I stopped by Spring Valley Wildlife Area last evening arriving at about
5:30 pm.  I walked the trail on the west side of the impoundment from the
dam parking lot north to the point where the trail leaves the edge of the
marsh.  I also visited the boardwalk and tower after my walk.  There are
still migrating waterfowl present but not as many as in the past month.
The highlights were Sandhill Crane, Virginia Rail, Rusty Blackbirds.  A
single Sandhill Crane flew out of the northeast corner of the
marsh-impoundment and flew southwest over the marsh, impoundment and dam
before it disappeared from view.  I saw this bird between 6:00 and 6:30.
Sora was seen this weekend at Spring Valley WA, so I whistled the
"chu-weeee" call of Sora while on the boardwalk. No response and no Soras
seen.  While returning from the tower, near the entrance to the boardwalk
a silent Virginia Rail, responding to my Sora whistle, flew up out of the
marsh to the east, flew across the boardwalk right in front of me and then
disappeared into the marsh grass.  This was my first Virginia Rail for the
year.  I did not find the Little Blue Heron that was reported by Frank
Frick yesterday, April 1, on Cincinnati Birds.com.  Between 7:00 and 7:30
pm, Red-winged Blackbirds started returning to roost in the marsh near the
boardwalk.  I found 9 Rusty Blackbirds mixed in with the flocks of
blackbirds that stopped in the treetops of the wooded area just to the
east  of the boardwalk.   There were a few Brown-headed Cowbirds mixed in.
 In the impoundment and the marsh, the were at least 200 American Coot, 4
Ring-necked Duck (1 m, 4 f), 4 Pied-billed Grebe, 6 Wood Ducks and 24
Blue-winged Teal and one female Bufflehead.  The Sandhill Crane was in the
NE location of the marsh where two birds where seen last spring through
early summer.  Maybe they are back again!  Hope so.
Jay

Jay G. Lehman
Cincinnati, OH
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