Leslie Sours and I visited Hardin, Wyandot and Marion Counties in search
of grassland birds. When we scheduled the trip the weather was predicted to
be mild with a high of 83. What we got was hot with a high of 90. We drank
water all day to remain hydrated. The birds did better than the weatherman.
We saw birds from Bald Eagles to Willow Flycatchers with their beaks open
gasping to try to not overheat. Through heat, dust and insects we birded on
and compiled a decent list of species. It’s difficult to say which species
pleased Leslie the most but I think the candidates are an adult Bald Eagle
perched about 50 feet from us, Dickcissels that came out in very good
numbers to sing for her, a juvenile Orchard Oriole that posed for Leslie to
have its picture taken, or the Sandhill Cranes. My pick for the day is the
Sandhill Cranes that were at the same location that I first discovered them on
June 29th.
We began at T-64 in Jackson Township, Wyandot County where Dickcissel
still rule. They were around us in every direction. Many perched atop grass
stalks and short trees singing hardily. Joining them were Common
Yellowthroats, Savannah Sparrows, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Eastern Kingbirds
and Orchard Orioles. One juvenile Orchard Oriole was atop a low shrub
right at the edge of the road. It stayed put as we took pictures.
Our next stop was T-50 in Jackson Township, Hardin County. Numerous
additional Dickcissel joined by Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks and numerous
sparrows. Many of the sparrows were a repeat of the Wyandot species but they
were uncooperative, dashing about the grasses and dropping down before we were
able to get a good look. We got just enough of a look to whet our appetite
for more. At one point we thought we had located a Henslow’s Sparrow. It
was just far enough away to plant doubt in your mind. It appeared to have a
flat head but we had heat waves distorting the image and the bird refused
to sing. No song, no call. It will have to go down as an unidentified Little
Brown Bird.
We next worked Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area. An adult Bald Eagle perched
in a tree with its beak open, a picture that loudly said “I’m too hot!”
was on the west side of T-108. Another eagle, this one a juvenile, sat in a
dead tree watching the birds around the water below. Common Yellowthroats
lived up to their name and were everywhere. We located many Yellow Warblers,
Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Meadowlarks and Cedar Waxwings. Only one
hummingbird was found all day but we did better with Trumpeter Swans when we
located an adult with four cygnets trailing behind. At the same pond there was
several Pied-billed Grebes with young and several Wood Ducks with varying
numbers of ducklings, the wildest being a hen with about 15 to 20 ducklings.
One Hooded Merganser was sitting atop a small log at the water’s edge. We
made a pass by where Logan and I located Sandhill Cranes on June 29th.
Today, eight days later the cranes were at the same location and making
themselves very viewable.
The last stop was at Big Island Wildlife Area. Things were slower here but
we stopped at the last pull off before the barn on Prospect-La Rue Road.
There was a bird calling from the grasses that sounded familiar but did not
match the suspect species when we tried to nail down its identification. I’
m still working on sorting it out. Music will have to wait as I listen to
my bird sound tapes. The call has to match something. I heard a few wrens
calling from the grass and tried to phish one out into the open. I expected
a Marsh Wren as I have located them at this location in the past. Instead
out came a Sedge Wren. I guess I shouldn’t complain as the unexpected bird
is better than the expected one.
Hot, dry and dusty we headed for home. Now if I can get enough Killdeer
Plains dust off the car I’ll be able to tell what color it is once again.
A list of species follows.
Charlie Bombaci
SPECIES LIST
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Sedge Wren
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
______________________________________________________________________
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]
|