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May 2010

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Sat, 22 May 2010 22:15:39 -0400
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Jim Fry and I birded in Hardin, Wyandot, Marion and Delaware County Saturday afternoon. I had been house-bound for a few days and cabin fever caught up to me. Jim arrived from his place near Clear Creek and we were off and running. Some days things just go right and this was one. We started in Hardin County checking favored back roads for grassland birds and we were not disappointed. Bobolinks were everywhere and putting on a show. We noted the presence of females which explained the attitude of the males as they were getting territorial. Then we caught the call and located Dickcissel both in the grass and posing on the wires. Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows were in evidence as were many Eastern Meadowlarks. The nearby wetlands were viewed from the road with a spotting scope. Present there were Sora and Blue-winged Teal. As we headed from the area a Wild Turkey hen strutted across the road. 

We next birded at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area. Common Yellowthroats were every place one looked along with many Yellow Warblers. At Pond 3 there were Wood Duck hens with their young, Hooded Merganser hens with their young, a Pied-billed Grebe with its young, Trumpeter Swans on their nests, and a pair of Ruddy Ducks. The Upland Reservoir and Pond 27 were a zip for us but in a flooded field on the south side of CH-68 we located 7 Dunlin in breeding plumage, a Spotted Sandpiper and a White-rumped Sandpiper. In another flooded field we located 3 Semipalmated Plovers and a Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Next we were off to Big Island Wildlife Area. As we headed south on SR 203 I pulled over and in a flooded field were 18 Black-bellied Plovers in breeding plumage. They clustered close and all 18 were in the same sight picture. I continued on for less than a mile when I again pulled over. This time we had a flooded field with 33 Dunlin. 

At Big Island Wildlife Area we checked Herr Road and only found Blue-winged Teal and an Adult Bald Eagle on the south side of SR 95. At the viewing platform off SR 95 we located more Blue-winged Teal but nothing else of interest. We next checked the stops off Prospect-La Rue Road. Here we located Pied-billed Grebes, Blue-winged Teal and Swamp Sparrow. With no signs of locating anything else without tying up our time we headed south again.

Our last stop was my home grounds, The Hoover Nature Preserve. We walked the old roadbed in Area N. If we had any more Prothonotary Warblers we would have needed a fly swatter to defend ourselves. I didn’t do a count but a conservative number would be in double digits which is not bad considering it was then 7:30 PM (not prime birding time for song birds). Area A also produced Red-headed Woodpeckers, Baltimore Orioles, Warbling Vireo, Wood Thrush, Cliff Swallows and Osprey. 

Charlie Bombaci, for myself and Jim Fry
 
 
 



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