 Pomarine Jaeger at Whiskey Island Marina 20 April (V.W.F.III). | Pomarine Jaeger - Pending OBRC review; documentation in hand (V.W.F.III) and (D.J.H.). for 5 birds at Whiskey Island Marina 12 April - 12 May. Unprecedented in spring.
Parasitic Jaeger - Pending OBRC review; documentation received from Pete Munson. Long-tailed Jaeger - Pending OBRC review; documenatation received from Brad Etter et al. of an adult over the Magee Marsh causeway 17 May. |
Laughing Gull - An adult br. pl. bird was at Edgewater Park 9-13 May (V.W.F.III ph., et al.). Two were at Delaware W.A. 17 May (D.B. et al.).
Franklin's Gull - First report from the RT 19 vicinity of Turtle Creek in Ottawa Co. 4 April. (Toledo RBA). The only other report 11 May at Ottawa N.W.R. (R.H.).
Little Gull - Only report: Lakeshore M.P. 23 April (Cleveland RBA).
Bonaparte's Gull - Moving through the area again in numbers by 25-27 March (m.obs.). Inland: max. was 260 at Castalia Pond 26 April with 12 lingering there 13 May (V.W.F.III). Also 180 at Meander Reservoir 10 April and 200 at Mosquito Lake W.A. 18 April (Youngstown RBA). A lone 1st yr bird remained at Lorain impoundment 31 May (V.W.F.III).
Ring-billed Gull - Inland flocks were impressive early in the season with 12,000 in Ottawa Co. fields 1-17 March and 8000 in Lucas Co. 1 March (V.W.F.III). Inland Reservoirs should be watched for new nesting attempts, buildups in numbers can be suspicious such as 220 at Killdeer Plains Upground Reservoir 21 May (V.W.F.III).
California Gull - Pending OBRC review; Reported from Lorain impoundment 10 May - Jason Larson.
Herring Gull - Nesting at Dock 40 in Cleveland continues to increase (P.L.).
Thayer's Gull - One imm. widely viewed at Avon Lake 15 Mar. (D.L. et al.). Another at Whiskey Is. marina 16 Mar. (Cleveland RBA).
Iceland Gull - A 1st winter bird East Harbor S.P. 17 Mar. (V.W.F.III). Another was at Avon Lake 22 Mar. (Cleveland RBA).
Lesser Black-backed Gull - Two birds (1 1st summer, 1 2nd summer, ph.) were present at Lorain impoundment 11 May (V.W.F.III)
Glaucous Gull - Several (9+) despite the mild season. An imm. at Whiskey Island marina 16 Mar. (Cleveland RBA); another that day at Cedar Point causeway (R.H.); 22 Mar. at Mentor Marsh (Cleveland RBA); and 30 Mar. Lakeshore M.P. (Cleveland RBA). A surprising concentration of 7 birds appeared at a marina near East Harbor S.P. 9 Mar. (K.M.). Late birds include one at Whiskey Island Marina (Cuyahoga Co.) 30 April (G.M.) and one at the Lorain impoundment also in late April (T.L.), and a flyby at Lakeshore M.P. 9 May (Cleveland RBA).
Great Black-backed Gull - Despite a strong winter appearance high spring numbers are generally not to be expected under the very mild conditions (Peterjohn 1989) we experienced in March. This expectation was contradicted by 220 along the Cedar Point causeway 4 Mar. (V.W.F.III) and 59 Avon on the Lake 13 Mar. (V.W.F.III). Late concentrations continue in frequency; 27-10 at Lorain impoundment 11-31 May, the 10 split 5/5 1st yr/2nd yr (V.W.F.III). Adding to the growing inland records were two overhead at Springville Marsh (Seneca Co.) on the late date of 27 April (H.T.B.).
Caspian Tern - The Lorain buildup began 5 April with 5 birds maxing out at 181late in the month (T.L.) / 4 remained 31 May (V.W.F.III).
Common Tern - First noted 5 April Lake White, Pike Co. (B.S.P.). Max. passage noted 18 May at Headlands Beach S.P. (L.R.) and inland 21 May 6 at Killdeer Plains W.A. (V.W.F.III).
Forster's Tern - Max. noted 300+ at Lorain impoundment late April (T.L.) with 255 remaining 11-13 May (V.W.F.III). Inland: 8 present at Mosquito Lake W.A. 13 April (Youngstown RBA).
Black Tern - A record early bird appeared at Paulding Reservoir 18 April (D.Du.). Above average migration with 1-3 birds reported from several locales in May. Max. 6 at Mosquito Lake W.A. 16 May (Youngstown RBA).
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Mourning Dove - migrants along the lakeshore included 34 and 23 at Maumee Bay S.P. 21 and 27 March (V.W.F.III). Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Arrival : 8 May Germantown Reserve (Dayton RBA). Remarkably scarce in the north before 25 May (V.W.F.III). Black-billed Cuckoo - Arrival : 6 May Athens (D.S.J.). Also generally scarce. Barn Owl - Lakeshore M.P. 7 April (Cleveland RBA). Great Horned Owl - The Crane Creek S.P. pair fledged young 9 May having occupied the same cottonwood three years now. |
 Crane Creek Beach S.P. This pair has been widely viewed for several years. (V.W.F.III). |
 Immature Snowy Owl at Heath Airport 6 May (V.W.F.III). |
Snowy Owl - Mirroring the strong invasion of the winter several birds were noted well into the spring. A dark bird was at Burke Airport 27 Mar. (J.H.). Another the same day was noted in Sandusky (Toledo RBA). The LeFarge Cement Plant in Paulding Co. hosted one 4-15 April (D.Du.). One noted on the beach at Geneva S.P. 12 April (Cleveland RBA). A particularly sooty immature was discovered by in a field at the end of the Heath-Newark Airport in Heath, Licking Co. on the late date of 1 May. The bird remained to 23 May (M.Ba.), one day shy of the latest spring record for the state. Long-eared Owl - Max. at Killdeer Plains W.A. was 4 (S.B.) 3 Mar. Regularly sighted there through mid-March. A report of a bird on a nest structure in April was followed up only to discover broken eggshell below the nest and nothing sitting on the nest (N.M. et al.). Migrants also noted as late as 25 Mar. at Dawes Arboretum (M.Ba.) and 19 Mar. at Lakeshore M.P. (Cleveland RBA). |
| Short-eared Owl - The usual staging took place at Killdeer Plains W.A. with 10 there 14 Mar. [R.&J. M.] growing to 22 on the 27th (B.R.). The only other concentration reported was of 8 at The Glades, Pike Co. 22 Mar. (G.G. & J. Mc.). One bird noted in early May at Killdeer Plains W.A. (C.J.) persisted into the summer season (J.H.) providing suspicions of breeding. However, the first successful nesting since 1966 was confirmed at The Wilds, Muskingum Co. in late May (S. A., D.I., fide J.L. et al.). Two nests were discovered during breeding bird surveys with one producing 5 young |
 Nest at The Wilds - ph. courtesy Danny Ingold |
Boreal Owl - Pending OBRC review - An immature female struck a window in Lake Co. 5 April and was turned into the Penitentiary Glen Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Lake Co. M.P. The bird suffered a mild concussion, recovered, and was released with much public fanfare 9 April.
Northern Saw-whet Owl - Generally scarce reflecting the winter season but 4 were noted at Lakeshore M.P. 7 April with one remaining there through 1 May (Cleveland RBA).
Common Nighthawk - A remarkably late arrival: 5 May Athens (B.S.P.); 9 May NE lakeshore (A. Fj.).
Chuck-will's Widow - A bird appeared in Hocking Co. 30 May to remain calling well into the summer (J.F.). A county first.
Whip-poor-will - late arrival.
Chimney Swift - A remarkable overshoot took advantage of unseasonal warmth to appear in Morrow Co. 26 Mar. (M.H.). It almost certainly did not survive the subsequent weeks of unseasonable cool which prevented any further sightings until 26 April along the lakefront (V.W.F.III). Normally the species is widespread 12-15 April. Max. Curious was a concentration of 400 foraging over the diked marshes at Big Island W.A. 21 May (V.W.F.III).
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Arrival : 16 April Hamilton Co. (L.P.) but not generally noted elsewhere until May.
Belted Kingfisher - unremarkable.
Northern Flicker - Many years go by without notable spring movements; this year tried to compensate for that. The movement coincided with the record heat of late March and early April beginning 27 Mar. A diurnal movement past Lakeshore M.P. the next day tallied 321 while another 200 flew past Mentor Marsh 6 April (both Cleveland RBA).
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - Migrants had reached the NW by 29 Mar. (Toledo RBA). Sapsucker migration is generally so temporally diffuse as to be detected only as a trickle along the south shore of Lake Erie. But again the strong Sw'lys of late March/early April, coincident with the peak migration of this species, generated a flight of 33 at Mentor Marsh 6 April (Cleveland RBA). A lingering individual was detected at Parma 11 May (Cleveland RBA).
Red-headed Woodpecker - late migration with the first lakeshore bird not noted until 10 May (V.W.F.III).
Olive-sided Flycatcher - Arrival: 13 May Green Lawn Cemetary, Columbus (Columbus RBA). 17 May Magee Marsh W.A. (m.obs.).
Eastern Wood-Pewee - Arrival: 26 April Gilmore Ponds (E.H.).
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - Arrival : 17 May Magee Marsh (V.W.F.III). 18 May Meander Reservoir (Youngstown RBA). Max : A remarkable 22 were noted along the Magee Marsh Bird Trail 30 May (V.W.F.III).
Acadian Flycatcher - Arrival : 6 May Athens Dave St. John. 18 May Springville Marsh (H.T.B.). Scarce in the north along the lakeshore.
Alder Flycatcher - Arrival 25 May Magee Marsh (V.W.F.III). Migration continuuing well into June.
Willow Flycatcher -
Least Flycatcher - Arrival : A calling bird 21 April Tiffin (D.W.). surprisingly early in the face of the weather conditions.
Eastern Phoebe - Arrival had taken place before March (see winter 96-97 issue). Widely reported from 17 March (m.obs.). Max. 34 at Lakeshore M.P. 28 Mar. was an above average concentration (Cleveland RBA).
Great Crested Flycatcher - Arrival: 26 April Gilmore Ponds (E.H.). Widespread in the south by 1 May (m.obs.) but noted in the northeast, Shaker Lakes, until 4 May (P.P.).
Eastern Kingbird - Late arrival: 1 May Athens (B.S.P.). Above average concentrations with 140 in the Magee Marsh W.A. vicinity 19 May (V.W.F.III). And 34 noted in the northeast at Headlands Beach S.P. 18 May (L.R.).
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Pending OBRC review: Present at Ottawa N.W.R. 14-15 May (m.obs, ph. Linda Stoller).
Horned Lark - Strong migration in February; March numbers in clude 500 in Ottawa Co. 1 Mar. and 550 over Maumee Bay S.P. 21 Mar.(V.W.F.III).
Purple Martin - Arrival : 28 Mar. Magee Marsh W.A. (V.W.F.III).
Tree Swallow - Arrival: 1 Mar. North Perry (J.P.). widely reported 8-9 March (M.obs.). 110 at Magee Marsh W.A. 27 March and 1000+ there 6 April (V.W.F.III) were uncharacteristically early concentrations.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - Arrival: 5 April Scioto Trails (B.M. et al.). Widespread by 12 April (M.obs.).
Bank Swallow - Arrival: 13 April Eastwood Lake (Dayton RBA).
Cliff Swallow - Arrival: 6 April Lake Co. (J.P.).
Barn Swallow - Arrival: 27 Mar. Morrow Co. (M.H.). Widespread 5-6 April from Magee Marsh W.A. to Funk Bottoms, and Mosquito Lake W.A. (m.obs.). Max: 1000 along Crane Creek Beach S.P. in 90 minutes 1 May (V.W.F.III).
Blue Jay - May diurnal passage weaker than normal.
American Crow - Migration began well before the spring period with the max. 800 noted 1 March at Magee Marsh W.A. (V.W.F.III). Even so the migration was protracted with notable flights taking place into April along the Lake Erie shoreline (m.obs.).
Black-capped Chickadee - An individual matching this species in song and appearance lingered at Big Island W.A. the first week of March (V.W.F.III). However, the prevalence of hybrids south of the lake counties may well make identification of chickadees in central Ohio impossible.
Carolina Chickadee - normal.
Tufted Titmouse - normal.
White-breasted Nuthatch - normal
Red-breasted Nuthatch - lingering individual at Shaker Lakes in late April (m.obs.) was unexpected for a non-invasion year.
Brown Creeper - Few concentrations noted with 13 at Magee Marsh Bird Trail 28 Mar. (V.W.F.III).
House Wren - Arrival : 13 April Miami Whitewater Wetlands (N.C.). In the north at Tiffin on terr. 22 April (V.W.F.III) and the same day in Columbus (J.V.).
Carolina Wren - moderately common but recovering from recent wintry setbacks.
Marsh Wren - Arrival : 13 April Spring Valley (Dayton RBA).
Sedge Wren - Arrival 10 May Pickerel Creek W.A. (V.W.F.III) and Miami Whitewater Wetlands (Cincinnati RBA). In the NE at Frame Bog 14 May (L.R.).
Winter Wren - Migrants noted at Magee Marsh W.A. 15 Mar. (D.L. et al.) with 10 there 28 Mar. (V.W.F.III). The cool season likely inspired 9 birds to remain as late as 30 April while an individual was still along the bird trail 17 Mar. (V.W.F.III).
Golden-crowned Kinglet - Max. 36 at Magee Marsh Bird Trail 28 Mar. continues the trend in recent years of weak spring concentrations (V.W.F.III).
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Arrival 2 were early at Magee Marsh Bird Trail 28 Mar. (V.W.F.III). Unremarkable concentrations.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Arrival: An extraordinary overshoot took place with a pair appearing in the NE, Trumbull Co., 28 Mar. (D.H.). Not widespread in the south until 10-12 April.
Also Available - 16 June 1997
Coming Soon - July 1997
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[S.A.] = Scott Albaugh [S.At.] = Shirley Atkinson [H.T.B.] = H. Thomas Bartlett [M.Ba.] = Marje Baughman [S.B.] = S. Burris [D.B.] = Don Burton [N.C.] = Neil Cade [D.DU.] = Doug Dunnakin [M.E.] = Marcus England [V.W.F. III] = Victor W. Fazio III [A.Fj.] = Anders Fjeldstad [J.F.] = Jim Fry [G.G.] = Gladis Garver |
[R.H.] = Rob Harlan [E.H.] = Eric Heinecke [D.H.] = Dave Hochadel [J.H.] = John Herman [J.Ho.] = Jean Hoffman [M.H.] = Matt Hughes [D.I.] = Danny Ingold [C.J.] = Cece Johnston [J.L.] = Jason Larson [T.L.] = Tom LePage [B.M.] = Bernie Masters [G.M.] = Gary Meszaros [J.Mc.] = Joe McMahon |
[K.M.] = Kathy Mock [N.M.] = Nelson Moore [R.&J. M] = Ruth & Joe Motts [D.L.] = Doreene Linzell [P.P.] = Perry Peskin [L.P.] = Lester Peyton [B.S.P.] = Bob S. Placier [J.P.] = John Pogacnik [L.R.] = Larry Rosche [B.R.] = Bob Royce [D.S.J.] = Dave St. John [J.V.] = John Vandemeer [D.W.] = Dan Webb |
Literature Cited
to Ohio Birder Resources | OBRC Information Desk | Current Sightings: Ohio State Wide
research, construction, design, and maintainance by Victor W. Fazio III / last modified 5 July 1997