channel 5 in Cleveland filmed the bird and the Cleveland Plain Dealer was also involved in a soon to be widely publicised event. The bird will be released shortly at a public site on the chance that it may choose to remain for onlookers. I will post that information when it happens. - V.W.F. III

New Arrivals : A vague report of an Eastern Kingbird {Cleveland RBA} for the Lake Erie marshes if verified would tie the earliest record for the state. Cliff Swallow yesterday in Lake County. - John Pogacnik; the Least Sandpipers reported at Gilmore Ponds yesterday tie the early arrival record for the state - George Sadler; Sora at Charlie's Pond on April 1st - Ernie Limes. Ernie's report of Short-billed Dowitcher for the same location the same day is five days before the earliest documented arrival for Ohio. Such early dowitchers should be carefully distinguished from the more likely Long-billed Dowitcher - YES more likely!

But then equally unlikely is the fact our neighbors Magnolia's are in full flower here in Tiffin; more and more I'm reminded of 1985 when early spring records fell for dozens of species across the southern Great lakes and Ohio had more than its share of unusual species. - V.W.F.III

Bernie Master et al. report a Red-throated Loon at the NE pond on Haul Road off Frank Road in the Columbus Area yesterday.

Elsewhere: Caspian Tern numbered 5 at Lorain yesterday - Tom LePage. Yellow-throated Warblers and Northern Rough-winged Swallow were noted at Scioto Trails yesterday -Bernie Master et al. Louisiana Waterthrushes also had put in an appearance on April 2nd in the Clear Creek Valley - Marc England. Western Meadowlark in song about 200 meters west of the entrance to Crane Creek S.P. along rt 2. was a new arrival to the northwest today - V.W.F. III.

Southerly breezes the past five days culminated in 59 mph gusts at 4:30 p.m. ahead of tonights freezing temps. Friday's Magee Marsh hawk tally included three accipiter and three falcon species. Today was more modest with only fair numbers of the more common species. Individual Sandhill Cranes were flybys both yesterday and today. A thousand + Tree Swallow movement today brought several Barn Swallows to the region including one at Ottawa N.W.R. {m.obs.}. The first Dunlin of the season were two at Charlie's pond on April 1st {Ernie Limes}while in the northwest one arrived Friday at Maumee Bay S.P. {Gary Meszaros}, followed by eight at Lorain yesterday {Tom LePage}, and 105 today on the Ottawa N.W.R. pond visible from the corner of Stange and Krause Rds. What was early has become extraordinary. Consider Peterjohn's generally accurate remark regarding spring Dunlin in Birds of Ohio, "they do not normally appear until April 15-25 [with] flocks of 100 or more . . . noted by April 20". Could the spring being racing that far ahead? Consider the state of leaf out on the bird trail - my guess is about where it was the 1st of May last year. The warblers could of course oblige us by nipping in a bit early - a waterthrush {likely a Louisiana} was reported on the Ottawa N.W.R. monthly census today. But I could not confirm the single observer sighting of a Worm-eating Warbler on the Magee Marsh Bird Trail. That would not be remarkably early next to the one caught and banded by Black Swamp Bird Observatory in March! 1994. - V.W.F. III.

Wednesday evening, we received a report of an immature Snowy Owl perching atop a roof in a subdivision at the northwest edge of Paulding, Ohio. We were unable to confirm this sighting, but today [Friday] we received a call from the Lafarge Cement Plant that a Snowy was sitting on top of their office building!! This bird was confirmed by me at 2:45 p.m. and later at 4:30 p.m., sitting proudly and scanning the parking lot of the Lafarge plant. It is a light-colored bird, but nowhere near the whiteness of the Snowy seen in Paulding County last year. For those interested, the Lafarge plant is located along the north side of County Road 176, about 2 miles north and 1 mile west of Paulding, Ohio (one mile west of U.S. Route 127, which runs through Paulding). Since the previous sighting was about 2.5 miles southeast, the bird might be anywhere in that area, should it choose to stick around awhile. - Doug & Micki Dunakin

Anders Fjeldstad and company found a Swainson's Thrush amongst Hermits at Sheldon's Marsh. This becomes the earliest spring date for the state by one day. Not surprising on the heels of record heat in the area the past day or two. His group also had a Peregrine Falcon fly past . Shortly after bumping into them, while searching vain for the Swainson's Thrush, I looked up to see a raptor in a stoop directly overhead. It broke out at the height of the trees affording a terrific vision of an immature Northern Goshawk drifting slowly to the south and east against the wind.
Yet further evidence of overflights on these strong breezes comes from northern Morrow County where Chimney Swift {26 Mar.}, and Barn Swallow {27 Mar.} have been sighted. - Matt Hughes. A March swift is rare indeed but what to make of multiple hummingbird reports from the Columbus area last week? Uncorroborated yes but perhaps I should get the feeders hung out sooner than I thought! - V.W.F. III

Reports of the Castalia Eurasian Wigeon refuse to go away perhaps because the bird does. The latest is that it was seen yesterday but I once again checked the pond today with no Eurasian Wigeon in sight - V.W.F. III

NORTHEAST: An Eared Grebe was reported from the west side of Nimsila Reservoir. Great Egrets the 28th from Lakeshore M.P. Pine Warbler present the 30th at Shaker Lakes. A passage migration the 28th was censused from Lakeshore M.P. with these selected results:

Northern Flicker - 321
Eastern Phoebe - 34
Lapland Longspur - 48
Pine Siskin - 2
American Kestrel - 48
Merlin - 1

on the 30th from Lakeshore a Surf Scoter and Glaucous Gull
- as reported by the Cleveland RBA.

An Osprey was at Meander Reservoir on the 2nd April while 15 Greater and 2 Lesser Yellowlegs were at Mosquito lake on the 1st. - Youngstown RBA.

Off the Dayton RBA, I have a report of a Ross' Goose from Sunday the 30th from the pond by the fish hatchery at Grand Lake-St Mary's. I have no further details.

New arrivals in the southwest include an early Solitary Sandpiper at Spring Valley over the weekend, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow on the 29th also at Spring Valley. Pine Warbler has been noted at Germantown Metropark by the 28th.

Bob Conlon reports: Charlie's Pond (about 1/2 mile East of Rte 23 on Radcliffe Rd.): American Golden Plover

After receiving details, I can report that Shawn Veres and company had a close study of an adult Golden Eagle perched and in flight at Metzger Marsh on the 29th March.

13 Surf Scoter at Caesar Creek S.P. seen from the Rt 73 boat ramp on the 28th was a good tally inland.

As of yesterday the hawk watch at Magee Marsh had yet to tally an Osprey but Bernie Masters had one in southern Ohio at Stage's Pond on the 29th. Marcus England reports a Merlin today from Clear Creek; the first three from the Magee Marsh count were only talled in recent days.

The middle pond of the three main diked marshes at Big Island Wildlife Area (Marion County) appears to have been drawn down. The southeast corner, immediately adjacent to a parking lot, held 8 Common Snipe, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, 6 Greater Yellowlegs, and 82 Pectoral Sandpiper this morning. The water-filled marshes still support a wide variety of duck including 560 Ring-necked Duck. I will take this opportunity to announce a forthcoming long-term bird survey of the new lands acquired for Big Island Wildlife Area. The acreage added, mostly to the northeast immediately south of Espyville, more than doubles Big Island. This land is currently farmland with grassy ditches and spotty wet shallow areas (one of which held 47 Green-winged Teal today) to be converted into wetland and wet prairie over the next few years. Nelson Moore of Ohio Northern University and myself will be coordinating a largely volunteer effort to run transects through the two largest parcels of land and a nearby parcel of private farmland for comparison (where we had 11 snipe today). If you wish to get in on the ground floor to developing the ornithological list to a new area and to watch that list change with the progression of vegetative into a prairie state please contact myself or Nelson Moore. I will be posting more on this project in the near future including maps of the new acreage, transect lines, and data sheets for download. - V.W.F.III

Mark Skinner and I found 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Herons near their traditional nesting site today along the Greenlawn bike path in Columbus. Unfortunately, a Coopers hawk has taken up residence in one of their nests. The area is along the Scioto River, south of Greenlawn Ave., immediately across from the Lou Berliner Park recreation building. - Pam Raver

Springville Marsh, Seneca County: Louisiana Waterthrush and Pine Warbler were unexpected. A half dozen Swamp Sparrows and several Winter Wrens were in song.
Sandusky Bay and Catawba Island combined for about 8000 scaup in Ottawa County, another 600 bay duck were a mix of Canvasbacks and Redhead

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