OHIO-BIRDS Archives

June 2007

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From:
Rob Thorn <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Thu, 7 Jun 2007 05:45:05 -0400
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Sorry for the late post, but I've been in final grading mode (too busy).  This trip was run 2 mornings ago, and I visited most of the forest patches along southern & central Alum Lake, as well as a few shore areas.  Water level is quite high, so shorebirds & gulls were almost nil.  No obvious landbird migrants, but plenty of interesting residents.  Highlights included:

Shorebirds - Spotted Sandpipers were displaying in the old gravel fill area between the dam and the beach, which would seem a likely nest spot.  1 lonely Ring-billed Gull haunted the beach (where 300-500 can sit during the Fall & winter).

Yellow-billed Cuckoos - many calling and even singing, in several areas, highlighted by 3 along the Maple Glen trail.  Is it just me, or is this species more common this year?  No Black-billeds, but they're much less expected in these fragmented forests.

Flycatchers - 16-18 calling Acadians at Maple Glen were a healthy number for this species.  This site, just south of the Horseman's Camp on Howard Rd, is perfect habitat for them: small ravines bisecting old maple-beech forest.  They may be maxxing out this site, however, as I saw several pitched battles where the chasing and bill-snapping were intense.

Swallows - Cliff swallow colonies conitnue to survive at the dam and the Cheshire causeway, but the recent colony at the St. 37 bridge is not there this year, possibly scared off by the recent construction along this stretch of the road.

Vireos - Yellow-throateds were at several sites, competing for sonic bandwidth with the more numerous Red-eyeds.  They're uncommon- rare in the mostly maple-dominated woodlands of this State Park, except for a few areas.

Thrushes - no migrants, but Wood Thrushes were fluting at several locations.  Highest number were 4 at Maple Glen, but I didn't try Hunter's Hollow where they can be even more common.

Warblers - no migrants, but several local specialties were on display.  Ceruleans were singing at 2 spots: 2 were at Fisherman's Ravine (just south of St.37), while another 3 were at Maple Glen.  I couldn't find any evidence of nesting yet, however.   Louisiana Waterthrushes were feeding nestlings at the New Galena Mountain Bike Trail (which runs around a very scenic ravine area), while another bird was being defensive in one of the ravines at Maple Glen.  Finally, a Parula was singing just south of the Howard Rd. boat ramp.  This is a new spot for this species, but would fit with their recent expansion in many areas of central Ohio.

Tanagers - Scarlets appeared on territory at Fisherman's Ravine and Maple Glen, but not at either of the Mountain Bike Trail ravines.  I couldn't find any Summer Tanagers, but the habitat wasn't optimal.  They seem to prefer the drier woodlands in the uplands of Hunter's Hollow and Alum Bluffs.


Rob Thorn
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EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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