I was inspired by Robert Royse's recent reports and went to the Big Bailey / Utah Ridge area of the Wayne National Forest in Athens County today. I stopped at several spots along New Floodwood Road (off 33 south of Nelsonville), Utah Ridge Road, and Big Bailey Run Road down to the Big Bailey Wetland. Although I missed the earlier morning hours, bird activity was decent, likely because of the overcast and rather cool day. 

I could identify 13 warblers, including a nest-building Prairie Warbler, a dead leaf cluster probing Worm-eating Warbler, and a singing Kentucky Warbler. Blue-winged, Hooded, and Yellow-Rumped showed up at more than one spot, Nashville, Common Yellowthroat, Blackburnian, Yellow, and Black-throated Green Warblers only on one of the eight spots. Ovenbirds and a Yellow-breasted Chat were only heard. 

Other thin-billed twig hoppers included several Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and several White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireos. The Big Bailey wetland/pond had a Purple Martin among the Tree and Northern Rough-winged Swallows. 

Some White-throated Sparrows were still around, and Summer and Scarlet Tanagers as well as Baltimore and Orchard Orioles added color.

The eight checklists with a total of 49 species can be seen at

http://ebird.org/ebird/subnational2/US-OH-009/activity?yr=all&m=   

Good birding--

Stefan Gleissberg
Athens, Ohio
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