Ohio
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Birding News
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Diligent efforts on the part of a number of birders yesterday failed to relocate the Dovekie.
Ohio birders should be aware of a siskin flight. First numbers came from the NW on the 18th with 17 birds over Magee Marsh W.A. - Zac Baker. Flocks were noted widely in the NE over the weekend. Yesterday, a single bird calling overhead was detected by Rob Harlan and myself at Grand Lake State Park (Auglaize Co.). If I recall correctly, Bernie Masters had several Common Redpoll this past weekend in the Toledo area. Rarely is the species detected in Ohio before November and perhaps can be taken as a sign of yet another good winter season for that species. Speaking of potential winter finch flights, up to 15 Pine Grosbeaks were noted recently at Long Point (North shore Lake Erie) for only the second October record.
On the matter of raptors, Ohio reports are remarkably few. By now, in recent years, Rough-leggeds have been found at a number of locations. John Pogacnik's bird Sunday near Ottawa N.W.R. was the first report. On the other hand, it's looking like Northern Goshawks are on the move (this or next year should match the peak of the 8-10 year cycle of this irruptive from the north). Golden Eagle numbers moving around the west end of Lake Erie are approaching the record numbers of last season. Once again, Ohio observers should take a careful look at ANY eagle but especially those away from Lake Erie. Like last year, late season migrant Goldens may leak around the eastern edges of the Lake Erie basin, possibly responsible for NE Ohio sightings into December. The most recent Golden Eagle sighting in Ohio I am aware of is for Sunday over the Oak Openings - Greg Links. The other bird-of-prey Greg had at the corner of Girdham & Reed Rds was a Northern Shrike. Only the second report of the latter as John Pogacnik recorded a bird Saturday in Ashtabula Co. A Golden Eagle had passed over the Oak Openings the previous Saturday (21st) - Rick Nirshl. Of greater import, Rick also had a Black Vulture that day sail overhead with Turkey Vultures; seen from Irwin Prairie. Consider this - Ohio counties bordering Lake Erie may account for a half-dozen records including Rick's sighting. Long Point Ontario alone, as of the year ending 1999, has NINE records. Almost all of these extra-limital records for both sides of the Lake are limited to the past 20 years.
A Laughing Gull was at the fish hatchery of St. Mary's yesterday - Jim McCormac et al.. A Little Gull was in amongst the Bonaparte's Gulls offshore at Gordon Park on Saturday - Sean Zadar. Sean also reports Snow Buntings and a Tundra Swan. A Tundra Swan was already present on the Crane Creek estuary last week - Jo Ann Mackenzie. Jo Ann also reported a variety of expected late season shorebirds from the eastuary including Long-billed Dowitcher and a Baird's Sandpiper. Six Long-bills remained on Sunday - John Pogacnik. Nearby Krause Rd. had a Northern Shrike in attendance, while two "Blue" Snow Geese were at Ottawa N.W.R. - again John.Snow Buntings have been widely noted over the weekend for Lake Erie shoreline sites from Cuyahoga Co. east to Conneaut Harbor. A few Lapland Longspurs also have been reported. The first American Tree Sparrow had been reported earlier on the 26th at Gordon Park - Sean Zadar. They have since been noted more widely along the Lake Erie shoreline. At Sheldon Marsh SNP, over the weekend, Mike Busam was successful in locating a Northern Saw-whet Owl, an Eastern Phoebe, and a Blue-headed Vireo. Earlier on the 26th, John Pogacnik had located two Northern Saw-whet Owls in Hell Hollow metropark (Lake Co.).30 Oct. 2000
BREAKING NEWS - DOVEKIE IN WESTERN OHIO30 Oct. 2000
I just received this email from Art Burke:
A Dovekie was spotted on Grand Lake St. Marys, East side at 10:30 A.M. on Monday October 30, 2000. Observer was Jo Ann MacKenzie of Surrey, B.C. Canada. Direction to site, State Route 364 to the Grand Lake St. Mary's State Park entrance. Go to 1st. parking lot just south of the large stone shelterhouse. The bird was approx. 200 yards off shore. A scope is essential. Is anyone available to get documentary photograph of this bird with a very long lens? To contact observer after November 1, 2000 e-mail:
Lake Erie birding picked up this weekend with the passage of a strong cold front. A Sabine's Gull was the highlight of a lakewatch from Sherod Park Saturday. A surprising number of Black Scoters also were seen from this spot - V.W.F.III. Subsequently, John Pogacnik reported a juvenile Sabine's Gull from Port Clinton amongst some 500 Bonaparte's Gulls. This site was first inundated by Bonaparte's the previous Sunday when 1600 birds were present. Coupled with the 1500 plus Bonies at inland estuaries, Ottawa County was the hotspot for the species. John's lakewatch from Lakeshore Park in Lake Co. the day before recorded Surf Scoter in addition to a single Black Scoter. White-winged and Black Scoters were reproted from Headlands Beach State Park (Lake Co.) Sunday - Haans Petruschke. Further east, John detected 30 Brant in Ashtabula County including 24 at Conneaut Harbor. Likely the same 30 Brant Jerry McWilliams saw passing along the Lake Erie shoreline at Erie, PA earlier in the day. Isaac Kerns confirmed the 24 Brant at Conneaut Harbor and added that 6 were taken by hunters (In Ohio, a hunter may legally take 2 Brant per day. Presumably, at least three hunters were involved Saturday.). A future museum specimen was retrieved from the Conneaut mudflat the next morning. About every 4-5 years Brant make a strong move into the Lake Erie basin. In the past week, up to 100 have been seen on Lake Ontario where the species is more frequent with a notable influx of birds into the Niagara region coincident with Ohio's recent sightings. These birds can be expected to drift westward over the next few weeks, possibly reaching Toledo.26 Oct. 2000
Also making news this weekend, a COOPERATIVE Le Conte's Sparrow at the Mentor Lagoons (immediately west of Headlands Beach State Park, Lake Co.) - Larry Rosche et al.. The bird was seen throughout the day and photographed by Kevin Metcalf.
No rest for the weary. The remaining Brant at Conneaut Harbor were subjected to close approaches by curious boaters. The birds, understandably skittish, repeatedly took off, circled, only to settle once more in the vicinity of the bright red buoy.
Several news items brought to my attention through email:18 Oct. 2000
No takers for uninhabited Lake Erie island (associated Press) (courtesy Kathy Mock)
USGS Update on West Nile Virus: Transmission in Crows (courtesy August Froehlich)
OHIO AVIAN ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION CONFERENCE is scheduled for 3 August 2001 at the Fawcett Center for Tomorrow on the campus of The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. This first time, 1-day event will feature a keynote address on the North American Bird Conservation Initiative by Dr. Scott C. Yaich and an invited paper by Bruce G. Peterjohn, North American Breeding Bird Survey. The Conference theme is Bird Conservation in the 21st Century: Soaring into the Next Millennium. Oral and poster presentations related to avian ecology, conservation, and management with relevance to species and habitats characteristic of Ohio are being solicited. The Call for Papers deadline is 15 December 2000 and can be viewed online ). For more information, contact us at the Olentangy Wildlife Research Station, Ohio Division of Wildlife, 8589 Horseshoe Road, Ashley, OH 43003 or call 740-747-2525 (EM: OhioAvianConference@yahoo.com).
A website for viewing Lake Conditions (courtesy Paula Lozano)
This space has been quiet for the past month but files continue to accumulate elsewhere within Ohio Birder Resources. Consider this new page and its attendant 43 support files (half meg of data) for Ohio Birds & Natural History
Very little bird information has come to my attention outside of the Ohio-birds mailing list during this period. For those not on the list, please check the above archive listing on a weekly basis to stay up to date on statewide sightings. Just yesterday, I learned that Gary Meszaros and Dave LeGalle saw 5 Brant at Conneaut Harbor last Thursday. I would like to point out that an immature Wood Stork has been present several days at Presque Isle State Park (Erie PA) just a few minutes flight from Conneaut Harbor.
My focus will continue elsewhere for the next three weeks, allowing for no better than a weekly update on this page during that time. Thank you for your patience.