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October 1997

An American White Pelican was seen today on the west side of the Sandusky Bay Bridge. This is directly opposite from the location of a sighting on Tuesday and likely the same individual. Exiting Rt 269 North off Rt 2 from the east note the pond off to the right (Northeast). The bird was readily seen and identifiable from this point but taking a right toward the Bay fishing access (away from Marblehead) will bring you to the shore of the pond. The bird was seen to take flight and drift south over the highway at 12:30 this afternoon. Should the bird continue to hang around it may do so anywhere in the vicinity of the bridge. - V.W.F.III

The Lorain mudflat held 670 Dunlin, 110 Common Tern, and 14 Forster's Tern this morning - V.W.F.III. T. Bartlett noted 3 Chimney Swift over Tiffin on Wed. and today had a couple of Greater Yellowlegs on a local golfcourse pond while searching for a ball.

The Selasphorus continues in Pataskala as of today - Columbus RBA.

Some late notes from the Cleveland RBA include 2 Sandhill Crane at LaDue Reservoir on the 17th, 2 Peregrine Falcon at Metro General Hospital the 23rd, Lorain hosted Least Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, and Semipalmated Plover on Sunday while Black-bellied Plover and Ruddy Turnstone were there as recently as the 28th. Also at Huron the 28th were 45 Snow Geese and 5 Surf Scoter. Most noteworthy was the report of 2 Common Redpoll at Huntington M.P. on Tuesday ; very rarely do Redpolls appear in Ohio before November.

A shrike species was noted over the weekend at Killdeer Plains - M. England. A Merlin was a visitor to an Englewood backyard on the 26th, also in the area Pine Siskin arrived on the 28th. A Swainson's Thrush was noted at Englewood M.P. - Dayton RBA. Highlights at C.J. Brown this past weekend were a dozen Common Loon, a Barn Swallow, and a ridiculously late Cliff Swallow. Although Peterjohn (1989) gives the late date for Ohio as Oct. 9-10., James (1991) gives early November for Ontario for this species. St Mary's Fish hatchery held 33 Dunlin and a Long-billed Dowitcher - Dayton RBA.

A quick drive-by today of Medusa Marsh failed to turn up the American White Pelican from yesterday. - V.W.F.III

An American White Pelican was part of a cormorant feeding frenzy within a shallow channel in the vicinity of Medusa Marsh this afternoon. Exiting at 269 off Rt 2 turning north towards Bayview one would see immediately the pelican just a few yards off the road (east side). A local was standing in front of it with an instamatic taking pictures. - V.W.F.III

Updates from elsewhere include Snow Geese reported from Mercer W.A. in the vicinity of Grand Lake - D.Dister.

No sign of either Sabine's Gull nor the Brant on Monday but the lakefront was productive nonetheless. A 2 hr lakewatch from Sherod Park 7:00-9:00 am censused 17,600 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Oldsquaw, 1 Black Scoter, 5 Bufflehead, 1 Common Goldeneye, 9 Dunlin, 2 Tree Swallow, 74 Common Tern, 1 Caspian Tern, 10,500 Bonaparte's Gull and a Black-legged Kittiwake. The Lorain Impoundment held 525 Dunlin down from the 700 T. LePage counted 2 weeks ago. 3 Sanderling were also present. For the 2nd week in a row I walked out to the end of the Huron pier with my camera and for the 2nd week added a species to my photographic list. A very cooperative Purple Sandpiper posed at the minimum focal distance. Moving west a visit to the Cedar Point parking lot met with the usual Great Black-backed Gull congregation; this time 110 adults. More impressive was the small breakwall just offshore, every inch covered in cormorant. I estimated 3000. Little regarded Pipe Creek W.A. just off the Cedar Point causeway had Eastern Phoebe, Hermit Thrush, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Winter Wren - usual stuff - along with several Forster's Tern. Indeed I was to find 26 in and around the Sandusky Bay while every small tern from Huron east had been a Common Tern. Medusa Marsh was good for the throng of 3000+ coot, a couple of Tundra Swan overhead, and for a surprise 63 Great Egret - another 15 were located in nearby marshes for a good tally this late. 4600 Double-crested Cormorant sheltered in and around Bayview. Inland the Castalia pond American Wigeon flock has built to 305 and Beaver Creek Reservoir hosted 220 Redhead, 45 Lesser Scaup, and 16 Canvasback. - V.W.F.III

In Columbus the Selasphorus continues as of Sunday. On the heels of the Huron bird, Bruce Stehling reports a Sabine's Gull at Lorain Sunday - the Bonaparte's Gull flock there has built to 1500. C. Bombaci had 300 coot and 3 Lesser Yellowlegs at Delaware W.A. while K. Kraut reports 14 blue Snow Geese at Killdeer Plains - Columbus RBA.

Additional sightings filtering in from last week include an adult Golden Eagle over the eastern edge of the Oak Openings the 19th, a Peregrine Falcon along the Maumee River in Toledo, Rough-legged Hawks at Maumee Bay S.P. and Mallard Club Marsh W.A., also a Short-eared Owl at the latter. As noted elsewhere Snow Buntings are making an early appearance felt with birds at Maumee Bay S.P. while Evening Grosbeak and Pine Siskin have been seen overhead in Lucas County - Toledo RBA. Two Great Egret remained at Mosquito Lake as of the 16th while 1000 Tree Swallow and a single Barn Swallow were also present. Pine lake held 175 Double-crested Cormorant on the 21st - Youngstown RBA.

J. Hammond et al. report a Sabine's Gull resting with Bonaparte's Gulls at Huron at the end of the pier yesterday. The other uncommon find was a Brant resting offshore at Avon Lake.

Migration Progress : The winter finches push inland with Evening Grosbeak reaching Hocking County last Tuesday (fide J. Fry) and a half dozen Pine Siskin overhead in Tiffin Friday - V.W.F.III. A modest vanguard of Tundra Swan revealed themselves yesterday with 2 at Springville Marsh (T. Bartlett) and 3 at Huron (J. Hammond et al. ). A Black-throated Green Warbler and an Osprey could be found yesterday at the Caesar Creek S.P. visitor center - J. Rakestraw, while a Long-billed Dowitcher at Lake Rockwell was a first for that thoroughly studied site - L. Rosche. N. Barber notes from Headlands Beach S.P. include 2 more Snow Bunting, 60 Common Tern, a line of dark scoter far offshore, a lingering Spotted Sandpiper and PalmWarbler and mirroring my own experience in the western Basin this past week, Ruby-crowned Kinglets outnumbering Golden-crowns on this late date. Gray Catbird continues at Springville Marsh as of yesterday - T. Bartlett.

Popular birding locales reported yesterday the following: 3 Red-necked Phalarope at Findley Res. #1 accompanied by a Sanderling and 12 Dunlin. From nearby Riverbend Park 250 American Pipit could be viewed (T. Bartlett). Lorain yesterday held 4 Sanderling, 75 Dunlin and a Greater Yellowlegs. J. Hammond further reports a blue Snow Goose, 4 Surf Scoter, and 2 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Huron topping off a good outing. Of interest at Hoover Reservoir last Thur. were 4 Northern Rough-winged Swallow and a Lesser Yellowlegs in Galena - M. England. Killdeer Plains activity yesterday included an immature light morph Rough-legged Hawk, 8 Northern Harrier, 100 Northern Pintail, and 2 late Bobolink - M. Skinner.

Leave it up and they will come - hummingbird feeders that is. The annual (since 1987) passage of Selasphorus hummingbirds through Ohio is turning into its own fall classic. Most (12) have proved to be Rufous Hummingbird but a couple have been immatures/females virtually inditinguishable from Allen's Hummingbird another westerner with records east to Massachusetts and so a distinct possibility here in Ohio. The bird present near Columbus, for 2-3 weeks now, has been tentatively identified as an immature male Selasphorus by Joe Hammond. Joe further relates the following:
It is very striking, as it shows quite a lot of orange coloration. It is also very cooperative, coming to the feeder every 20-30 minutes until ~6:20 PM. The Jones' are a treat to visit. They are an extremely nice couple who deserve all of our thanks for sharing their little visitor with us. Birders are still welcome to their house. It is a great opportunity to try to get that good still photo or video of the hummer as it is only 2 meters away from the kitchen window.
Address: 526 Hillgail Circle SW which is off of Middle Ground Rd. in Beechwood Trails (2 miles outside of Pataskala). ph. 614-927-1710.

As of noon today an immature Red-throated Loon was resting just off the end of the Huron pier allowing close approach for photos. Just before the end of the pier 2 Black Scoter kept company with some coot. Incongruous with the sub-freezing temps this morning a Northern Rough-winged Swallow foraged along the same pier and occasionally further upriver - it was still there at noon. At least 13 Forster's and 4 Common Tern were in the vicinity. A substantial flight of duck was observed along the lakefront in Erie Co., most notably 400+ Green-winged Teal and 67 distant dark scoter off Sherod Park; about 1000 Red-breasted Merganser were also recorded. The dawn's light over Bellville (Huron) illuminated multiple V's of cormorant heading SSW - this time 4700 were recorded from just before sunrise over the next 45 minutes. Gulls are just beginning to enter the area in some numbers with 55 adult Great Black-backed Gull at Vermillion. - V.W.F.III.

The phone RBAs have been confusing with regard to the sparrow situation at Lorain. I now understand from Rob Harlan that the impoundment area hosted at least 2 Le Conte's Sparrows from 5 Oct. through last Wed. the 15th. Simultaneously at least 2 Sharp-tailed Sparrows have been present. Some observers have apparently reported one or the other species and in at least one instance a 2-hour survey saw none. While Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow is annual and Le Conte's Sparrow, a review species, is less frequent overall, the latter is the more likely after mid-October with records into November. To find these skulkers takes patience. You can improve your chances by birding during good sparrow conditions; early morning or late afternoon, and avoiding windy conditions.

An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flew past the mouth of Old Woman Creek this morning. The Mute Swan count at East Harbor S.P. has risen to 13. Erie County marshes still harbor at least 32 Great Egret. - V.W.F.III

Migration Progress : Area reservoirs have been hosting increasing numbers of staging Ruddy Duck but none as yet approach the 650 from the Metsger and Ferguson Reservoirs of Lima this past weekend - D. Dister. Dave also reports that two Franklin's Gulls remain on the beach at C.J. Brown Reservoir as of yesterday. The first accumulations of Horned Grebe and Common Loon with 30 and 20 respectively were off the Rocky River Fishing Pier (Cuyahoga Co.) - J. Hammond. Joe further reports at Lorain Saturday 3 Black-bellied Plovers and a Sanderling while Sunday there were 150 Dunlin, a late Semipalmated Sandpiper, and 4 Semipalmated Plover. A Barn Swallow was along the Greater Miami R. today - M. Busam.

Beaver Creek Reservoir hosted a Franklin's Gull and one of the first inlandHorned Grebe yesterday - H.T.Bartlett. Gordon Park produce a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow and a Dickcissel the 17th.

American Woodcock migration first reported with an individual at Green Lawn Cemetary in late September has picked up in recent days with more widespread reports. The first concentration of Common Snipe reported were 25 at Hebron Fish Hatchery on the 18th (Columbus RBA). Lingering migrants include a Northern Parula at Lorain on the 12th, a Yellow Warbler at Headlands Beach S.P. the 17th (Cleveland RBA), Eastern Kingbird at Springville Marsh the 18th and a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher at Stonebreaker Farm (Seneca Co.) the 19th -H.T. Bartlett. Headlands also saw the first Snow Bunting of the season and a concentration of 300 White-crowned Sparrow (Cleveland RBA) while a concentration of 300+ White-throated Sparrow was noted at Stonebreaker Farm yesterday.

Additional Seneca County observations from Saturday and Sunday available here.

Migration Progress: The Cincinnati Bird Blub field trip to East Fork S.P. on the 12th observed 2 Swainson's Thrush and a Red-eyed Vireo.

Northern Harriers have increased lately with at least ten in the Big Island/Killdeer Plains area. Pipit migration may be delayed somewhat as the peak fall migration is expected about mid-October yet the high count received thus far is only 53 along the Great Miami R. in Butler Co.- Charlotte Mathena. Charlotte further reports the following:

Tim Little reported a Yellow Rail on Oct 14th. The sighting occurred in Butler County, in Middletown, on a sandbar in the Great Miami River just immediatelly south of Rt 122. Tim was walking through some thick vegetation on the sandbar about 6:00pm when he flushed a Sora sized bird. When it flew he saw the white wing patches, It landed in the open on the sandbar. He had a few moments to observe the bird before it darted back into the thick vegetation. He was unable to flush the bird again. On the 15th, a group of seven birders returned to the area but were unable to find the bird.

The Cleveland RBA reports a Red-throated Loon at Lakeshore M.P. on the 11th, 2 Le Conte's Sparrows at Lorain the 8th {OBRC documentation received from Dick Rickard and Tom LePage}, and lingerers at Wade Oval the 7th included Chestnut-sided Warbler and Swainson's Thrush. The Dayton RBA reports 7 American Golden Plover at St. Mary's Fish Hatchery the 13th, and 4 Franklin's Gulls at Caesar Creek also the 13th.

Some info on the use of Magee Marsh during this waterfowl hunting season.

Here are previous inland records of Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Earlier numbers of Double-crested Cormorant over Big Island W.A. had me anticipating something big during the October peak. On this crisp morning with a following NW'ly wind the conditions seemed right. Not less than 8300 birds passed SSW within a couple of miles either side of the junction of Rt 203 and 95 at Big Island. - V.W.F.III.

The main pool at Medusa Marsh today held 84 Pied-billed Grebes. There were also 3800 American Coot present. The beachside poplars of East Harbor S.P. (Ottawa Co.) afforded shelter out of the wind this morning for the following:

Downy Woodpecker - 16 (migrants?)
Carolina Wren -1
Winter Wren - 2
Hermit Thrush - 10
Gray Catbird - 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 19
Golden-crowned Kinglet - 8
Orange-crowned Warbler -2
Yellow-rumped Warbler -125
Magnolia Warbler -1
While flying overhead or offshore were 410 Common Tern, 980 Bonaparte's Gull, 4700 Double-crested Cormorant, 1 Sandhill Crane, and 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron. 170 American Wigeon knew a safe place at Castalia Pond on the first day of waterfowl hunting. Six Mute Swan were in the marsh at East Harbor S.P. - V.W.F.III.

Elsewhere: A Cattle Egret was near Camp Perry (Ottawa Co.) last Friday - Tom Bartlett. A Caspian Tern was fishing near the Miller Ferry, Catawba Island today.

The Springville Marsh, Seneca Co., Monk Parakeet was sighted the second weekend in a row - Tom Bartlett et al.. Independent word comes of this or another Monk Parakeet identified in a Tiffin backyard two weeks ago - Dan Webb.

Another good bird at Springville Marsh yesterday was a Yellow-headed Blackbird in amongst the blackbird throng. Just two years ago 3 birds made a similar October appearance at Springville. C.J.Brown Reservoir came through for David Dister yesterday with 10 Franklin's Gulls on the beach. Another Franklin's Gull was seen at East Fork S.P. yesterday - Neil Cade. Multiple observers have sought the Brown Co. Glossy Ibis in recent days without success - Bobbye Foppe et al.

Migration Progress: Phil Harner put me onto a Swainson's Thrush at Ottawa NWR this morning. The last day before Magee Marsh closes for waterfowl hunting, the Bird Trail held the usual October array of songbirds (e.g Hermit Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo, Winter Wren, White-throated Sparrow) in good numbers but nothing really unexpected. A Forster's Tern was at Oak Harbor. - V.W.F.III. The two late Warbling Vireo at Springville Marsh yesterday were likely the products of the mild weather. I have neglected to mention how noteworthy the two Chestnut-sided Warblers and the Canada Warbler at Green Lawn Cemetary were the 9th Oct. (Columbus RBA). These two species are very rarely recorded after the first week of October.
The Southwest: Swainson's Thrush was among birds at Miami-Whitewater Wetlands the 12th while a late Yellow-throated Vireo remained there the 10th. - Lester Peyton. Mike BusamChimney Swift the 9th at Riverside Natural Area, an 11 Oct. Scarlet Tanager at Withrow Nature Preserve and a Pine Warbler at Mitchell Memorial Forest 12 Oct.

At Lorain the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow remained for many observers including Sean Zadar and Tom LePage. Shorebird activity at Lorain today included Dunlin, Pectoral, Semipalmated , and Least Sandpipers along with Killdeer, Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers.

At Big Island W.A. Vesper Sparrow numbers tripled (10 to 32) and the already strong numbers of Savannah Sparrow saw a 50% jump. The past week has seen 10 sparrow species recorded. I have not heard mention of loons anywhere so I'll add that there were 3 Common Loon last Wed. at Killdeer Plains Reservoir. - V.W.F.III

In the Ottawa/ Magee area Oct. 3rd a Short-eared Owl at Magee Marsh and 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at the corner of Rt 2 and 579. (Toledo RBA).

Migration Progress: Another Rough-legged Hawk this one along the Lake in the northwest, also Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, while Rusty Blackbirds were noted along the Lake last week and yesterday at Big Island.

Peterjohn (1989) gives modern-day fall highs for Bobolink of upwards of 300 so I thought I just got lucky with the 380 back in August. I only just learned that Nelson Moore exceeded that with 400-450 estimated at Killdeer Plains W.A. on 10 Sep.

Among the curious fall songbird patterns of occurrence are the October appearances of neotropical migrants that by-and-large takeoff in August. I already mentioned Yellow-billed Cuckoo - to which Bob Placier adds one more data point with a bird killed in Athens Co. on Thur. Another songbird with, paradoxically, perhaps more October appearances than September is the Yellow Warbler - normally out of local binocular view before the end of August. Such a bird is reported on the most recent Youngstown RBA for Mill Creek Park for the 4th.

Migration Progress : Lingerers include a Great Crested Flycatcher the 9th at Mosquito lake W.A. (Youngstown RBA) and a Common Nighthawk in Athens Co. also the 9th. (Bob Placier). Juncos are now widespread and have reached the southwest (Lester Peyton) along with Golden-crowned Kinglets. Notables at Lorain yesterday include 60 White-crown, 60 White-throated, and 65 Song Sparrow, Winter Wren, a Mourning Warbler and a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Sean Zadar m.obs.).

The Indian Creek W.A. Glossy Ibis was reported as recently as Wednesday morning. The East Fork S.P. Lesser Black-backed Gull was last reported for Friday 3 Oct. (Cinncinnati RBA).

Migration Progress : Brown Creepers made themselves known late last week in central and southern Ohio for the first time. The 300 Turkey Vultures reported for the 5th at Rocky Fork Lake corresponds to the usual date of peak passage for Ohio. Early October offers perhaps the best viewing opportunity for Franklin's Gulls in Ohio. Recent reports include 4 on the beach at Caesar Creek S.P. last weekend and 1 at C.J. Brown Reservoir on 27 Sep. Other traditional locales to search this weekend include Grand Lake (Mercer/Auglaize Co.s) and Ottawa N.W.R. Additional late season Yellow-billed Cuckoos have been noted at Spring Grove Cemetary (Sep. 27th) and Indian Creek W.A. earlier this week. While annual in early October often we are privy to but a single record. The Black-billed Cuckoo is even less frequent into October so the bird in Columbus was noteworthy (Columbus RBA). My Common Nighthawk Monday was not alone as one flew over Springfield Township (County ?) that same day (Cincinnati RBA). A telling sign of their recovery is the spate of inland Peregrine Falcon reports from the southwest with birds noted Rocky Fork 4 Oct. and Miami Whitewater Wetlands 28 Sep. A bird found in the 47th floor bathroom of Carew Tower 19 Sep. proved to have been banded as a fledgling in 1996, near Fairbanks Alaska (all Cincinnati RBA). Wood Thrush may be a bird to watch for lingering well into October as I have fielded a number of reports for the past week, some of multiple birds, in every corner of the state; 2-3 would be more typical for this time period. Fox Sparrow had reached the southwest (Loveland) by Tuesday.

A partial list of birds from Sunday's Ottawa N.W.R. census reveals the progression of the fall migration in the face of what is becoming one of the warmest Octobers on record for the northwest.

At least 13 warbler spp. including Northern Parula, Pine, Wilson's, Black and White, and Bay-breasted. Two Wood Thrush along with several Catharus including Gray-cheeked Thrush. 30 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 12 Golden-crowns, 6 Winter Wren, and 6 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker are all familiar October migrants. A good sparrow movement saw 150 Dark-eyed Junco, 300 White-throated Sparrow, 15 Lincoln's Sparrow, and 35 White-crowned Sparrow tallied by Tom Bartlett's party. Blackbirds included 50 Rusties and 6 Bobolink.

Peterjohn (1989) gives daily fall Savannah Sparrow totals of up to 180 from the 1930's. Half of todays Big Island W.A. soybean transect had been harvested before this morning perhaps accounting in part for the concentration of 163 Savannah Sparrows. Toss in the 81 from an adjacent transect yesterday and, to paraphrase Peterjohn, should such totals be applicable to the entire state's soybean fields, Savannah Sparrows may be a truly abundant fall migrant.

The other possible result of the concentration was the observation, on two occasions from 10 ft away, of a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow alongside a deep north-south running ditch. Go 1 mile past Rt 203 on rt 95 and park at "Dove Hunting Parking". The ditch is 150 yards to the west - the bird was 400 yards further north.

The location of the Glossy Ibis has been corrected as "northern Brown County". The bird was seen as recently as 7:00 p.m. this evening Lester Peyton.

If you can appreciate that it is a surprise at all for me to see much more than starlings and blackbirds out in a soybean field then you might understand my real surprise on this morning's transect at Big Island W.A. seeing the likes of a House Wren, White-throated Sparrow, and overhead Bobolink and Common Nighthawk.

A Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow was at Lorain this morning following up a report from there last week (Cleveland RBA). Also in the Cleveland area a tardy Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found at Shaker Lakes yesterday.

The Columbus RBA link is now directed to the pages maintained by the compiler of that RBA Tom Thomson. I hope to continue maintaining an archive at this site.

Ned Keller relates the following:

Jack Stenger pointed out a Glossy Ibis to his father, Jay Stenger, this morning at Indian Creek Wildlife Area. They were able to identify the bird at the time only as a dark Plegadis. When Kathy McDonald and I met them there this afternoon, we were able to get close enough with the Questar to call the bird a Glossy.

Indian Creek is at DeLorme page 65, block C1. Take U.S. 50 east from Fayetteville, about 1 mile. Turn right onto Snowhill Road, and follow it as it makes a 90-degree left turn. After another mile or so, turn right again onto Campbell Road. The bird was feeding in a pond on the left, about half way between the first (left side) and second (right side) parking lots.

Download an ODNR map of Indian Creek [198k jpeg].

Seneca County provided yet another puzzler for the OBRC today when Tom Bartlett and company had nice views of a Monk Parrakeet flying over Springville Marsh heading NNW. Origin is always a question with exotics but this species is now accepted as established in many parts of the midwest.

I've received nice photos of the southwests first Lesser Black-backed Gull courtesy Henry Armstrong. I understand the bird remained 3 weeks on the beach at East Fork S.P. as late as the 26th Sep. The Oxbow saw good heron concentrations in mid-September highlighted by both Snowy Egret and Little Blue Heron the 20-21st.

The eastern basin of Lake Erie is becoming quite consistent for early Snow Geese - this years put in an appearance at Mosquito Lake W.A. on the 24th Sep. - about when they often arrive just across the lake at Long Point, Ont.

Keep watching those hummingbird feeders - we're about due for the late wave of Rufous Hummers.

Tis the season of Irruptives: I first got wind of this season's Red-breasted Nuthatch invasion in late August when I spoke to Bob Placier. Bob already had the species down in Athens Co. by mid-August; always a good sign. My first in Tiffin was 2 Sep, a week earlier than the first Tiffin bird of the '94 invasion. By the 10th twenty could be had a single location near Ironton in Lawrence Co. Recently the Toledo reports 50 in the Oak Openings in what may prove to be one of the strongest RBNU irruptions in a while.

Winter finches are not far behind: I have seen more Purple Finches in September than the past several FALL SEASONS combined - a daily flyover wherever I happen to be it seems in the Tiffin-Marion area. Meanwhile the northeast has seen Pine Siskins! for a couple of weeks and on the 28th at Mentor Headlands an Evening Grosbeak - can the redpolls reported two weeks ago from northern Michigan be far behind?

The survey of the new lands at Big Island W.A. (Marion Co.) has been fruitful for a few migrants this fall. Although the bulk of the 5 and 6 mile transects are spent wading through soybeans the following represent birds of interest.

Upland Sandpipers - for much of July and well into August as many as 13 birds staged along Rt 95 just 1 mile west of Rt 206.
Merlin - an individual was hunting the same area last Friday.
On the morning of the 28th August massive V's high overhead held hundreds of cormorants - totalling 3000+ individuals in a couple of hours all heading NE to SW. A similar event took place last Friday with 1250 counted. Indeed there appears to something of a corridor for diurnal migrants over Big Island with birds appearing from the NE and heading SW. This has included Blue Jays, many Bobolink including a movement of 380+ birds in late August, 400+ Tree Swallows and 170 Chimney Swifts last week, along with the occasional Purple Finch, pipit, and longspur ( all last week).

Last week also proved an eye-opener with regard to sparrow numbers. The very weedy soybean fields harbored 140+ Savannah Sparrows on one transect. Close examination further revealed Swamp, Lincoln's, and a Grasshopper Sparrow - all last Friday. My first Palm Warblers of the season (7 a week ago Monday) were amongst the sparrow flocks out in the soybeans.

In all Nelson Moore and I have identified 75 species within or flying over the soybeans in 15 mornings since 1 July. - V.W.F.III

Please note the new page maintained by the Hoffman's following the shorebird migration through the state.

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