OHIO-BIRDS Archives

December 2007

OHIO-BIRDS@LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU

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Subject:
From:
Craig Holt <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Craig Holt <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:51:06 -0800
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Greetings---lots of good birds in Ashtabula Co. today.  Started off at Conneaut harbor.  This site is often very good, but underbirded, in late fall, early winter, and early spring.  Highlights were:  30 Am. black ducks, 3 n. pintails, canvasbacks, redheads, both scaups, 2 ring-necked ducks, buffleheads, c. goldeneyes, white-winged scoter, 2 long-tailed ducks, 2 hooded mergansers, common mergansers, red-breasted mergansers, 3 ruddy ducks, pied-billed grebe, bald eagle, Am. coots, Bonaparte's gulls, 35 great black-backed gulls, horned larks, 14 snow buntings, and a flyby flock of 25 common redpolls.  Just west of the harbor along Rte. 531 I came across a dead barred owl on the road :-(.  It basically had no head left--similar to a roadkill screech-owl I found last winter.  Great horned owl predation, or just roadkilled?  Then on to Ashtabula Harbor...not much of note, except a raft of 350 common mergansers & 25 red-breasted mergansers with lots of attendant gulls behind the
 power plant.  A couple-few snow buntings were at Lake Shore Park (heard only).  I searched high and low for snowy owl and purple sandpiper at Conneaut and Ashtabula with no luck.  Then I headed south towards Pymatuning along some narrow, icy roads east of Rte. 7.  Along one stretch, I encountered Travel At Own Risk and then No Winter Maintenance signs.  Since I was looking for (very) rural-type birds, I was encouraged by these signs.  Let's just say after a "bypass" on one dirt road that lead through the edge of a pasture/farm field, I was happy to get back on pavement.  But soon after this I was rewarded with a flock of 8 snow buntings right along the roadside.  I also was seeing red-shouldered hawks, Am. kestrel, juncos, and Am. tree sparrows on this route.  Then along Pymatuning Lake Rd in Richmond Twp. I encountered a mix of 35 horned larks, 12 more snow buntings, and 2 Lapland longspurs.  A couple of local residents acted like I was a terrorist or something, but
 another offered help.  I smiled and waved at all of them....just leave me alone, I thought.  At least the local Amish folks feel the same way.  At Pymatuning Res. a couple of great blue herons looked out of place standing on the ice.  South of the causeway there was open water, with bufflehead, c. goldeneye, hooded mergs, common merg, ruddy duck, and plenty of ring-billed gulls.   After a short "visit" with an Ohio State Patrolman ( No sir, I wasn't the one stopping right on the causeway backing up traffic)  I figured it was time to head home.  Here at the backyard feeders in Lowellville the last couple days, by the way, c. grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, and a red-winged blackbird were the most unusual visitors.  The first song sparrow of the month (!) also put in a cameo.  Matter of fact, I only saw 1 song sparrow all day today.  Anyone else notice their absence lately?         Craig

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