I spent about 2 ½ hours searching for late shorebirds (mostly) in the
morning here (DeLorme p.67 C/D-6&7), focusing on the exposed upper-end
mudflats of the reservoir and the new wetlands off Egypt Rd., north of New
Holland.  The former was pretty quiet, with 50 Ring-billed Gulls, 30
Bonaparte’s Gulls, 1 sub-adult Bald Eagle, and 5 Wilson’s Snipes the only
highlights.  Although I didn’t explore the whole reservoir, it seemed devoid
of waterfowl on this final day of the early duck-hunting season, with only 1
Hooded Merganser noted.  The wetlands were more entertaining, with a small
number of 6 shorebird species: 20 Killdeer, 7 Greater Yellowlegs, 1 Lesser
Yellowlegs, 3 Dunlin, 4 Least Sandpipers, and 2 Wilson’s Snipes.  A few
American Pipits joined them, and others flew by periodically.  The birds
were largely unalarmed by a hunting female Northern Harrier, but a buzzing
MERLIN put them all up quickly before moving off.  Small numbers of sparrows
were about, including Song, Lincoln’s, White-crowned, White-throated, Am.
Tree, and Dark-eyed Junco.  The scrubby woods along the walk out to these
wetlands held a small assortment of songbirds, including 3 Yellow-rumped
Warblers, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Northern Cardinal, and a
roving band of Blue Jays.

Avian Blessings to you all!

Eric Reiner

Ashville, Ohio  


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