Gina Buckey emailed me just now to report 14 Rusty Blackbirds found at
Hebron Fish Hatchery near Buckeye Lake, 30 miles east of Columbus (I70)
between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM today. They were feeding quietly on the ground,
then flew into wet woodlands.

Buckeye Lake was an expansive natural wetland when Europeans settled the
area. Early in the 19th Century the "Great Swamp" was dammed to create a
reservoir for the Ohio-Erie Canal. Today, development continues around the
lake. Only scattered wetlands and swampy woodlands remain. Bird life here
was documented during 12 years of work (1922-1934) by legendary Ohio
ornithologist, Milton B Trautman helped by members of the Columbus Audubon
Society.

"The Birds of Buckeye Lake." 1940. Misc. Publications, Museum of Zoology,
University of Michigan, No. 44

The loss of important winter and migration habitat like this swamp may be
the reason why RUBL populations have declined.

Tom Bain
Ohio Coordinator, Rusty Blackbird Hotspot Blitz

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