Hi all,

Tom Bain, Cheryl Harner and I went to Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area in Wayne
County today, and were not disappointed. At the location described by others
recently, we had six different Le Conte's Sparrows. One was exceptionally
cooperative and teed up nicely for an extended period, allowing us ooh and
ahh looks, and some photos although the light was not optimal. We met a nice
gentleman there from Colorado, visiting Funk briefly while on travels to
Cleveland for business, and he also was able to view the birds.

If you try, park at the observation deck and walk along the dike headed
south. About 1/2 mile down or so, there'll be a mowed path off to the right.
The birds were in the wetland at the SW corner of these trails. There is a
big patch or two of a conspicuous plant known as River Bulrush,
Bulboschoenus fluviatilis, and the Le Conte's were in that, or some patches
of Soft-stemmed Bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, of which there is
also a patch or two. They seem to like these bulrushes. The River Bulrush is
robust - four-five feet tall - and will remind you somewhat of corn plants
without the cobs. Another plant that is abundant in this wetland, and forms
most of the now brown biomass, is Water-plantain, Alisma subcordatum. These
old plants are only a foot or two tall, cover much of the now exposed mud,
and are loaded with fruit. Not my intent to turn this into the "Ohio Plants
Listserve", but I think it is this combination of nice native wetland flora
that has the Le Conte's hanging out here, along with a number of species of
smartweeds and some tasty grasses that had plenty of fruit.

We also flushed about 30 Wilson's Snipe from this wetland, and had nine
Sandhill Cranes flying over.

Later, we met David Kirsten and Beth McGuire at Wellington Reservior in
Lorain County - just south of the namesake town a bit west of State Route
58. By far our best bird there was a Red-necked Grebe. There were plenty of
American Coot, Ruddy Duck, a few Redhead, and a Lesser Scaup as well.

Jim

Jim McCormac
Columbus, Ohio
Like nature? Visit my blog: http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/
Like birds? Join the Ohio Ornithological Society: http://www.ohiobirds.org

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