This spring there have been numerous reports of Glossy Ibises around the
state, but I'm also aware of a couple of reports of White-faced Ibis,
including one at Metzger Marsh on April 26 and one in the Killbuck Marsh
area on May 11.  This evening (Tuesday May 29) I found one White-faced and
one Glossy Ibis at Metzger Marsh, n.w. Ohio.  The two birds were foraging
together along the edge of the extensive flats south of the dike that runs
east from the parking lot at the end of the road.  Like most of the other
birds present, the ibises were some distance away from the dike.  Through
the telescope it was easy to see the Glossy's dark slaty facial skin with
narrow border of pale blue skin, and the White-faced Ibis's red facial skin
with a smeary surrounding area of white feathers.  Without a scope, though,
it would have been impossible to identify these two birds with certainty.
Glossy Ibis has been recorded far more often in Ohio than White-faced, but
clearly we can't just assume that dark ibises are Glossies unless they're
seen well enough to prove that identification.

Also at Metzger this evening was an adult Laughing Gull.  It was resting on
the edge of the flats with a group that included about 50 Ring-billed Gulls
(mostly subadults), 20 Herring Gulls (all adults), 35 Common Terns, 7
Forster's Terns, 2 Black Terns, and 3 Caspian Terns.  Those are maximum
counts for each, because there was continuous turnover in the birds present.
Turnover seems to be a constant at Metzger right now.  This evening I saw
only three Black-bellied Plovers (but Kim and I had seen 64 there yesterday)
and no Red Knots (five yesterday).  Numbers of Ruddy Turnstones and Dunlins
also had dropped substantially, but this evening I had one Sanderling, three
Least Sandpipers, and two White-rumped Sandpipers, all missed yesterday.
Clearly, Metzger is worth a look for anyone birding the area over the next
couple of weeks, but do bring a telescope if you can.

Kenn Kaufman
Rocky Ridge, Ohio

______________________________________________________________________

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]