When I arrived at the general location of the Long-eared Owl sighting,
several people from Pennsylvania were trespassing in the refuge, looking
for the the owl. They were in the field, walking along the shrub line. They
gave up after not being able to locate it. When they walked back to their
car, I said something to them about the red signs (they walked right past
one as they went into the refuge). The man laughed, kept saying, "Okay,
okay." and then they left. I heard him tell someone that when he was there
on Saturday, a man showed him where the owl was resting so he brought
people with him to see it. They had cameras and were just looking for a
photo-op. Shortly after I left, I passed an ODNR pick-up driving north
toward the spot. Perhaps someone reported them. This behavior gives birders
a bad name, and I'm concerned that it will have a negative impact on those
of us who bird there responsibly and on a regular basis.

After they left, a few other birders arrived a little further away, located
the owl, and we all got beautiful views. I took a few photos with my phone
through my scope, and another lady asked to do the same. There was
absolutely no need to leave the road.

Other highlights:

At the causeway, I saw all of the waterfowl that Roger Redmond mentioned
yesterday. The Long-tailed Ducks were stunning.

In the refuge:
a single Killdeer standing near the muddy edge of a snow-covered section of
a cornfield,
three Bald Eagle nests with one adult in/near each one, and two additional
birds were seen elsewhere in flight,
a pair of Red-tailed Hawks mating in a tree,
a Red-headed Woodpecker,
and a large white gull flying with a group of Ring-billed Gulls. It was
much larger than the others, about the size of a Herring gull, but it flew
out of view before I could get my binoculars on it.

Judy Hochadel
Champion Township, Trumbull County

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