2/11/2009
OSU campus, Franklin County
I did a little birding on campus this afternoon before the rain came
in, hoping for some flyover icterids, killdeer, or turkey vultures, or
maybe something better. No luck with any early migrants on my short
walk. There were 11 Black-crowned Night-herons at the Drake Union and
2 Peregrine Falcons roosting on the north tower, however.
Best of all though was a Pine Warbler at the north end of the pine
stand north of the Drake Union. This is almost certainly the same
overwintering male bird that I saw at the Drake Union on January 13,
although I know of no sightings since and I pass through this area at
least a few times a week. When I first spotted this warbler I was
confused because the entire face and throat were dark black, forming a
spectacular black hood! Thoughts of hybrid warblers went through my
mind before I decided the the hood was most likely just a stain. The
Olentangy River flooded last night bringing up some sediment, and the
OSU grounds crew was also putting down some fresh topsoil today. I'm
assuming the bird got its head dirty foraging in one or the other.
An interesting observation was large numbers of dead fish, and fish
parts, floating down the Olentangy among the flood debris. I saw a
female mallard trying to eat one but it wasn't successful.
For anyone interested in birding this area, check out www.osu.edu/map
and search for Drake Union. This will also let you view the satellite
photo of where the pine stand is.
Good birding,
Dave Slager
Columbus OH
--
David L. Slager
Graduate Research Fellow
Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Lab
School of Environment and Natural Resources
The Ohio State University
210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1085
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