- RBA 
* Ohio 
* Statewide 
* September 14, 2009
* OHST0909.14

- Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species)

Little Blue Heron
American Avocet
Willet
Upland Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Red Knot
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Baird’s Sandpiper
CURLEW SANDPIPER
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Wilson’s Phalarope
LONG-TAILED JAEGER
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Sabine’s Gull
Black Tern
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Common Raven
NORTHERN WHEATEAR
Golden-winged Warbler
Lark Sparrow

- Transcript

This is the Ohio Rare Bird Report for September 14, 2009. 
Compiler: Gabe Leidy. Email: [log in to unmask]
 
Species in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE REVIEW LIST SPECIES. Details of these sightings are desired by the Ohio Bird Records Committee. Careful observation, not ornithological expertise, is the only qualification for submitting your data. For details and pointers see: http://www.ohiobirds.org/records/documentation.php

Little Blue Heron:  Rob Thorn discovered a juvenile among a large wading bird gathering at 3-Creeks MetroPark in Columbus 28 Aug.  The immy at Lake Logan, Hocking, first detected by Jim Fry 12 Aug was joined by a second bird 7 Sep (Dave Horn), both still present 11 Sep (Jim Fry).  On 13 Sep, Kim Adelson found an adult bird at 3-Creeks MP.

American Avocet:  Darlene Friedman reported a brief visit by one at Maumee Bay SP’s inland beach 30 Aug.  An impressive “18-22” touched down at Conneaut ever-so-briefly 7 Sep (Chris Pierce).   On 3 Sep, one visited Hueston Woods SP’s Acton Lake (Laura Keene, David Russell).  

Willet: A bird endured the Conneaut beach traffic 27-29 Aug (Craig Holt), and others were present here Sep 7 (Chris Pierce), 9, and 12th (Craig Holt) - perhaps involving the same bird.

Upland Sandpiper:  A out-of-place migrant dropped onto the sandy shores of Conneaut Harbor 30 Aug (Jay Lehman, Gabe Leidy).  The very same morning, at 3:16 a.m. to be exact, Dave Slager’s nocturnal call recording station picked an Uppie’s flight note over Columbus.

Whimbrel:  Jerry Talkington and Suzanne Wagner viewed a latish bird, uncharacteristically strolling around the mudflat at Conneaut 11 Aug.

Red Knot:  Nearly daily reports from Conneaut Harbor 27 Aug - 12 Sep (Craig Holt, m.ob.), involved a molting adult bird which lingered for quite some time and possibly others?  The inland beach at Maumee Beach SP also hosted a knot for an extended period of time, this bird a juv. - 1-5 Sep (Kenn Kaufman, Sherrie Duris, m.ob.).

Western Sandpiper:  A cooperative bird at Conneaut 13 Sep provided the only report (Bob Finklestein, Jim & Patty Heflich, Lukas Padegimas).

White-rumped Sandpiper:  “Several” were at Pickerel Creek WA for Bill Heck and the Columbus Avids 29 Aug.  An adult dropped by Conneaut 30 Aug (Jay Lehman, Gabe Leidy), and another 12 Sep (Craig Holt).  Sherrie Duris reported one at ONWR 12 Sep.

Baird’s Sandpiper:  The best place to find the species in the state is Conneaut Harbor, with records Aug 27, 28, 29 (two - all Craig Holt), and 30 Aug (two - Jay Lehman, Gabe Leidy) and Sep 4 (Jen Brumfield, et al), 5 (three - Craig Holt), 7 (three - Chris Pierce), and 11 (Jerry Talkington, Suzanne Wagner).  Berlin Reservoir also features good, dry flats, and hosted three Baird’s 28 Aug (Kent Miller, Ben Morrison.).  Significant for Wood Co. were two birds in a flooded field near Bowling Green 11 Sep, which has been attracting a few other shorebirds (Tom Kemp).  Tom’s directions: “Specifically, they were at the SE corner of E. Wooster and Dunbridge right next to the Holiday Inn Express, a block east of I-75.”

CURLEW SANDPIPER:  Craig Holt briefly viewed a juv. of this species at Conneaut Harbor 12 Sep.  He and Bob Kingsbury noted the birds unfamiliar flight call upon arrival, and after it settled onto the mudflat, Craig was able to approach closely along the shoreline and view the bird at close range before it departed suddenly.  If accepted, this would constitute the sixth state record.   

Buff-breasted Sandpiper:  A Buffy, perhaps the same bird, was located at Berlin Reservoir 27 Aug (Kent Miller, Ben Morrison) 6 & 9 Sep (Emil Bacik, Gregory Bennett, Gabe Leidy).

Wilson’s Phalarope:  Shortly before it closed for hunting, Pickerel Creek WA hosted one 29 Aug (Bill Heck).  ONWR had a bird 12 Sep (Sherrie Duris), and Willow Point WA one 11 Sep (Larry Richardson).

LONG-TAILED JAEGER:  A blustery front blew a young bird close to shore for John Pogacnik’s 30 Aug lake watch in North Perry, Lake.  It was headed west and described in detail by Pogacnik, based on a minute or so-long sighting.

Lesser Black-backed Gull:  A third-year individual was observed at Conneaut Harbor 28 Aug (Craig Holt), and second-yr and adult birds 6 Sep (Emil Bacik, Gabe Leidy).  Two second-cycles were off the East Harbor SP beach 11 Sep (Kenn Kaufman).  

Sabine’s Gull:  On the same blustery 30 Aug. lake watch which produced a Long-tailed Jaeger, an immature of this rarest of non-review species was also observed headed west (John Pogacnik). 

Black Tern:  Two were a Licking Co. first for Margaret Bowman 28 Aug.  Two were observed on John Pogacnik’s 30 Aug lake watch.  

Olive-sided Flycatcher.  A bird was observed fly-catching along the Towpath Trail in Summit 4 Sep (Doug Vogus).  

Common Raven:  Lou Gardella observed a bird over NASA property in Cuyahoga 31 Aug, an extremely significant record for the area.

NORTHERN WHEATEAR:  While heading out to pick potatoes early in the a.m. 12 Sep, Emery Yoder deftly picked out this bird on his family farm near Bunker Hill, Holmes.  Word quickly spread to the birding community and birders have flocked to the spot to enjoy this cooperative rarity, still present this morning, 14 Sep (Deb Neidert, Ben Warner).  The birds overall coloration suggest that it is of the Greenland race ‘leucorhoa,’ and it is a first year bird, though unidentifiable to sex in the field.  This is the third Ohio record, and the first two stayed for extended periods.  The address is 3948 Township Road 414, Dundee, Ohio 44624 and is most easily accessed from S.R. 62.  All visitors are welcome.

Golden-winged Warbler:  Jared Mizanin discovered a male at the Stark Wilderness Center 13 Sep.

Lark Sparrow:  Two Cleveland-area records on back-to-back days were extremely noteworthy.  On 4 Sep, a juv. at Headlands Beach SNP was the first recorded in 44 yrs. at this extensively birded park (Marilyn Rohr, Ben Winger, m.ob.).The next day, Nancy Anderson discovered another at nearby Wildwood SP, this bird an adult.

- End transcript

Gabe Leidy
Cleveland, OH




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