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September 1998

Warblers continue to be of interest with 2 Orange-crowneds noted Sunday at Headlands Beach S.P. - Kevin Metcalf. This morning down at East Fork S.P. ( the old road now used as a bridle trail) the highlight was 2 Connecticut Warblers - Randy Emmit. Randy further reports 3 Northern Parula, 20 Black-throated Green and 10 Magnolia Warblers. Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 15 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and aScarlet Tanager were also of local interest. I myself this afternoon, in the few minutes of loading some firewood on Cleveland's eastside, noted 30 individuals of 5 warbler species, including a Pine Warbler and several Cape Mays among the numerous Yellow-rumps. For David Kriska, the weekend at Ottawa N.W.R./Magee Marsh provided Snowy Egret, Peregrine Falcon, 6 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, 7 Winter Wrens, several warblers including Black and White Warbler, and a Philadelphia Vireo. Today from Brecksville Reservation (along Riverview rd. Between Rt. 82 & Snowville Rd.), David found a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow. At Killdeer Plains W.A. on Monday Kevin Metcalf noted 74 American Golden-Plover, the elusive Red-necked Phalarope, and as we have come to expect in recent years, a September Lapland Longspur (on the mudflat). A Ruby-throated Hummingbird visited John Pogacnik's feeder on Sunday - late for an adult male. John further reports a Lesser Black-backed Gull Friday and Saturday at Lorain. Finally, a Peregrine Falcon has been visiting the north end of Mosquito lake the past two days - Carole Babyak / Bill Drolzbaugh.

Four American White Pelicans soaring over Rocky River (Cuyahoga Co.) on the 19th must have been a surprise. The Cleveland RBA also reports an American Avocet Sunday at Lorain.

Shorebirding in October is showing potential at several sites reporting lower water levels, including Salt Fork, C.J.Brown, and Berlin Reservoirs. All are presently reporting small numbers of the common mix of yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers but should be watched over the coming weeks. Sunday morning I found a shorebird wing (best guess American Golden-Plover) on the road adjacent Pond 27 at Killdeer Plains W.A. I speculated to Dave Demmon and Gina Buckey a Peregrine may be in the area. That afternoon Bill Heck observed a Peregrine Falcon chasing shorebirds.

Songbirds in brief - Craig Rieker reports highlights Sunday at his new home-built artificial creek in Parma (Cuyahoga Co.) including an immature Connecticut Warbler and a Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Pond 27 at Killdeer Plains has dried up a great deal the past few days in the face of the strong breezes we've experienced. Contrary to an earlier internet posting, KPWA staff are placing flood control gates in the dikes and are not actively lowering water levels. Water levels at KPWA are solely reliant on rainfall and evaporation rates. The gates presumably will allow some degree of control over water levels in the future. The mudflat is still extensive now with exposure for peeps but only about 15 were located in the distance. Overall numbers of shorebirds yesterday were depleted relative to just that which had been found on Friday. The 12 Stilt Sandpipers remain and I learned that last week's Red-necked Phalarope was seen through Thur. -fide Gina Buckey. The western end of Pond 27 is now low enough for some mudflat exposure. This is the last location of the phalarope.

Elsewhere: Yesterday a Snow Goose at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge matches the Sep. arrival of this species in Ohio the past couple of years. The Tundra Swan also found there yesterday (John Rakestraw et al.) , while possibly an early migrant, was more likely one of several Tundra Swan given to summer on Lake Erie (a phenomena of the past 15 years). I was awaken this morning by the sounds of a heavy Gray-cheeked Thrush flight over Tiffin. Hopefully, some of you made it out in the field this morning to record the fallout. I know the yard here was hopping with Yellow-rumped Warblers, Golden-crowned Kinglets, and Winter Wren.

A new .pdf checklist of Ohio birds is available for download. Just select here. The 16k listing of 404 species is formatted as a two page horizontal letter size printout following the checklist order of the 7th ed. of the AOU checklist of North American Birds. An HTML version of the Birds of Ohio has been available for 6 weeks. Ohio Bird Records Committee review species are listed in bold.

The American White Pelican continues at Hoover Reservoir as of today - Dave Demmon.

Friday's snipe tally at Killdeer Plains W.A. reached 60 - Len Powlick. Len also reports an early Rough-legged Hawk, and adds to the week's pipit numbers with three birds. At North Chagrin, Kevin Metcalf reports 2 Merlins (up 1 from the previous week or so) and an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Congratulations to Jenny Brumfield and Nick Barber, two teen birding phenoms from Northeastern Ohio, on their recent appointment as Associate Editors of The Bird's-Eye View, the youth newsletter of the American Birding Association.

A small bit of shorebird habitat has developed near the pump station at Pickerel Creek W.A. This area held the Hudsonian Godwit from Tue. but on Wed. only had 1 Greater, 8 Lesser Yellowlegs, 5 Dunlins, 4 Least and 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, and 2 Black-bellied Plovers. Worth checking if you're passing by. Bernie Master reports Monday at Killdeer Plains 20 Stilt Sandpipers and a Red Knot. Wed. there were still 12 Stilt Sandpiper, 11 Long-billed Dowitcher, 63 Greater and 37 Lesser Yellowlegs, 45 Pectoral Sandpipers, 32 Common Snipe, and 4 Black-bellied Plovers. There were also 500+ Green-winged Teal in Pond 27. Twenty Great Egrets remain down from 31 the week before, and another 50 ducks included Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, and Blue-winged Teal.- V.W.F.III. Joe Hammond and Dan Sanders report the 12 Stilt Sandpipers yesterday accompanied by 15 American Golden Plovers. The other highlight was 19 Grasshopper Sparrows across from Pond 6. They did not mention the Western Meadowlark I had singing in the same spot the day before. An American Avocet was at Lorain on Sunday - Cleveland RBA. Other Cleveland area reports include American Pipit at LaDue Reservoir on the 19th and a Least Bittern at Headlands Beach S.P. on the 20th. First report of White-crowned Sparrow was of 2 birds in Brecksville yesterday. White-throated Sparrow had reached Killdeer Plains by Monday - Bernie Master. In Kilbourne (Delaware Co.) a Kentucky Warbler was a notable fall observation Wed. - Gregg Pasterick.

Bob Conlon and Bill Whan found yet another Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow at Killdeer Plains W.A. yesterday, this one at Pond 6. The Red-necked Phalarope remained from the day before. At Pickerel Creek W.A. they report a Hudsonian Godwit and 16 Stilt Sandpipers. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was found on the breakwall at the former Lorain "hotwaters". While brush-hogging at Penitentiary Glen (Lake Co.) yesterday John Pogacnik reports flushing a Yellow Rail. The front apparently did little for rare waterbirds on Lake Erie yesterday as Lake watches by Tom LePage and Bob Conlon turned up little. Passerines responded though with a variety found at Sheldon Marsh SNP (Erie Co.) while Gordon Demars reports a flock of 20 Golden-crowned Kinglets in his Medina yard.

News from the Southwest: The only Olive-sided Flycatcher report comes from the Dayton area on the 12th - Neil Cade. More recently first reports of American Pipit and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were generated near Cincinnati with the 2 pipits at the Oxbow (Ned Keller et al.) Saturday and the woodpecker at Gilmore Ponds yesterday - George Sadler. George also had a Peregrine Falcon while Ned's crew also reported an immature Little Blue Heron and 6 Black Vulture. On Sunday, Ned had a Black-throated Blue Warbler at Mitchell Forest. That's a sighting easily overlooked by birders in the eastern part of state but from my years living in Springfield, I can tell you that a fall BTBW in the western third of the state away from Lake Erie is a tough bird to come by. Also on Sunday, Neill Cade found Dickcissel, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, and Orange-crowned Warbler among others at Miami Whitewater Forest.

Following Bob Conlon's direction's, Joe Hammond relocated the American White Pelican at Hoover Reservoir yesterday.

At left is the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow found at Mallard Club Marsh W.A. last May - photo courtesy Bob Finkelstein. Speaking of which, Bob Conlon had one yesterday at Killdeer Plains W.A. along the shrubby margin to Pond 27. Within Pond 27 13 shorebird species included a Stilt Sandpiper and a Red-necked Phalarope. Shorebirds elsewhere include a Western Sandpiper at Conneaut on Saturday - John Pogacnik.

Yesterday's frontal passage has spurred the waterfowl into action. Overhead this morning, here in Tiffin, I counted 690 Double-crested Cormorant from 8:15-35; the usual peak time it seems. Coincidentally, a third year Bald Eagle buzzed the tree-tops over the yard. Conditions looked good for a jaeger watch at Huron pier but the hour I was there (9:45-10:45) was uneventful. Medusa Marsh held 35 Pied-billed Grebe and 150 coot which were likely new arrivals. Approaching Beaver Creek Reservoir (Seneca Co.), I noticed the adjacent soybean field was black with birds. As the enormous wheeling flock settled, the underbellies flashed white . hmmm.. not blackbirds as I had supposed. I pulled in only to find myself scoping out 6000+ Tree Swallows covering about 4 acres of soybeans. While a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers were present Sunday at Kelleys Island, today they are widespread if still in small numbers. V.W.F.III. Kevin Metcalf reports Rusty Blackbirds today at North Chargin Reservation (Cuyahoga Co.).

The Hoover Reservoir American White Pelican was still present as of yesterday - Gene Stauffer.New Directions

Little action of note over the weekend. The Kelleys Island census was poor in the face of a stiff SW breeze. Highlighted by Sanderling, American Golden Plover, and Golden-crowned Kinglet. Saturday was excellent at Headlands Beach State Park. Larry Rosche reports
"Ray Hannikman, Kevin Metcalf, Muggsi Krister, and I had 91 species in and around Headlands SP Saturday. Birds were everywhere. There were times when we didn't move for over half-hour. We had 5 vireos, 19 warblers. Ray had a Merlin and an American Avocet on the beach later in the evening. The best warblers were an adult female Connecticut and an adult male Northern Parula.

An American White Pelican was found at Pelican I. at the upper end of Hoover Res. (Delaware Co.) last Saturday. It was subsequently seen Mon and Tue. - Jim Fry, Bob Conlon et al.). Directions

Buff-breasted Sandpipers continue one of their best showings of recent years. Two birds were in a mowed field along Rt 2 nr Rt 590 (Ottawa Co.) last Sunday - fide Tom Kemp. Another was found at Hebron Fish Hatchery the same day - Jim Fry. Jim reports no shorebird habitat at Hebron however as recently as the 7th Charlie Bombaci reported a variety of common species plus a Red Knot and a Western Sandpiper. Baird's Sandpipers continue to enjoy one of their more widespread fall migrations through the state with 3 birds found in the Grand Lake St. Mary's area on the 10th (check both the fish hatchery and Mercer Waterfowl Area). Baird's, Sandling, and Stilt Sandpiper were among shorebirds at Killdeer Plains W.A. on Mon. (Columbus RBA). The northeast is not without habitat for shorebirds. Although the flats are quite distant at Mosquito Lake, the Newport Lake fairs a bit better. Have not heard of any rarities there though.

What are Sandhill Cranes up to in the northeast? It's been 10 years since we knew of breeding Sandhills in the vicinity of Killbuck Marsh/Funk Bottoms W.A.s (Holmes/Wayne Co.), with 24 birds there last summer (parents and young) - fide O.D.N.R. Last year there were summering birds (breeding?) in a discrete area of Geauga Co. (fide Dan Best) and now I hear of summering individuals in Columbiana and northern Trumbull Co. - fide Dave Hochadel. These latter could easily be progeny from the Sandhill colony in immediately adjacent area of Pennsylvannia. Observers in the northeast are encouraged to a keep close eye on these developments.

Songbirds are receiving a bit more attentiion this week with the first Ruby-crowned Kinglets reported last Sunday in the Toledo area and Medina on Tue. Lincoln's Sparrows and Philadelphia Vireos are also mentioned from multiple locations south to the Dayton area. A Connecticut Warbler was reported for Mosquito Lake on the 12th, while Kentucky and Golden-winged Warbler were of interest in the Dayton area last weekend, as was a Sedge Wren at Carriage Hill Metropark on Saturday. (Dayton RBA)

The big news this week was the Long-tailed Jaeger at Headlands Beach S.P. last Tue. Observers Larry Rosche and Kevin Metcalf had an enviable 10 minute viewing of one of Ohio's most sought after rarities. The weather conditions,as Larry notes, were perfectly matched with the timing of known passage of the species at the above location.

Shorebird conditions at Killdeer Plains W.A. were perfect this past week and should remain that way a bit longer. Little mudflat as yet for small Calidris but yesterday there were 185 Killdeer, a Semipalmated Plover, 4 American Golden Plover, 65 Pectoral Sandpiper, and 4 juv. Long-billed Dowitcher. On Friday there were 100 Lesser Yellowlegs (falling to 60 yesterday), 40 Greater Yellowlegs (only 4 yesterday), a Stilt Sandpiper, and a Wilson's Phalarope. - Bob Conlon & Bill Whan. Lorain in contrast has been very poor during pumping operations there. Not a single shorebird arose out of the impoundment on Friday in response to an adult tundrius Peregrine Falcon slashing across the flats. Yesterday, John Pogacnik faired slightly better reporting

Black-bellied Plover-6
Am. Golden Plover- 1
Semipalmated Plover-11
Killdeer- 14
Spotted Sandpiper-1
Ruddy Turnstone-3 (on outer breakwall)
Red Knot- 3
Sanderling- 2 (on outer breakall)
Semipalmated Sandpiper- 8
Western Sandpiper- 2
Western / Semipalm- 15 (too distant to ID)
Least Sandpiper- 5
White-rumped Sandpiper- 1
Pectoral Sandpiper- 2
Dunlin- 1
SB Dowitcher- 2
LB Dowitcher- 1


Shorebirds elsewhere include 4 Baird's Sandpipers at the beach of Buck Creek S.P. - Larry Gara. As of Friday, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper continues at Maumee Bay S.P. - Bill Whan & Bob Conlon.

Fall arrivals include Dark-eyed Junco last Wed. in Lake Co. John Pogacnik and yesterday morning just outside my window here in Tiffin - the latter a tad early. Speaking of early, a possible Red Phalarope at Headlands Beach S.P. last Tue. would be early for the Lake Erie basin by about 2 weeks - Larry Rosche and Kevin Metcalf. Larry and Kevin also had an Orange-crowned Warbler at Headlands that day for possibly the earliest record for the Lake Erie basin. Common Nighthawks have been experiencing a heavy and protracted migration over many nights for a month but quite likely peaked last week with one report approaching 1000 birds on the 10th - Mark Skinner. These numbers pale in comparison with those of 20 years ago. Whether this is a reflection of the reputed population decline the species has been experiencing or whether a new generation of birders has yet to sit tight on a flight of nighthawks on an early Sep. evening immediately after a major cold front passes giving an accurate tabulation, remains to be seen. For all you potential nighthawk watchers out there here is a goal to shoot for - 44,000 (set about 15-20 years ago at Duluth MN).

Some old news - a Connecticut Warbler was banded at Navarre Marsh (Ottawa Co.) on the 6th. Tom Bartlett further reports these highlights from the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge walk that same day : 12 Snowy Egrets, 1 immature Little Blue Heron, 9 species of waterfowl including 20 Ruddy Ducks, 2 male Redheads, and 870+ Blue-winged Teal, an immature Peregrine Falcon.

At left is entry image to a page for the Swainson's Warbler caught this past April at Ottawa N.W.R. photos courtesy Black Swamp Bird Observatory and Bruce Simpson.

Shorebirding has improved with better conditions prevailing at Killdeer Plains W.A. and Lorain impoundment. The impoundment is awash in new dredge material. Highlights there on Sunday included Red-necked (since Thur.) and Wilson's Phalarope, American Avocet, 4 Red Knots, 23 Stilt Sandpipers, 4 Western, and 2 Baird's Sandpipers - Jenny Brumfield. Up to 3 Wilson's Phalaropes were present there on Thur. - Joe Hammond and Bill Whan. Killdeer Plains yesterday continued to hold large numbers of yellowlegs, augmented by 50 Pectoral Sandpipers, numbers of snipe and woodcock, and a Wilson's Phalarope -Len Powlick. Elsewhere, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was discovered Sunday "in a mowed field along Rte. 2 just west of Stange Rd. where a new tower is being built" - Tom Kemp. The last Buff-breasted Sandpiper report for Lorain was for 3 Sep. - Ben Morrison. Another was reported for Mercer Wildlife Area (vicinity of Grand Lake) on 30 Aug. - David Dister. Yet two more Buff-breated Sandpiper were present at Conneaut harbor "in the grass west of the observation deck" yesterday. Yesterday shorebirds included 3 Western and 1 White-rumped Sandpiper while a Red-necked Phalarope was there on Saturday. Additional highlights included an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull after a 1st yr bird was seen on Saturday plus Glaucous and Laughing Gulls ( the latter a juv.) - John Pogacnik. Another juv. Laughing Gull was found off the dike at Metzger Marsh W.A. on Sunday - Tom Kemp. The two Laughing Gulls at C.J. Brown Reservoir (on the beach of Buck Creek State Park - Clark Co.) were last reported for Saturday - Jason Larson.

Fall arrivals among songbirds this past week include Philadelphia Vireo and Gray-checked Thrush at Magee Marsh W.A./Crane Creek S.P. last Wed. - Kathy Noblet, and Wilson's Warblers at Headlands Beach S.P. on the 31st Aug. - Nick Barber. Other belated notes from Monday last week, a Red Knot (also present on Sunday) at St. Mary's Fish Hatchery - Mike Williams. Mike reports two more ponds will be drained shortly. Also that day an albino Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Commercial Point (northern Pickaway Co.) - Joe Hammond, while a Worm-eating Warbler was a good find at the Timberlakes area of Miami Whitewater Forest the day before - Cincinnati RBA.

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