Happy New Year everyone,

My name is Chris Knoll and I just started my new job as Education Director
at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory - (BSBO). We are located in the first
building on the left just off Route 2 where you turn in for Magee Marsh and
the old Crane Creek State Park which now is part of the Magee Marsh Wildlife
Area and has been since May 1st, 2008.

Mark & Julie Shieldcastle started their 2009 Winter Bird Banding today
behind the BSBO building. I just learned from Mark that he started banding
birds in western, Ohio in 1978.
That's over 30 years of banding people. I learned a lot today about the
American Goldfinch differences between winter males and females, adults and
second year birds, and that was just for starters. Today, about 70 or so
birds were banded. These birds have been feeding behind the BSBO building
since the weather got cold. They are as follows:

1. White-crowned Sparrow - (1) eastern morph (dark lore's with a dull, pink
bill)
2. White-throated Sparrow - (about 4) both brown and white morph.
3. American Tree Sparrows - (33 +) they have a bicolored bill; dark on top &
yellow below.
4. American Goldfinch - (25+) adult males have bright yellow-edged scapulars
(where the wings meet the body). You really have to have a bird in the hand
to see this; its awesome!
5. Dark-eyed Junco- (4 +) the males are very dark on top, females are a
medium grey.
6. Northern Cardinal - 2 males and boy can they bit! That grosbeak can
really get you.
7. Downy Woodpecker - 1 male with the red patch on the back of his head. The
wing feathers are black with white spots! Just spectacular
8. House Finch - 1 female.

Other birds seen from the Windows on Wildlife inside the building at about
2:00 pm.
1. Pine Siskin - 1 female. I didn't see any yellow in the wings or body
2. Blue jay - 2
3. Northern Cardinal - 2 males and 2 females
3. Downy Woodpecker - 2 males and 2 females
4. Mourning Doves - 14
5. American Goldfinch - 10
6. American Tree Sparrows - 15
7. D.E. Juncos - 2
8. House Sparrows - 50+
9. Bald Eagle - 1 adult circled around the building at 11:05 am. It had a
beautiful white head & tail.
10. European Starlings - 100+ in a flock behind the building.

Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Causeway - first pull off just past the bridge on
the right.

1. Northern Shrike - sitting on top of a buttonbush 50 yards from the road.
                                             It was all puffed-up and looked
huge through my bino's
                                             The time was 1:20 pm. What a
great New Years present


Happy New Year Ohio Birders!!! From the staff at Black Swamp Bird
Observatory (BSBO)
Click below for directions to our center. The bird feeders are behind our
building.
Please come in the building on the weekends and sit by our Window on
Wildlife.
We are open 11 am to 5 pm Fri., Sat., and Sun.
http://www.bsbo.org/directions.htm


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