Wow, what a great morning to go birding. The air was dead still, so any
movement in the leaves had to be a bird. Sometimes, a little luck is
needed, too, but for some reason, I was able to see some birds that I
haven't seen in several year, including a couple that I have never seen in
Licking Co. before.
I started the morning at 6:30 at the Dillon Wildlife Area which is across
Toboso Road from the main parking lot of Black Hand Gorge. I really like
this area. It's state-owned with few limitations on access, and other than
an occasional fisherman, I rarely see any people. Most of the birds below
were seen in the Dillon WA area.
Around 10:00, I went to the Marie Hickey Trail, completing that loop by
11:45.
The birds below were seen at the Dillon WA area, unless otherwise noted.
The list:
Great blue heron
Green heron
Wood duck (20+ adults) - many with ducklings in tow
Turkey vulture
Cooper's hawk - at Stadden Bridge, where I stopped on the way home to check
for the eagles (whiff!)
Sora - within 10 feet - a first for Licking Co, although I have seen them in
the past at the Dillon Reservoir just a few miles east, but never so close
Barred owl- the first in several years - on the Marie Hickey Trail
Ruby-throated hummingbird - none in May, and 5 today - 2 males and 3 females
- what gives?
Hairy woodpecker - a female really making a racket - I wonder if a predator
was too close to her cavity?
Eastern wood-peewee
Acadian flycatcher
Willow flycatcher - a first ever at BHG; my first Licking Co. willow f/c was
last evening at the older wetlands at Dawes Arboretum, on Licking Trail near
Davis Rd.-2 in 2 days seems unbelievable to me!
Eastern phoebe
Great crested flycatcher - first of the year on Licking Co.
Cedar waxwing - apparently nesting!
House wren
Gray catbird
Wood thrush
American robin
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Carolina chickadee
White-breasted nuthatch - feeding fledglings!
Blue jay
White-eyed vireo
Red-eyed vireo
American goldfinch
Blue-winged warbler - Marie Hickey Trail
Northern parula - both locations
Yellow warbler
American redstart
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER - male and female, and I think I know where they have
their cavity! Why I never saw them in April or May - and I really searched
- is a real mystery, although the male was not very vocal this morning. See
postscript below.
Ovenbird - Marie Hickey Trail
Common yellowthroat
Hooded warbler - Marie Hickey Trail
Yellow-breasted chat
Scarlet tanager - Marie Hickey Trail
Eastern towhee - both locations
Song sparrow
Northern cardinal
Indigo bunting - both locations
Red-winged blackbird
Common grackle
Brown-headed cowbird
Baltimore oriole
44 birds for the day
Anyone interested in seeing my May Month List for Licking Co. (103 species)
can check out the OOS website, at
http://www.ohiobirds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1096#p1096
By the way, I made a quick trip out to the Dutch Fork Wetlands, Dawes
Arboretum yesterday evening. Other than the willow flycatcher, mentioned
above, I didn't actually SEE anything really spectacular. (I realize that a
willow flycatcher may not be considered very spectacular to some people, but
it was to me!) However, I think I heard a Prothonotary warbler in the
fence-row trees that border the old wetlands along Licking Trail Road just
south of Davis Road. The sweet-sweet-sweet call is pretty distinctive, and
I can't think of anything else it could have been. Anyone who birds in that
general area should keep an eye out for it. I'd love for someone to verify
this bird.
I wish you all the same joy I experienced today! Who says birding life
stops after migration?
Margaret Bowman
Licking Co., OH
______________________________________________________________________
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]
|
