There was a strong fall out this morning at Shawnee Lookout Park, which is located west of Cincinnati in the extreme southwest corner of the state and Hamilton County (Ohio Atlas, page 74, 1C). Overnight conditions were perfect with strong south winds and scattered storms and dawn broke with a low ceiling and light and scattered showers.

 

When I arrived at Shawnee at 8:30 AM, I immediately realized birding was going to be good, so I decided to keep an actual count for most species. From 8:30 until noon, I made frequent stops along Lawrenceburg Rd., which follows the Great Miami River, and then along the main road through the Park. I had 25 species of warblers and 101 species for the morning. Some species such as Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, House Wrens and Easter Towhees were abundant and obviously moving. A pair of Blue Grosbeaks has returned to Mt Nebo Rd. 

 

Some of the more notable species I had this morning included: Wild Turkey 11 (2 flocks, males displaying), Double-crested Cormorant 14, Great Blue Heron 4, Great Egret 1, Black Vulture 2, Turkey Vulture 20+, Cooper's Hawk 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 3, Peregrine Falcon 1 (Miami Fort Plant), Solitary Sandpiper 2, Least Sandpiper 7, Pectoral Sandpiper 5, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3, Pileated Woodpecker 1, Acadian Flycatcher 2, Least Flycatcher 1, Eastern Phoebe 2, Great Crested Flycatcher 9, Eastern Kingbird 1, White-eyed Vireo 9, Yellow-throated Vireo 6, Blue-headed Vireo 2, Warbling Vireo 8, Philadelphia Vireo1, Red-eyed Vireo 14, Tree Swallow 30+, N Rough-winged Swallow 15, Bank Swallow 12, Cliff Swallow 15, Barn Swallow 6, House Wren 32 (everywhere), Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10+, Veery 1, Swainson's Thrush 4, Wood Thrush 21, Gray Catbird 2, Brown Thrasher 1, Blue-winged Warbler 1, Tennessee Warbler 4, Nashville Warbler 2, Northern Parula 7, Yellow Warbler 19, Chestnut-sided Warbler 5, Magnolia Warbler 2, Cape-May Warbler 2, Yellow-rumped Warbler 3, Yellow-throated Warbler 2, Prairie Warbler 1, Palm Warbler 2, Blackpoll Warbler 1, Cerulean Warbler 3, Black-and-white Warbler 1, American Redstart 4, Prothonotary Warbler 1, Ovenbird 2, Northern Waterthush 1, Louisiana Waterthrush 1, Kentucky Warbler 3, Common Yellowthroat 22, Hooded Warbler 2, Wilson's Warbler 1, Yellow-breasted Chat 8, Summer Tanager 1, Scarlet Tanager 13, Eastern Towhee 33, White-throated Sparrow 2, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 4, Blue Grosbeak 2, Indigo Bunting 24, Orchard Oriole 13 and Baltimore Oriole 27 (Not a typo).

 

Jay Stenger

Cincinnati, Ohio 

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