I spent a few hours scouring this State Park & Reservoir north of Columbus for migrant waterfowl and landbirds this morning. I started with an hour of hiking around New Galena access, where a surprising amount of late migrant landbird activity was still a-wing. Later, I visited the beach area, Berlin Station access, and SummerRidge access, mostly looking for waterfowl. Notables included:
Common Loons - 22 were scattered around several areas of the lower reservoir, although few were down near the dam. Best site was SummerRidge, which had 17-18; they seem to like feeding in the main channel just south of the Cheshire causeway.
Other waterfowl - hardly any. A few small flocks of Mallards and a flock of 20 Ruddy Ducks at SummerRidge were the best. Berlin Station was stunningly empty.
Gulls - still mostly Ring-bills, but the bigger numbers are now up on flats near the Cheshire causeway, where 200+ were lounging, including a fair number of Bonapartes and Herring.
Bald Eagle - a soaring adult flushed up most of the gulls near the bridge.
Horned Larks - fly-overs were at most stops, including 4 at New Galena
Thrushes,Waxwings - Robins were down (only had 6 all morning), but Bluebirds were still on the move (I had 16 fly-overs, 12 at New Galena alone). 5 Cedar Waxwings at New Galena was late for them there.
Brown Thrasher - 1 was still foraging along the trails at New Galena.
Sparrows - Tree Sparrows were widespread, present at most stops. Most true migrants are gone, but 20+ White-throateds and 1 Fox remained along the trails at New Galena.
Blackbirds - their late migration continues, with small flocks flying over New Galena all the time I was there, totaling 300+ birds. Couldn't find anything else with them save for 1 Common Grackle
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