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August 2001

Gary Meszaros reports 4 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Conneaut Harbor yesterday morning. A Willet was present in the vicinity of Pipe Creek W.A. yesterday evening. The impoundments proper held no birds as the water levels had risen, but 400 yards to the east one could spy some exposed shoreline courtesy a strong SW'ly wind. This is where the Willet was seen. The Chaussee is still productive despite severe reduction of the water levels here. Some 900 individual shorebirds were highlighted by 96 Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Marbled Godwit, and 1 Red-necked Phalarope.

The pair of Sandhill Cranes at Sandy Ridge Metropark remain as of yesterday.

One of the more bizarre August sightings this year has to be the Short-eared Owl Sunday evening over the Westgate Mall in Rocky River (Cuyahoga Co.) - Paula Lozano.

Warblers were widespread across the northern tier of Ohio counties and by yesterday even the southwest was seeing evidence of a fall flight. Magnolia and Chestnut-sided Warblers have been the most frequently listed species thus far. Canada and Blackpoll Warblers have been a little more widespread than I typically have reported in August. A few Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers have appeared. The Red-breasted Nuthatch irruption continues apace with several birds encountered in Cincinnati recently - David Brinkman. Several Philadelphia Vireos, always a good find in August, have been reported including a bird on Kelleys Island this past weekend - Paula Lozano et al.. Paula's group also recorded a Merlin on K.I.

Nighthawks and swifts have been making headlines. This is, of course, the peak passage for Common Nighthawk so any given evening a week either side of the 1st of September should produce a few sightings. If you are fortunate enough to be on a flyway the number over the course of usually a 90 minute procession runs into the low hundreds. Swifts have been reported in 4 digit figures from Columbus recently. While such concentrations are well known from late September and even early October, in August those are curious numbers.

While it may not mean anything regarding our fortunes this winter, some Pine Siskin have appeared in northeast Ohio. It has been several winters since the last big invasion so perhaps they are due.

Shorebird diversity may be near its peak for the fall season this week. Although many only located 4 over the weekend, Gordon Demars had the 5 Red-necked Phalaropes at Pipe Creek W.A. on Monday. The day before various observers reported Buff-breasted Sandpiper and TWO Willets. Another Buff-breasted Sandpiper was located at Ottawa N.W.R. on Sunday - Dave & Jenny Brumfield.

Here is one of the Pipe Creek Willets - photo courtesy Art Osborn; Digiscoped at 3x (30x scope) late Saturday.

Please see Tom Thomson's eulogy for Charles H. Gambill; one of Ohio's more accomplished birders.

Here's a look at the pair of Sandhill Cranes that have been seen recently at Sandy Ridge Metro Park. Note the yellow color band on the leg of one bird. This photo was taken yesterday by Michele Hendrick.

A Western Kingbird was discovered yesterday at Huffman Prairie near Dayton - Jim Arnold. The bird was subsequently seen by Laurel Theriault that evening. Thus far, one effort to relocate the bird today has failed.

DIRECTIONS: From I-70, take I-675 south to the first exit (24 I am pretty sure, the exit sign will read WPAFB/444) which will put you on Rt 444. Take a right onto Rt 444 and head into Fairborn. Once you have gone thru 2 CONTINUOUS GREEN LIGHTS, the next gate on your right will be GATE 12C. Turn right and drive toward the gate. Then look for a small parking lot with a small building (Visitors Center), that is where you would get a pass for the base and a map of the Huffman Prairie area. When you get the map, look for SYMMES RD. That is where the WK was seen. Symmes Rd has a fenceline on the left and wooded areas on the right. - Laurel Theriault

As of midday today there were 5 Red-necked Phalaropes at Pipe Creek W.A. (Erie Co.). Yesterday's Wilson's Phalarope (J. Hammond) was not among them. The pair of Baird's Sandpipers reported earlier in the week remain. Nearby Cedar Point Chaussee hosted the usual mix of shorebirds today including a Willet, American Golden-Plover and 3 Common Snipe - V.W.F.III. Two of the latter were present yesterday at Pipe Creek - Joe Hammond & Dan Sanders. At Ottawa N.W.R. Joe and Dan recorded a Marbled Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper, and Baird's Sandpiper among the 3000 shorebirds (14 species) present.

The American White Pelican at Medusa Marsh was relocated there last Friday - Gabe Leidy, Paula Lozano & Bob Finkelstein - however diligent searches subsequently have failed to turn up the bird. John Pogacnik had a juvenile Laughing Gull at Fairport Harbor last Thursday.

Shorebirds: A Hudsonian Godwit was found at Caesar Creek State park today - Ed Roush. A weekend Hudsonian Godwit sighting involved a bird at Walnut Beach (Ashtabula Co.)- John Pogacnik. Nearby Conneaut Harbor hosted another large shorebird species - 4 Whimbrels; 3 squeezed into the viewfinder for the image below.


The above shot is yet Another example of digiscoping taken at 3x held up to 20x scope.

Notably Jay Lehman had a Marbled Godwit along the Crane Creek estuary yesterday. Another Marbled Godwit was present along the Chausee last Friday - Gabe Leidy et al. The godwit was in its second day but missing from the 16th were Willet and Red Knot. Up to three Red Knots were present along the Crane Creek estuary Saturday - Bill Whan et al.. Bill's group also reported another early Dunlin. Red-necked Phalaropes have appeared in the past week with Gabe's crew picking out a bird at Ottawa N.W.R. last Friday. John Pogacnik reports one from Conneaut harbor Sunday. An individual showed up shortly after at the Paulding Sewage Lagoons (Paulding Co.) present now several days - Doug & Micki Dunakin. Three continue (2 there since Saturday - Ben Morrison) at Pipe Creek W.A. (Erie Co.) yesterday - Greg Miller when they were joined yesterday by a Wilson's Phalarope. With the exception of Conneaut Harbor on Sunday (two birds - John Pogacnik) Western Sandpipers seem to be boycotting the Lake with several reports emanating from inland reservoirs the past week. Hoover (mostly Delaware Co.), Dillon (Licking Co.), and Berlin Reservoirs (Stark Co. for the shorebirds) have been involved in listings of 1-2 birds. Baird's Sandpiper have been coming into their own recently. Greg had three at Pipe Creek W.A. yesterday along with one on the mudflats along the Huron River at the the Rt. bridge. I saw three from the Cedar Point Chausee Tuesday evening. A pair were at Paulding lagoons Sunday - Doug & Micki Dunakin. Spring Valley W.A. was a new locality for the species this season yesterday - Scott Reeves et al. The mix of shorebirds yesterday at Ottawa N.W.R. included three Baird's - Jay Lehman. Overall numbers were down substantially from the count of 9000 shorebirds in the estuary last Friday evening. Coupled with the estimates from Pt. Mouille in Michigan, and Sheldon Marsh, the Friday-Saturday period saw 18,000 shorebirds within the portion of the Western basin marshes normally surveyed by Black Swamp Bird Observatory. Seeing a single gathering of Lesser Yellowlegs in excess of 5000 birds at Pt. Mouille was UNREAL even if it was in Michigan :-)

LAKE ERIE MARSHES TO BE DEDICATED AS SHOREBIRD RESERVE

We actually may be able to take a break from all this shorebird news. This morning on the boardwalk at Magee Marsh W.A., Elliot Tramer reports a Kentucky Warbler, 2 Prothonotary Warblers, and a male Golden-winged Warbler. Meanwhile last Sunday Nick Barber and Ben Winger located a very early Blackpoll Warbler at Headlands Beach State Park. Yesterday Gabe Leidy managed a Magnolia Warbler in his yard (Cuyahoga Co.). Add to the mix a Purple Finch in Hocking County this morning - Jim Fry - one should be starting to pay closer attention to the songbird flight.

Sandhill Cranes have been in the news recently with a pair being reported in the vicinity of Sugarcreek (Tuscarawas Co.) - Margaret Straley. Just yesterday Joe Hammond et al. observed this bird at Berlin Reservoir (Stark/Portage/Mahoning Cos.). Joe provides yet another example of "digiscoping" below.

The Least Tern was relocated Monday in the vicinity of the original observation - Bill Whan and Bob Conlon. Subsequent searches by a number of parties have thus far failed to find the bird. One party - Peter Gottschling - did locate three American Avocets on the beach at nearby Buck Creek State Park yesterday after Doug first spotted a single bird there on Sunday.

[An immature Least Tern was also reported Sunday from the PA side of Shenango Reservoir - a body of water shared with Ohio].

Shorebirds continue to dominate the reports: A Red Knot was visible along the north edge of mudflat from the Cedar Point Chausee around noon today - V.W.F.III. A Hudsonian Godwit at Ottawa N.W.R. on Sunday was very early - Ben Winger et al. Ben's group also report a Red-necked Phalarope at Ottawa N.W.R. Four Baird's Sandpipers were the highlight at Big Island W.A. yesterday - Greg Miller and Dan Sanders. Two Baird's and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper were highlights at Berlin Reservoir Monday - Ben Morrison. Another Baird's Sandpiper was in evidence Sunday at the Paulding Sewage Lagoons (Paulding Co.) - Doug & Micki Dunakin. Again for details from these and many more sites around the state consult the shorebird page by Joe Hammond.

John Pogacnik reports a Black Vulture from Crawford County on Sunday; just west of Crestline on Rt 598. Single Least Bitterns have been reported from Spring Valley W.A. (Warren Co. - Scott Reeves) and Big Island W.A. (Marion Co. - Greg Miller) the past two days. Waterfowl are beginning to gather in the Western Basin. Today Medusa Marsh held 200+ Mallards, 300 Blue-winged Teal, 40+ Green-winged Teal, 5 Northern Shovelers, and 2 American Black Ducks - V.W.F.III. The 274 Great Egrets there today made up one of the larger concentrations I have seen in Ohio east of Sandusky Bay. While testing waters of Crown City W.A. (Lawrence/Gallia Cos.) for freshwater dinoflagellates these past two days, I inadvertently came across 30+ Henslow's Sparrows and 4 Blue Grosbeaks. Scott Wright reports a Red-breasted Nuthatch in North Olmsted (Cuyahoga Co.) Monday; the vanguard of this year's anticipated invasion? See map of last invasion

NEWS FLASH: Doug Overacker reports finding a juvenile Least Tern this morning at Prime Ohio Industrial Park just east of Springfield in Clark Co. His directions are as follows . . .

This area is east of Springfield on State Route 41 near I-70. From I-70 exit at State Route 41 and head west toward Springfield. Turn right at the first traffic light which is only about 1/2 mile. You will pass between two ponds but continue on until you see another larger pond on your right. I saw it feeding at this pond. It flew off after it caught a minnow but I don't know where else it would feed in this area - D.O.

The Marbled Godwits were still present at the Crane Creek estuary on Friday - Bill Whan and Bob Conlon. Bill also verified the leucistic Dunlin at the same location. They also located two White-rumped Sandpipers along the Cedar Point Chausee. An American Avocet was present yesterday at Conneaut Harbor - Gary Meszaros. Inland shorebirding is starting to pick up as reservoir levels drop. Berlin Lake (Stark/Portage/Mahoning Cos.) hosted more than 800 shorebirds yesterday including a sizeable number of peeps. Unusual species included 2 Western Sandpipers and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Kent Miller. Hoover Reservoir has a little way to go yet but held some 40 peep and 15 Caspian Terns on Friday - Rob Thorn.

The Marbled Godwits were still present at the Crane Creek estuary (Ottawa N.W.R.) today - Art Osborn. Art also relocated the Medusa Marsh American White Pelican this afternoon. Tom Bartlett found an American Avocet at the main pool along Barrett Rd. at Medusa Marsh. Tom picked up the season's first Olive-sided Flycatcher at Plumbrook (Erie Co.) today. Yesterday, Ben Winger kicked off the fall warbler season with a Northern Waterthrush at Sandy Ridge MP (Lorain Co.).

Elsewhere: An American Bittern flushed from the wetland at Big Island W.A. (Marion Co.) just east of the observation deck on Rt. 95 on Tuesday - V.W.F.III.

The American White Pelican was still present at Medusa Marsh (Erie Co.) yesterday evening. View from the Rt. 269 exit at Rt. 2 just before heading into Bay View. Look to the NE.

Three Marbled Godwits were the highlight among 19 species of shorebirds in the Crane Creek estuary yesterday. On the day, in the Western Basin marshes of Lake Erie in Ottawa, Lucas, and Erie Counties I managed in excess of 3700 Killdeer and 700 peeps, just shy of 2000 Pectoral Sandpipers, and nearly 600 Lesser Yellowlegs. Especially striking finds included a partial albino Dunlin and a partial albino Caspian Tern at Ottawa N.W.R. See here for details. I failed to locate either American Avocet or Buff-breasted Sandpiper which had been seen along the Crane Creek estuary on Monday by Jenny Brumfield.



A digital 3x image obtained through a scope at 50X of the Medusa Marsh American White Pelican 8 August 2001. Photo courtesy Art Osborn Copyright 2001.

I haven't forgotten about the 1st summer Lesser Black-backed Gull below. Photo montage activated. Apparently, John Pogacnik had the bird Monday. Given the state of its wing molt, I suspect it will be around for a little while.

I realize inflicting odd gull plumages upon the birding populace outside of the winter season may seem to some as cruel and unusual punishment but think of it as medicine best taken now to innoculate you against the trials and tribulations to be experienced a few months hence. Besides all this shorebirding will bring you into contact with some peculiar summer molts. What better time to study plumage extremes of the common every day gulls (e.g. Herring, Ring-billed Gull) so as to better cope with winter variation. Here are a couple of examples from last week at Conneaut Harbor.

Here is a typical bleached out 1st summer Herring Gull. I'll have an active link to a developing summer gull page late in the week at the next birding news update.



This second bird is admittedly not your everyday summer gull in Ohio. Indeed, Peterjohn in his 2001 revision to Birds of Ohio lists only 5 documented records for the summer in Ohio. You should be able to reason this one out. Select here for a complete montage of this bird.

An American White Pelican was discovered yesterday evening at Medusa Marsh by Rosalie Ricks and Ben Morrison. The bird was viewable from the Rt269/Rt2 interchange - looking ENE.

The immature Little Blue Heron at the Miami-Whitewater Wetlands (A.K.A. Shaker Trace Wetlands in Hamilton Co.) was still present today - Scott Reeves.

While surveying shorebirds at the northwesternmost access to the Crane Creek estuary along the dikes of Ottawa National Wildlife Area yesterday, a Whimbrel and two American Avocets set down flying in from the east - V.W.F.III. Coincidentally, neither myself, Paul Sherwood, and several others could locate the Whimbrel and two American Avocets last seen Thursday at Medusa Marsh - Bill Whan & Joe Hammond. Up to 7 Snowy Egrets have been recorded at Medusa Marsh this past week - Sean Zadar and Ted Gilliland and 4 birds have been hanging around the visitor center at Magee Marsh W.A. lately - Paul Sherwood. One individual was in front of the observation deck at Ottawa N.W.R. yesterday - V.W.F.III.

Utility poles being especially photogenic this time of year, I was out in Ottawa County yesterday shooting away when I encountered the bane of such photographers - small feathered critters. They are especially numerous right now getting in the way of otherwise perfect still lifes of transformers etc. Anyhoo . . I've heard the readers of this column might be able to identify the little beasties in these pictures. I'm fairly new to all this but I suspect the one on the right is a Purple Martin. But what of the headless wonder on the far left. Lest you think this a one-time abberration, take a look at the close-up below of two such individuals. Try as I might I cannot find such an animal in even the latest field guides. I therefore humbly suggest a new species to science and name it Decapitus ohioensis. I go so far as to erect a new genus on the basis the headless character being a sufficiently altered state from the ancestral condition. I'm sure a cladistic analysis would back me up in this.



If you go looking for this species be aware that the observations tend to be rather fleeting and best captured on film at 250th of a second or faster. - V.W.F.III

For many more illustrations of their wired comrades go here.

It has come to pass . . . .

"Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey in Madison, Wisc., confirmed today that a dead blue jay, found in Lake County, Ohio, near Concord, had the West Nile Virus. The finding marks the farthest west the virus has been identified. Concord is near the town of Mentor, about 27 miles northeast of Cleveland Ohio health officials announced the finding on Wednesday, August 1, 2001. The blue jay was found on July 11 and tissue samples were sent to the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisc., for testing. "

In birding . . . the Cedar Point Chausee yesterday was very much as it was on Monday with a very similar composition of shorebirds. Dowitcher numbers rose to 80+ birds, and Semipalmated Plovers doubled. Larids continue to increase with 185 Forster's Terns and 520 Bonaparte's Gulls resting on the mudflats. All but 4 of the Bonaparte's Gulls were adults in alternate plumage. These four were juveniles; as brown a plumage as I have ever seen on Lake Erie - quite young.

The Whimbrel and 2 American Avocets were still present at Medusa Marsh yesterday affording wonderful views from the roadside. Sean Zadar and Ted Gilliland located 2 or 3 Wilson's Phalaropes at Pickerel Creek W.A. yesterday. However, the shorebird numbers as a whole were substantially down from the weekend with perhaps half the number of Stilt Sandpipers present.

It is that time of year for notable gatherings of swallows. Last Friday the Bank Swallow numbers had reached 570 at Killdeer Plains W.A. virtually duplicating last year's number at this time. On Saturday, an O.D.N.R., O.D.O.W. sponsored survey of Resthaven W.A. produced 315 Northern Rough-winged Swallows. When watching the wires one may come across some disturbing sights. For those needing an example of the dangers of monofilament fishing line go here. Not for the squeamish.

Shorebirding has been in full swing for a couple of weeks now. High on the list of localities to visit is the main pool of Medusa Marsh along Barrett Rd. in Erie Co. American Avocets, up to four this morning, and a Whimbrel have graced the area for a week or more. Both species may be viewed very closely. As water levels fluctuate with the Lake Erie seiche, so too does the shorebird composition at Medusa. One or two Wilson's Phalarope's were present over the weekend. Last Thursday I had 27 Stilt Sandpipers with only two present on the weekend. Forster's Tern (up to 75), Caspian Tern's (up to 45), and Bonaparte's Gulls (55) have been gathering in recent days at Medusa. A Black Tern and an immature Snowy Egret have been sporadic there, and a Northern Pintail on Saturday was unexpected - Bill Whan et al.

Southerly breezes the next two days may leave the mudflats at Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve exposed. This morning the area as viewed from the Cedar Point Chausee held:

150 Killdeer, 7 Semipalmated Plovers, 4 Greater Yellowlegs, 11 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 4 Spotted Sandpipers, 60 Least Sandpipers, 210 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 16 Pectoral Sandpipers, 55 Short-billed Dowitchers, 1 Stilt Sandpiper, 140 Bonaparte's Gulls, and 4 Great Black-backed Gulls.

A Willet was discovered here Saturday - Bill Whan et al. Pickerel Creek W.A. is also producing respectable numbers of shorebirds including up to 40 Stilt Sandpipers and 2 Wilson's Phalaropes - Paula Lozano and 70 Short-billed Dowitchers - BIll Whan et al. Refer to Joe Hammond's shorebirding website for details on many sites around Ohio.

The Voice of America property in Butler Co. was home to five singing Sedge Wrens this past weekend - Mike Busam et al.. A single Sedge Wren was heard singing at Killdeer Plains W.A. Friday. Listen for it 200 yards west of the horse barn on the north side of the road. More (up to 3) Sedge Wrens may be had at Indian Ridge park on Columbus's west side - Joe Hammond. Dickcissels remain numerous at Big Island and Killdeer Plains Wildlife Areas. On Friday at Conneaut Harbor Kevin Metcalf saw a Merlin.

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