I'd add one thing to Troy's Ohio birding schedule for July--the Ohio
Breeding Bird Atlas!  Atlasing makes what would be a slow month into a
really happening month for birding in the state.

www.*ohiobird*s.org/obba2


Good birding,
Dave Slager

On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 2:08 PM, Katrina Heinzen
<[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Wow, Troy!  Thank you so much for that excellent summary!  I'm not
> necessarily "new," but really appreciate having all that info in one place
> and will pass it along to any new birders I encounter.  Thanks to Kenn for
> additional links and info as well!
> Sincerely,
> Katrina Heinzen
> Cleveland Heights
>
> On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 10:46 AM, troy shively <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I think its great to see so many new birders is Ohio.  For those of you
> new
> > to the area the OOS website ( www.ohiobirds.org ) has many great
> resources
> > including site guides for good places to see birds in all areas of the
> > state.  If I were an avid birder and I just moved here I would try to
> visit
> > the following places in the next year or so to maximize your Ohio/life
> list:
> >
> >
> >
> > March:
> >
> > 1. If you are into gulls, and it takes a special birder to be into gulls,
> I
> > would visit East 72nd Street in Cleveland as well as Eastlake Power Plant
> > and Lorain Harbor.  There are many other very worthy spots along the lake
> > for gulls and waterfowl, but these are often the best.
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. Another great March birding experiance is Killdeer Plains/Big Island.
> >  Short-eared owls are still around and all the other winter raptors can
> > still be found with not too much difficulty.  You also should have good
> > waterfowl numbers and a fair shot at rusty/brewer's blackbirds.
> >
> >
> >
> > April:
> >
> > 1. This is the spring shorebirding month, and I would return to Killdeer
> > Plains and Big Island. You have a shot to get about 15 species of
> shorebirds
> > if you spend a whole day there sifting through birds.  Most Aprils have
> > hundreds of American golden plovers in this area and woodcocks are
> usually
> > easily found at dust at killdeer.
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. Shawnee State Forest - Plan to spend a couple days down here the last
> > week of April.  You can easily get 20 warbler species, and you often get
> > good views.  A good map is needed, and I would follow the site guide at
> the
> > OOS website.  Also a night trip to the Edge of Appalachia Preserve should
> > get you whips and chucks.  On your way down, stop by Columbus to get the
> > yellow-crowned night heron.
> >
> >
> >
> > May:
> >
> > 1.  May is for marshes, and I would spend several days checking out the
> > following places for migrants and shorebirds: Magee Marsh, Ottawa
> National
> > Wildlife Refuge, Metzger Marsh, Mallard Club Marsh, Pipe Creek, Pickerell
> > Creek, Maumee Bay, and may others in that area.  You could easily get 150
> > species with some heavy birding on a weekend up there in May.
> >
> >
> >
> > June:
> >
> > 1. I would spend June cleaning up your year list by visiting a spot to
> get
> > grassland species.  its a long drive, but Crown City Wildlife Area is
> good
> > for lots of things including blue grosbeak.  Other good spots are: The
> > Wilds, Killdeer Plains/Big Island, Woodburry Wildlife Area and Glacier
> Ridge
> > Metropark.  Learning the songs before a visit is a must as often the
> birds
> > are down in the grass.
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. I would also visit the Oak Opennings/Irwin Prairie for lark sparrow,
> > summer tanager, blue grosbeak, and a host of other birds that are hard to
> > get anywhere else in Ohio.
> >
> >
> >
> > 3. Lastly, no June should go by without a visit to the Hocking
> Hills/Clear
> > Creek Metropark.  These are the best places to see nesting warblers such
> as
> > cerulean and worm-eating warblers as well as hermit thrushes and veeries.
> >  Check the site guides for more details.
> >
> >
> >
> > July:
> >
> > 1. This is a rough month because most of the June trips would still
> apply,
> > but the birds are only singing in the early morning.  I would suggest at
> > least one trip near the end of the month to Conneaut Harbor.  Go on a
> > weekday.  The shorebirds are tame here and you always have great variety.
> >
> >
> >
> > August/September
> >
> > 1.  These are also shorebird months, and I would visit the sites listed
> in
> > April as well as Conneaut.  Magee can be good these months for fall
> > migrants, and places like the Oak Opennings can always have something
> neat.
> >  Check the listserve these months to find the hot spots.
> >
> >
> >
> > October/November-
> >
> > 1.  I would take a trip to anywhere that sparrows are being seen in
> > numbers.  Often the old Collesium, Funk, Big Island, and Arcola Creek
> will
> > have Nelson's and/or Leconte's sparrows.
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. Hit the western lakes and resevoirs.  If you spend a day or two
> hitting
> > the following areas: Indian Lake, Grand Lake St. Mary's(especially the
> > hatchery), Buck Creek, Caesar's Creek, and the Lima reseviors, you should
> > have a good chance at getting one or more of the following: red-necked
> > grebe, eared grebe, laughing gull, franklin's gull, one of the scoters,
> > cackling goose.  Keep an eye out for sabine's and california gulls as
> well.
> >
> >
> >
> > 3. This is also a good time to look for brant, red phalarope, harlequin
> > duck, jaegers, gannets, eiders, and purple sandpipers at places like
> > Headlands Beach, Fairport Harbor, Conneaut and many of the other gulls
> spots
> > from March.
> >
> >
> >
> > 4. Decemeber/January/February
> >
> > 1. Do some CBC's for some real fun. I suggest the Kingston count on
> January
> > 1st.
> >
> >
> >
> > 2. Hit the Oak Opennings for a chance at siskins, crossbills, and other
> > winter finches.  The windows on wildlife feeders there are always worth a
> > check.
> >
> >
> >
> > 3.  hit the Killdeer Plains are for winter raptors and longspurs/snow
> > buntings.  A trip to The Wilds is always a lot of fun this time of year
> as
> > well.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > All in all this list should lead you to most of the regularly occuring
> > birds.  There are many clubs and organizations that lead tours and that
> is a
> > good place to start.  You can meet other birders from Ohio and often
> share
> > the gas cost. Like I said before, the site guides are nice, and if you
> watch
> > the listserve you will often get to see who are the "owners" of each
> local
> > patch.  They would be the people to ask about more specific birds. If I
> > could go only one place all year, I would go to Magee Marsh the second
> week
> > of May on a weekday.
> >
> >
> >
> > I hope all this rambling had some use:)
> >
> > Troy
> >
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> Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at
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>
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--
Dave Slager
Graduate Student
Terrestrial Wildlife Ecology Lab
School of Environment and Natural Resources
The Ohio State University
210 Kottman Hall, 2021 Coffey Road
Columbus, OH  43210-1085
[log in to unmask]

______________________________________________________________________

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