The Columbus Audubon trip to these migrant traps yesterday produced some interesting birds, but migration is clearly tapering off here.  The Whittier bikepath had many resident landbirds, and the river was low enough to attract a handful of shorebirds.  The cemetery was very quiet save for a few thrushes, while a late walk down the Berliner bikepath didn't add much.  The highlights included:

Herons - 5-6 Great Blues were taking advantage of the low water levels, and were joined by 1 Great Egret

Raptors - we watched a young Cooper's Hawk try to grab nestlings out of a Cliff swallow nest under I-70, but it was beaten off by a swarm of angry swallows.  Just the fact that it knows those nests are targets is amazing, and could explain why the small colony up at the I-670 bridge has failed.

Shorebirds - the mudflats at Whittier accumulated 3-4 kildeer, 2 Spotted Sandpipers, 1 L.Yellowlegs, and 1 Least Spr.

Cuckoos - had calling Yellow-billeds at both Berliner Park and up at the Long St. dam riparian area.  These are typically one of our latest migrants.

Flycatchers - several Wood Pewees along the bikepath, in the cemetery, and at Berliner, along with 1-2 Great Cresteds.  A single Willow flycatcher was back on territory at Whittier, but Acadians were missing from their typical spots in Berliner.

Swallows - a clean sweep of the common swallows, included an early flyover of a Purple Martin at Whittier along with a single stray Bank Swallow.  Tree, Barn, Rough-winged, and Cliff were all common at Whittier.

Vireos - plenty of singing and territorial Warbling Vireos along the bikepath in both Whittier and Berliner.  Smaller #s of Red-eyed were with them in both places, but the cemetery had hardly any vireos of any sort.

Thrushes - single Swainson's were at both Whittier and the cemetery, and an elusive Gray-cheeked was calling from the Pit at the cemetery.  A WoodThrush was in the Ravine at the cemetery, and a pair were along the bikepath at Berliner.

Mimids - Catbirds were perhaps the most abundant bird along the bikepath, with singing birds everywhere.  A single Brown Thrasher was calling from a dense thicket at Whittier, while a Mockingbird sang near the new ponds there.

Warblers - several resident Yellows along the bikepath at both Whittier and Berliner, and 2 Prothonotaries were calling from the riparian woods along the path at Berliner.  A singing Yellow-br. Chat was hiding in a dense thicket on Whittier (not far from the thrasher).  The only obviosu migrants were 2 Redstarts singing (1 at Whittier, 1 at Long Street).

Tanagers - only 1 Scarlet was found, singing along the bikepath at Berliner

Grosbeaks, Buntings - no grosbeaks, but still lots of Indigo Buntings along the bikepath

Icterids - Baltimore Orioles were at all 3 sites, inclduing females gathering nest material and food.  Common Grackles were even quicker, with a fledgeling at Whittier.

Sparrows - a late White-throated was singing along the bikepath at Berliner, but none were at the cemetery.


Rob Thorn
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