Today was a beautiful early spring day at Shawnee. The arrival of breeding birds is right on schedule. It is only March 13, and nothing really unexpected was found for the date.

38 EASTERN PHOEBES were counted. I surely could have found many more if I covered more roads and if they didn't take a singing break at mid-day. They seem to be back at nearly full force and are already paired up.

13 PINE WARBLERS were counted, all singing males. They are just beginning to arrive apparently. Except for only one bird, they were absent from their stronghold on the ridges in the southern part of the forest. It was warm, but windy up there, and some could have been up there but quiet. They were easier to find in the northern part of the forest, even though I only quickly drove down a few roads there at mid-day. I detected no females yet. It is only March 13th after all.

5 RUFFED GROUSE were seen. Like Brad Sparks last week, I had good luck actually seeing them too. I found all five in quick succession soon after dawn by the side of the roads on southern ridges. After the 5th one, it finally occurred to me, duh, that I should get a camera out of the trunk ready to go. So I then did, but failed to see another grouse the rest of the day. Oh well. Live and learn. All five were red-phase birds and blended well with the dead oak and hickory leaves on the forest floor. I heard no drumming from any grouse yet. Usually, in April, that is the only clue to their presence. Apparently if you want to actually see them easily, you have to arrive at dawn in March.

Half hardy species such as Yellow-rumped Warbler, Winter Wren, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Hermit Thrush weren't noted at all. I found all those species easily in January when I went down there for some ticks on my January list. Either I overlooked them all (very possible), or they headed south when the cold snap arrived.

Song Sparrows were widely scattered as singing territorial birds and migrant flocks as they are in central Ohio now. Dark-eyed Juncos were abundant in small flocks throughout the forest.  Swamp, White-throated, and White-crowned (at the marina) were only seen in small numbers. There was no sign yet of Chipping or Field Sparrows. Eastern Towhees were more numerous than they were in January, but were still very thinly distributed. I heard them calling here and there throughout the forest, but only heard two actually singing.

Of the permanent woodland residents, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and Carolina Wrens were all moderately vocal, but not at peak.  Drumming woodpeckers were conspicuous at dawn, but were silent most of the rest of the day.

The Scioto River bottomland was obviously no longer nearly as flooded as it was last week for Brad Sparks, but there were still many places that held flood water and birds. Unfortunately, Moore's Lane isn't one of those places anymore. It has been drained and plowed. South of Rt. 52 at the junction with 239 offered a good spot to pull out the scope. There were several hundred Ring-necked Ducks, almost as many Green-winged Teal, numerous Canada Geese, Mallards, Wood Ducks, American Wigeons, Lesser Scaup, N Pintails, and a few each of C. Goldeneyes, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, and probably other stuff that escapes my memory now.  At least 5 BLUE-WINGED TEALS (previously  noted by Brad) remain with  the Green-winged flock. I couldn't find any other shorebirds besides Killdeers there, but I did look for Brad's yellowlegs unsuccessfully. There is lots of great habitat to be seen while driving north along Rt. 104 on the way home, but there aren't many good places to stop and pu
 ll out the scope. A bit further north, still in Scioto County, I was able to pull off to scan a flooded cornfield and found 16 Wilson's Snipes. Further north, in Pike County about 1 mile south of Lake White, there is a good place to pull over near a locked red gate to scan the flooded fields. There I found many Killdeers, 2 Wilson's Snipe, and 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, my first of those this year.

It was fun start to spring birding in southern Ohio!

Bob Royse


Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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