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October 1999

A Pomarine Jaeger was discovered Saturday at East Fork State Park (Clermont Co.) - Hank Armstrong. Seen by many on Sunday, the bird was still present midday Monday - Jim Clapp. A first for the Cincinnati area?

Among the shorebird throng at Ottawa N.W.R. on Sunday were Hudsonian Godwit, Marbled Godwit, and a Willet. Monday the Marbled Godwit and Willet were absent but two Hudsonians were seen by many observers. The Red Phalarope at Ottawa N.W.R. Saturday was a one-day wonder - Phil Harner, Brad Cullen.

Record warmth leading up to today's snowfall in the northeast made for interesting late observations the past week. Two more Yellow-billed Cuckoo observations came to my attention. One was present at Ottawa N.W.R. the previous weekend - Mark Shieldcastle while last Wednesday another was found in Rockbridge (Hocking Co.) - Lamar Gore. Also from last week, a Henslow's Sparrow was quite late at Sheldon Marsh SNP on the 26th Oct. - Les Sedlak. On Friday 2 Semipalmated Plover were still at Sheldon Marsh SNP, while East Harbor hosted 53 Common Tern and 39 Forster's Tern - V.W.F.III. Defying expectations, terns could still be found in numbers today in the face of gale force winds. Dan Sanders and Joe Hammond had 11 Common Tern and a very late Caspian Tern at the Huron jetty this morning. This afternoon I had 15 Common Tern at the Lorain "hotwaters". Lorain Harbor gull numbers finally are starting to mass with appx. 13,000 Ring-billed Gulls, 800 Herring Gulls, and 127 Great Black-backed Gulls.

Those of you looking for a Golden Eagle in Ohio probably should have been in the Oak Openings yesterday. Erie Metropark in Michigan recorded a single day high count for eastern North America with a total of 43 birds (and you just know every one of 'em subsequently flew over Toledo!).If there are any left they will be hard on the heels of the next cold front.

It should not be too surprising with the recent mild weather to record a few lingering migrant songbirds including a few neotropicals. While regular in the early part of the month, yesterday's Yellow-billed Cuckoo at Spring Grove Cemetery was pushing the migratory envelope - Neill Cade. Not too far behind, on Tuesday Paula Lozano recorded both Magnolia and Blackpoll Warblers at Whiskey Island Marina (Cuyahoga Co.). A Palm Warbler was also present both Monday and Tuesday. Remarkably, another Blackpoll Warbler was found on the West Harbor Trail of East Harbor S.P. on Tuesday - V.W.F.II. Also the 26th a Swainson's Thrush was located at Big Creek Resv. (Cuyahoga Co.) - Sean Zadar. The very next day Sean managed to find a rare October Common Redpoll at Mill Stream Run Nature Preserve (Cuyahoga Co.). Today a Lincoln's Sparrow still could be found at Seasongood Nature Center (Hamilton Co.) - David Brinkman while in the northeast a Rose-breasted Grosbeak visited a North Perry feeder (Lake Co.) - John Pogacnik. Another late sparrow, a Grasshopper Sparrow, was a transect bird at Big Island W.A. on Tuesday - V.W.F.III. Three Tree Swallows flew across Rt. 2 at the Davis-Besse Power Plant (Ottawa Co.) on Tuesday - V.W.F.III.

Elsewhere: Short-eared Owl has reached the southwest with a bird yesterday at Miami-Whitewater Wetlands - Paul Wharton. A Bufflehead today in Wilmington (Clinton) led the way into the southwest for that species. Also today 12 Snow Geese were detected at Mosquito Lake (Trumbull Co.) by Duane Ferris. Yesterday Lake Medina hosted 7 Tundra Swan - Clyde Witt. While just a bit to the east over Ravenna, an immature Golden Eagle entertained Larry Rosche. A rare, but increasingly regular, inland sighting for Great Black-backed Gull originated from Greenlawn Ave. Dam yesterday - Charles Gambill III. The immature bird becomes one of very few October records away from Lake Erie in Ohio.

Be sure to scroll down for yesterday's shorebird news and check again tomorrow for the songbird update.

The sandbar at Huron produced its first uncommon gull - an immaculate adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was videotaped from 30 yards away side-by-side with a Great Black-backed Gull - V.W.F.III

A Franklin's Gull was at Greenlawn Ave. Dam on Sunday - Richard Cressman and Tom Thompson.

Craig Rieker described an adult Golden Eagle over Parma on Sunday. Observers along the lakeshore, especially the Western basin, should be watching for this species as we are coming up on the peak migration. The last two days have seen 35 birds past the hawk watch at Hawk Cliff in Ontario. If you really want to see a Golden Eagle then meet Ohio's fall Golden Eagle expert, Tom Kemp Sunday (31 Oct.) at 10:00 a.m. in the Toledo Metroparks at the jct. of Girdham and Reed roads. A front is forecast to pass through either Saturday or Sunday. If Saturday you should be in Golden Eagle heaven; if Sunday - oh well - try to stay on for Monday.

Waterfowl numbers have grown: At Ottawa N.W.R. yesterday were 600 American Wigeons, 400 Green-winged Teals, 900 Gadwalls, 2500 Mallards, and 600 American Black Duck. Smaller numbers of shoveler, pintail, and Hooded Mergansers were evident. At Sheldon Marsh SNP, the previous day were another 400+ Green-winged Teals, 400 American Black Ducks, 300 Gadwalls, and 700 Mallards.- V.W.F.III. Sunday John Pogacnik's Lakeshore MP waterbird count included 14 Tundra Swans, 4 Surf and 5 Black Scoters, 211 Hooded Mergansers, 383 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 7 Common Goldeneye. His 149 Dunlin foreshadowed the increase at staging areas within the Western Basin. The day before "in the teeth of the gale" Craig Rieker managed 34 Common Loons from the fishing pier at Bradstreet Landing in Avon (Lorain County). The next day (Sunday) Craig detected 22 Tundra Swans, 16 Snow Geese from Gordon Park. Next door E.72nd St. produced a Rough-legged Hawk, 5 Forster's and 2 Common Terns, and 38 Great Black-backed Gulls. And next door again to the west at E.55th marina another 6 Forter's Terns and the highlight (between the breakwalls) a basic-plumaged Red-necked Grebe.Craig had a Short-eared Owl at Whiskey Island Marina on Saturday. Five birds were the highlight of a transect on Unit D of Big Island W.A. Monday morning - V.W.F.III

Loons and swans are making their way inland. At Beaver Creek Reservoir on Sunday Brad Cullen found a great diversity of waterfowl for that small reservoir highlighted by 62 Tundra Swans and 12 Common Loons. Also of note 200 Ruddy Duck. Shannon Lehrter et al. had 8 Horned Grebes at Caesar Creek Reservoir on Sunday for the largest flock reported from the southwest thus far this fall. Larry Gara reports 13 Common Loons at Caesar Creek State Park on Monday while Sandy Buckles noted 12 at La Due Reservoir Sunday; 4 Tundra Swans were also present. Duane Ferris adds the same day at La Due 2 Black Scoters. Duane further reports Monday good viewing of the 3 Sandhill Crane in residence. To round off the reservoir reports, at Mogadore, Wingfoot Lake,and Springfield Lake (just east of Akron) Larry Rosche had a remarkable concentration of Ruddy Ducks on Sunday numbering not less than 1500. Additional water bird highlights include 3 Tundra Swans, 30 Mute Swans, 150 Ring-necked Ducks, 26 Buffleheads, a Common Tern, and 1000 American Coots.

A Red Phalarope was discovered on the mudflat immediately west of the Old Cedar Point causeway (Erie Co.) Sunday afternoon by Dan Sanders. The bird was still there at 5:30 pm - V.W.F.III however could not be relocated this afternoon.

With the level of Lake Erie so low, any southwesterly breeze sustained for more than a day creates a seiche with dramatic results for the estuaries of the Western Basin. Tuesday all the major creeks, Portage, Toussaint, Turtle, etc. in Ottawa County had hundreds of acres of exposed mud bank. Crane Creek, which has been so productive this autumn season, was dry but for the area in the immediate vicinity of the estuary mouth. This perhaps aided in producing a concentration of late October shorebirds I personally have never seen in Ohio. As I write this, the winds have shifted out of the NW but by late week (Fri.-Sat.) we should see similar conditions again. At the same time, especially mild conditions should allow for much of the same variety and numbers to remain in the area.The past three days saw 19 species at just 4 locations.

Toussaint W.A. (from the fisherman's access on Rt. 19) for Tuesday a.m.
Killdeer - 77, Lesser Yellowlegs - 16, Dunlin - 5, White-rumped Sandpiper - 1, Baird's Sandpiper - 1, Pectoral Sandpiper - 24, Bonaparte's Gull - 200+

Ottawa N.W.R. (directly north of the main dikes at mouth of estuary)
Black-bellied Plover - 48, Killdeer - 40+, Marbled Godwit - 1, Hudsonian Godwit - 1, Greater Yellowlegs -18, Lesser Yellowlegs - 6, Sanderling - 3, Dunlin - 1600, Western Sandpiper - 1, White-rumped Sandpiper - 1, Pectoral Sandpiper - 46, Long-billed Dowitcher - 62, Common Snipe - 1

Turtle Creek (at Rt. 2 and Duff-Washa Rd.)
Killdeer - 44, Lesser Yellowlegs, 2, Pectoral Sandpiper - 13

I was tipped offed to the possibility of good shorebird concentrations by some observations from Sunday evening and Monday morning. At Old Cedar Point causeway Sunday evening, in addition to the phalarope were 355 Dunlin, and 2 American Golden-Plover. The Dunlin represented a new level of concentration several times what had been reported thus far into the season. There were also 7000 gulls and 1800 puddle duck - again substantial increases over the previous week. An immature male anatum Peregrine Falcon ineffectively harassed this concentration of birds. Monday morning, the sun rose upon on a fair concentration of shorebirds at Pond 27 of Killdeer Plains W.A. The following totals include a few birds from surrounding pools but all species of note are from pond 27
American Golden-Plover - 7, Semipalmated Plover - 2, Killdeer - 150+, Greater Yellowlegs - 41, Lesser Yellowlegs - 8, Pectoral Sandpiper - 70, Least Sandpiper - 4, Dunlin - 132, Stilt Sandpiper - 3, Common Snipe - 1.

Another 49 Killdeer, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, and 8 Pectoral Sandpipers at Big Island W.A. (Unit D) the same morning.

I systematically checked beaches/flats in Ottawa/Erie counties yesterday afternoon but with little more to add in the way of shorebirds.

Port Clinton esplanade: Killdeer - 2, Forster's Tern - 20

East Harbor State Park: Killdeer - 9, Dunlin - 5, Greater Yellowlegs - 8, Forster's Tern - 12, Common Tern - 2

Medusa Marsh: no habitat

Old Cedar Point causeway: mudflat much drier birds more distant; only 190 Dunlin

Shorebirds of note elsewhere included 2 Western Sandpipers on the Maumee River over the weekend - fide Toledo RBA.

The last Franklin's Gull sighting at Caesar Creek S.P. was for the 22nd. - Larry Gara. A report of a flyby Long-tailed Jaeger on Thursday from Lakeshore Metropark (Lake) would be among the latest on record for the Great Lakes if accepted - John Pogacnik.

A Snow Bunting was present at La Due Reservoir on Thursday - Mary O'Neill. The next day saw 9 birds at Conneaut Harbor - John Pogacnik while 8 were at Headlands Beach S.P. yesterday - Kevin Metcalf. As of this morning the species had reached the southwest with a bird spotted at East Fork State Park by Tim Fitzpatrick and Hank Armstrong. Kevin Metcalf further noted a Baird's Sandpiper and a Dunlin yesterday, while John had 20 Dunlins, 1 Semipalmated Plover, and 1 Black-bellied Plover on the mudflats at Conneaut Friday. Yesterday, John found Caspian Tern and Orange-crowned Warbler at East Harbor S.P. while off Vermilion were 3 Surf Scoters. Back on the 19th, Kevin had a late Tennessee Warbler from his yard in Geauga Co. Today at Gilmore Ponds, Mike Busam saw lingering Blue-headed Vireo and Gray Catbird. At Spring Valley W.A. on the 21st, John Rakestraw had a late Solitary Sandpiper and a Barn Swallow. The first American Tree Sparrow was reported from the 21st in Portage Co. - Larry Rosche. Larry has been racking up the sparrows at Ravenna Arsenal noting especially large numbers of Fox Sparrows. Finches continue unabated with evidence of a good Purple Finch flight noted by Hank Armstrong last weekend while just yesterday the dam burst on Jim Fry with 123 Pine Siskins visiting his Rockbridge (Hocking Co.) feeders. Just as it appeared this time last year, the sandbar along the Huron Pier is back. Appx. 1100 gulls rested on the bar Friday and while no unusual species were detected, this site does afford the uninitiated with excellent gull viewing opportunities. Four Forster's Terns were resting among the gulls - V.W.F.III.

Two Franklin's Gulls were still on the beach at Caesar Creek State Park yesterday - Larry Gara. A House Wren was found lingering at Hebron Fish Hatchery yesterday - Bob Royse. The highlight of a 1 hour (8-9am) lakewatch from Sherod Park (Erie Co.) yesterday was a flock of 23 Tundra Swans. The highlight from the same time period the previous day was a Red-throated Loon - V.W.F.III. John Pogacnik's Sunday lakewatch in Lake Co. produced a Surf Scoter and 2 Black Scoters. John further reports a Red Phalarope and a Little Gull from Conneaut Harbor for Sunday. The Kelleys Island census on Saturday was fairly unremarkable but for a Merlin (a foot off the water seen crossing to the mainland), and a Cape May Warbler - Brian Barchus et al.. Shorebirds were still in good variety Saturday before the cold front went through. Ottawa N.W.R. held Willet, Hudsonian Godwit, and Baird's Sandpiper among 9 other species - Jim Haw. A Semipalmated Sandpiper, with an obvious broken leg, was still at East Harbor State Park - V.W.F.III et al. Pond 27 of Killdeer Plains W.A. was active once again this weekend with 57 Pectoral, 2 Western Sandpipers, 6 Black-bellied Plovers and 1 American Golden-Plover noted by Len Powlick on Sunday. Peregrine's continue to pass through the area saturday with birds noted over the Magee Marsh Bird Trail - Jim Haw and at Turtle Creek W.A. - V.W.F.III. et al. Gordon Park highlights Saturday included 3 Short-eared Owls, a female Lapland Longspur, a Nashville Warbler and a Green Heron - Sean Zadar et al.. The Snow Goose was still present Friday - Donald Morse. Sandhill Cranes were back in the vicinity of La Due reservoir (Geauga Co.) last Thursday and Friday - Duane Ferris et al. Rough-legged Hawks made their fall debut at Killdeer Plains W.A.back on the 7th - Dave St. John. This was followed up with a bird at Ottawa N.W.R. saturday - Jim Haw and Sunday near Geneva State park (Ashtabula Co.) - John Pogacnik.

A Ruff was reported last evening at the "Fishing Pond" on Rt 226, just North of Shreve (near Killbuck Marsh in Wayne Co.)- fide Greg Miller.

Three lake watches in the northeast this morning made for interesting comparison. From Headlands Beach State Park (Lake Co.) in 1.5 hrs, Kevin Metcalf's highlights included

Common Loon - 9
Surf Scoter - 4
Black Scoter - 5
Snow Geese - 7
Lesser Scaup - 1

From a bit further east in Lake Co., at Lakeshore Metropark 7:30 - 11:00 a.m.John Pogacnik's notes include:

Common Loon - 33
Green-winged Teal - 2
Redhead - 6
Lesser Scaup - 46
Surf Scoter - 8
Red-breasted Merganser - 6
Common Merganser - 1

. . . while further east from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. at Sunset Park near North Kingsville (Ashtabula Co.) I managed to detect:

Common Loon - 1
Horned Grebe - 6
American Wigeon - 25
Canvasback - 13
Black Scoter - 2
Red-breasted Merganser - 9

Additional notes from Headlands Beach State Park by Kevin include Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, and 1 Snow Bunting. A pair of Sanderlings were also offshore at Sunset Park. Elsewhere the number of Franklin's Gulls at Caesar Creek State Park dropped to 2 this morning from yesterday's 7 - Larry Gara.

The 3 Franklin's Gull remain at Acton Lake as of this morning - David Russell.

Over the weekend, Kathy Noblet, Sue Ross et al. report an American Avocet at Findlay Reservoir and 38 American Golden-Plover at the VanLue Sewage lagoons. An immature Merlin was present at Fostoria Reservoir #4 - all locations in Hancock Co. On Monday at Lakewood Park (Cuyahoga Co.), Paula Lozano detected a late Cape May Warbler. The first Short-eared Owl of the season was found in the Gordon impoundment yesterday - Sean Zadar, Bob Finkelstein, David Kriska. This particular observation was topped by a Short-eared Owl "soaring among the Turkey Vultures" this morning - David Russell an Jill Fentz. David refers here to a gathering of 500 Turkey Vultures about as great a number as one encounters during peak fall migration in Ohio. Also yesterday Pine Siskin had arrived in the southwest at a feeder in New Richmond - Donald Morse while Dark-eyed Junco was noted at Miami-Whitewater (Hamilton Co.) on Monday - Olivier Debre. Olivier's singing Eastern Wood-Pewee there Monday was extraordinary. The very few birds detected after 10 October are generally silent.

Shorebirds at Conneaut this morning included: Killdeer - 2
Semipalmated Plover - 7
Black-bellied Plover - 3
American Golden-Plover - 1
Greater Yellowlegs - 4
Sanderling - 1
Dunlin - 11
Western Sandpiper - 2

Another Semipalmated Plover was present at Walnut Beach - V.W.F.III.

A Le Conte's Sparrow was reported from Gordon Park (Cleveland) for Saturday - fide Steve Landes. The 7 Franklin's Gulls remain on the beach at Caesar Creek State Park as of this morning - Larry Gara.Three Franklin's Gull were at also at Acton Lake (Preble Co.) this morning - David Russell et al.

Hummingbirds continue to be reported with 2 Ruby-throateds coming to flowers in Bluffton yesterday - Linda Houshower and Saturday in Lake County (also at flowers) - John Pogacnik. John also reported Wilson's and Cape May Warblers in the vicinity (N.Perry) Saturday, while Linda had 3 Chestnut-sided Warblers last Wednesday. Additional neotropical migrants continuuing to linger include 3 Purple Martins yesterday at Big Island W.A. - (Charles Gambill), a Blue-winged Warbler at Erie Street Cemetery (Cleveland) Saturday - Scott Wright, and both Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrushes that day at Headlands Beach State Park - Jenny Brumfield et al. The mild wet weather concentrated 160+ Chimney Swift over Medusa Marsh on Saturday - V.W.F.III.

Arrivals included Horned Grebe and Common Loon on Saturday's lake watch - John Pogacnik. John also noted 28 Lesser Scaup. Orange-crowned Warblers and Fox Sparrows have been among the mix of species at Headlands Beach State Park lately - m.obs. The main pool at Medusa Marsh has been reflooded (about 75% capacity) attracting a mix of puddle ducks. Enough edge allowed for 26 Pectoral Sandpipers but little else in the way of shorebirds.Nor were any evident at Sheldon Marsh Saturday although 380 Green-winged Teal had accumulated along the Old Cedar Point causeway. Len Powlick estimated at least 100 White-crowned Sparrows at Killdeer Plains W.A. yesterday while the Pond 27 mudflat, recharged with the weekend rain, held 74 Pectoral and 3 Western Sandpipers. Pine Siskins were first reported in numbers a week ago in Toledo - Elliot Tramer while as of yesterday they had reached feeders in Paulding County - Doug & Micki Dunakin

Please note the new RBA number for Dayton.

Also note that Jack Siler's regional bird mail (above) is back online.

The Franklin's Gull fallout included a flock of 24 birds on a peat island near Cranberry Bog (Buckeye Lake) on Monday - Curt Dustheimer and Gina Buckey. The Caesar Creek State Park flock was still present that morning - John Rakestraw with seven birds there Wednesday - Larry Gara. Additional Lesser Black-backed Gulls this week include a 1st winter bird along the Huron Pier on Monday - V.W.F.III., an adult at Lakeview Park in Lorain on Tuesday - Sean Zadar, and a flyby at Lakeshore Park (Lake Co.) yesterday - John Pogacnik. An adult Little Gull was a flyby at Headlands Beach State Park (amongst a movement of Bonaparte's Gulls) on Wednesday - Dan Sanders and Joe Hammond.

Migration progress: Waterfowl arrival picked up this week with Bufflehead off South Bass Island Tuesday - Dan Sanders, an evening flight of Surf Scoters yesterday - John Pogacnik off Lakeshore Park, and early Canvasbacks on the reservoir in Paulding Co. on Monday - Doug & Micki Dunakin. Donald Morse gives a good description of a Snow Goose over New Richmond in the southwest yesterday.

A major songbird fallout was evident along Lake Erie's shoreline on Tuesday. As the first week or so of October usually sees the greatest fall diversity of sparrows through Ohio it is not surprising that many observers remarked on their numbers. Paula Lozano et al. found Whiskey Island (Cleveland) brimming with birds including an estimated 240 White-throated Sparrows and 10 warbler spp. Most interesting were a couple of Wilson's Warblers. That evening, just across the river at Gund Arena waiting for the baseball game, Mike Egar found within a "small garden/plantings across the street . . . scads of sparrows- White-throated, White-crowned, Lincoln's and Savannah; also, juncos, Yellowthroats and Palm Warblers". Few migrant songbird tallies are made from West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge so I feel fortunate to have been there for this fallout. A few of what I did note between tree fellings follows:

Golden-crowned Kinglet - 40+
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 20+
Gray Catbird - 3
Blue Jay - 3
Catharus thrush spp. - 7
Common Yellowthroat - 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4
White-throated Sparrow - 100+
White-crowned Sparrow - 1
Song Sparrow - 10+

Nick Barber had a similar experience at Edgewater Park (Cleveland) on Tuesday with his highlight a Yellow-breasted Chat.

Transects at Big Island W.A. the past two days were occupied by the usual 10 sparrow species including 2 adult Grasshopper Sparrows. A Lapland Longspur was heard overhead on the transect Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, the dawn flight of songbirds down the Sandusky River flyway included Pine Siskin and Evening Grosbeak - V.W.F.III. An adult Clay-colored Sparrow visited a Tiffin feeder Tue.- Thur. - Zac Baker. Tuesday yielded a Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow for John Pogacnik at Arcola Creek (Lake Co.) while Kent Mizanin discovered a Dickcissel at Brecksville Reservation.

Lingering : The American White Pelicans remain at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge as of Sunday - Greg Links and Tom Kemp. Greg also reports 3 Hudsonian Godwits, 1 Willet, 1 American Avocet, and 3 Baird's Sandpipers there on Sunday. They also report another Peregrine Falcon. On Wednesday I videotaped an adult male anatum Peregrine Falcon coursing over Pond 27. The mudflat has quickly dried up this week. Shorebirds in the area the past two days include 72 Pectoral Sandpiper, 68 Lesser Yellowlegs, 7 Greater Yellowlegs, 6 Common Snipe, and 3 American Golden-Plover. The impoundments at Big Island W.A. along Rt. 95 (new units) have been drained. Barely enough mud for the 17 Pectoral Sandpipers and 4 Dunlin on Wednesday. It is still possible to easily view Common Moorhen at the middle impoundment along LaRue-Prospect with 7 immatures there yesterday - V.W.F.III.

Two hummingbirds were at a Shaker Heights feeder on Sunday (fide Carolyn Fazio), a bird visited a Springfield Twp, Summit Co. feeder the 4-5th - Barbara Klewe, while Ernie Limes reports 3 Ruby-throateds at his feeder on the 6th. Scarlet Tanagers were noted Monday at Caesar Creek S.P. - John Rakestraw and in Columbus along the Scioto River - Bob Royse. Bob also had a Mourning Warbler and a Wood Thrush. Kent Mizanin had a Green Heron in Brecksville on Tuesday.

A few Peregrine Falcons were detected this weekend both on the Lake (2 at Kelleys Island - Kevin Metcalf) and inland, with birds at Killdeer Plains W.A. yesterday - Ron Sempier, and East Fork State Park on Friday - Hank Armstrong. Kevin's hawk watch from the Glacial Grooves on Kelleys Island Saturday was fairly productive despite shifting winds. His total:

Turkey Vulture -1
Bald Eagle - 1
Osprey - 2
Northern Harrier - 5
Sharp-shinned Hawk - 39
Merlin - 1
American Kestrel - 6

The census on Kelleys also added Cooper's Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk. On Sunday, Bob Finkelstein discovered a Le Conte's Sparrow at North Pond on the island. It was subsequently studied by a number of observers - Sean Zadar.

Additional Franklin's Gull were reported from Buck Creek State Park (Clark Co.) with 5 on Sunday - Doug Overacker. The 8 at Caesar Creek State Park remained as of yesterday morning - Charles Gambill. Ron Sempier and John Games had a possible Franklin's Gull at Killdeer Plains W.A. They also would like some follow up on a possible juvenile Ruff on Pond 6. Otherwise they report a good day's birding with dowithers and White-rumped Sandpiper among the mix of shorebirds. The previous weekend they tallied 150+ Northern Flicker at Pond 27. During peak fall and spring migration it has become apparent in recent years the species stages in some significant numbers here.

Migration progress: Redhead and Red-breasted Merganser are being reported in small numbers along Lake Erie and northern reservoirs. Songbird variety is diminishing slowly. Another October Philadephia Vireo was noted at Jeffrey Park (Bexley, Franklin Co.) - Jeff Grabmeier. Yesterday evening Bob Royse picked out 3 Eastern Wood-Pewee along the Scioto River in Columbus. Along the Lake a Sedge Wren was at Gordon impoundment on Saturday - Craig Rieker, while Lakeshore Park (Lake Co.) held Hooded and Mourning Warblers, and a White-eyed Vireo among others - John Pogacnik. Both Craig and John added interesting pieces to the winter finch puzzle. At Gordon impoundment saturday were 3 Red Crossbills flushed from the vegetation in a replay of the scene a week ago at the Lorain impoundment. At Lakeshore Park another Evening Grosbeak, a few Purple Finches and the first Pine Siskins (5) were noted.

October - unofficial harbinger of vagrant rarities. The month certainly has brought the year's rarest bird record of the year thus far. Yesterday, Amish birders located a Long-billed Curlew in Holmes Co. The bird was photographed in the evening by Bruce Glick for the first photographic record for Ohio.There have been only two previous accepted sight records (May 1926 and May 1983). The bird was subsequently found this morning briefly before observers saw the bird lift off, circle a couple of times, and then head to the northwest - Jason Larson et al.. A number of observers searched for the bird throughout the day with no further observations as of 6:00 p.m.

The cold fronts of the past few days produced some additional fallouts of interest. Friday morning brought 16 Franklin's Gulls to the beach at Caesar Creek State Park - Larry Gara. Larry saw the 16 take off only to discover 8 remaining today. Curiously, the previous afternoon (after Larry's birds had taken off), Hank Armstrong located 8 birds due south of Caesar Creek at East Fork State Park.

At Gordon impoundment (in Cleveland) on Thursday Joe Hammond and Dan Sanders were surprised by a Yellow Rail. Joe and Dan had their first Lesser Black-backed Gull of the season at Huron Harbor. Another near adult bird was on Kelleys Island today - V.W.F.III. This bird headlined more than 90 species discovered by some intensive birding from a number of parties (Kevin Metcalf, Paula Lozano, Tom Bartlett, Sean Zadar, Brian Barchus, and Ted Gilliland, and many others.. Considering there is no standing water/marsh for waterfowl/shorebirds in the interior (North Pond is completely dry and overgrown) that is an amazing number for October. Throw in Sheldon Marsh and 105-110 species would have been a breeze for Erie County today. In Erie County, at Medusa Marsh yesterday afternoon, were two Buff-breasted Sandpiper - V.W.F.III.

Migration progress: Fox Sparrows arrived Thursday with birds at Sheldon Marsh SNP - Joe Hammond and Dan Sanders and Whiskey I. Marina - Paula Lozano and Frank Greenland. Joe and Dan still had Wood Thrushes at Lorain and Sheldon Marsh SNP on Thursday. Philadelphia Vireos were present at Sheldon Marsh SNP yesterday - fide V.W.F.III and today at Kelleys Island - Pat Hayes. A Mourning Warbler was banded at Long Point on Kelleys Island today - Tom Bartlett and an Eastern Wood-Pewee was near the Glacial Grooves - Sean Zadar et al. Yellow-breasted Chats have been reported lately but I thought a bird in full song as the sun set over Killbuck Marsh W.A. this evening was still odd - V.W.F.III. Fallout conditions were so perfect at Kelleys Island this morning (a cold front backing north as a warm front giving nocturnal migrants a headwind) that we witnessed Red-breasted Nuthatches making landfall. At least 30 were tallied on the island this morning.

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