Hi all,

Peter King and I shot up to Killdeer Plains for a bit this morning. Best
bird was not one I normally think about when at Killdeer: a flyover Red
Crossbill. People who get the chance should check out large urban cemeteries
with lots of big conifers, like Green Lawn in Columbus, and see if some of
these crossbills that are being reported of late are hanging out somewhere.
Even better might be some of the larger stands of native Virginia and Pitch
pine that occur along ridges in the southeastern counties. We also heard a
number of Purple Finches in the area of the commonly visited pine grove that
sometimes hosts Long-eared Owls, as well as a few flyover Snow Buntings.
Seven Bald Eagles were seen, but in general not many raptors. All water is
frozen so waterfowl are few and far between.

Later, we met up with Ryan Steiner and his father at Big Island. We saw a
half-dozen Northern Harriers working the massive fields on the north side of
route 95, and Ryan had a Short-eared Owl there before we arrived. A handful
of American Pipits were around, as well as a few more flyover Snow Buntings.
The best bird here was a tough Marsh Wren lurking in cattails in the large
impoundment farthest to the west along the north side of LaRue-Prospect Rd.



Jim



Jim McCormac

Columbus, Ohio

Like nature? Visit my blog: http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/

Like birds? Join the Ohio Ornithological Society: http://www.ohiobirds.org






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