Greetings birders -
 
During various parts of the afternoon I conducted a really relaxed "skywatch" over my place in Sharon Center (Medina County). I'm up on a ridge with a pretty decent amount of sky to search. During the 3 total hours I spent looking, the only millisecond-heart-pumping birds I had (that resembled, in silhouette, a very distant "tropical seabird") were two passing Ring-billed Gulls (which is actually quite odd here) and three Double-crested Cormorants soaring high on a thermal (going NE). 
 
What was interesting, from a local perspective: 
 
-no hawks....only two Turkey Vultures (you would think some raptors would've caught some of the air)
-at least 300+ Chimney Swifts flying SOUTH
-at least 125+ Common Nighthawks pushing SOUTH
 
With some gusts easily into the 55+ range, watching these swifts and packs of nighthawks push south into the ongoing storm was really pretty amazing. 
 
Please urge caution when birding in this type of weather. Although we feel rather "safe" in our humble suburban 'hoods', some pretty nasty gusts can come out of nowhere and surprise you. I had to make a quick run to the store, and there is debris littering the roads. I passed the same stretch of road twice; first time was clear.... on the way back ten minutes later there was a tree laying across the double-lane road. Some of the high-profile million-dollar SUVs were swerving a bit. A twenty foot-long Tulip tree limb is laying in my yard and the oak trees are getting absolutely brutalized by the winds. Just play it safe. There will always be birds to chase. Fortunately it looks like tomorrow will be much more calm. 
 
best of birding-
jen
 
Jen Brumfield
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Sharon Center, OH
 
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