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September 2009

OHIO-BIRDS@LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU

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From:
rob thorn <[log in to unmask]>
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rob thorn <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:23:45 -0400
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This morning I did some scouting for a Audubon trip next week, hunting around this MetroPark along Darby Creek, some 12 miles west of Columbus.  This is a good migrant corridor, with lots of different habitats, and I got a strong lesson in habitat specificity this morning.  I spent a good deal of time in secondary succesional fields and wood edges, and my list of birds really reflects this, demonstrating how when given the choice by nice weather, migrants will opt for familiar habitats.  There were several migrant flocks, and it was surprising how those in the woods differed from thoses around the edges.  Notables in 2 hours included:

Waterfowl - hardly any, even at Darby Bend Lakes, but not that surprising on such an early date.

Flycatchers - small #s, with a few Pewees, 2 Phoebes, and 1 Acadian.  The Willow Flycatchers that breed here have departed.

Swallows & swifts - Small flocks of swifts were at several locations, while 1 Tree Swallow at Darby Bend Lakes was probably the vanguard of a larger number of these late migrant swallows

Wrens - 11 House Wrens was notable, but no sedge wrens were found despite good habitat

Thrushes - 9-10 Swainson's were a good # for a spot with such limited forest.  In fact, though, I often find them along wood edges, and their habitat preferences in the West run to burn- and blowdown-edges in forests.

Mimids - 45 Catbirds and 5 Thrashers give you an idea of the scrubby habitat that dominates this area.

Warblers - Nashville, Tennessee (3), Magnolia (4), Bl.-thr.Green (4), Blackburnian (4), Cape May (3), Wilson's (1), and Com.Yellowthroat (18).  Yes, that's almost as many yellowthroats as the other warblers combined.

Icterids - no laggard orioles, but a late-ish flyover Bobolink was nice, as were early flocks of Redwings and Grackles.  These flocks can get much larger here later in Sept & October.

Sparrows - too early for many migrants, so a Savannah and 16+ Fields were likely local birds.  Sparrow #s can get sizeable here in October.

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