Killdeer - 150+
Lesser yellowlegs - 2
Greater yellowlegs - 1
Spotted sp - 2
Least sp - 2
NOIDS - 2
Great blue herons - 35
Belted kingfishers - 2
Barn swallows
Mute swan ("escapee") ?
 
Received the following note from John Habig about shorebirds in Englewood  
Dam area.  It was published in the Auk in the 1920s.  Interesting  
comparison.  Englewood lake has been drying up badly.  Steady rains  would be the 
only solution as the "renovation" project seems to be having a  negative effect 
on the water levels.  
 
Ed and Bev Neubauer
Englewood, Ohio
 
SOME SHOREBIRD RECORDS FOR THE MIAMI VALLEY, OHIO
BY BEN J.  BLINCOE
Having near at hand a rather favorable locality for the study  of
shorebirds during the autumn migration, I have had the good fortune
to  observe several species apparently of rather rare occurrence in Ohio
except  in the lake shore region. The species here mentioned were
observed at  Englewood dam, located on the Stillwater River about
ten miles north of the  city of Dayton and one of the five great dams
forming a system of flood  prevention in the Miami Valley. During
the dryer parts of summer and early  autumn, coinciding with the fall
migration of these birds, numerous mud flats  and islets appear about
the small lake above the dam, offering to passing  sandpipers and
plovers a wayside resting station. In identifying the  following species
I have used 8x binoculars, and have consulted Chapman’s  “Handbook,”
Dawson’s “Birds of Ohio,” and othen books and literature in the  
ornithological
periodicals pertaining to nearby localities.
NORTHERN  PHALAROPE. Lohipes lobatus. A single bird was observed
on September 7, 1921;  the following note referring to this individual
is extracted from my  notebook: “It was extremely active,
even appearing nervous; swimming about  rapidly it frequently took
wing, flying a short distance (a few feet or  several yards‘), dropping
back into the water, nearly always turning about  suddenly after alighting.
Seemingly it pursued a course in one direction no  longer than
a few seconds, then turning quickly proceeded in the opposite  direction
or, perhaps, took wing, but almost immediately returning to  the
water. These actions I attributed to its oceanic habitat where  obviously
the bird must act quickly to avoid an impending wave. It was  not
seen running along the shore during about thirty minutes  observation,
30 The Wilson Bulletin-March, 1929
though once it was seen on  a small gravel-bar where it went to arrange
its feathers after having bathed;  here a Killdeer ran at it,
knocking down and walking over the phalarope.  After this uncouth
reception it again took to the water nearby.” With half a  dozen
shorebirds near the phalarope it was possible to compare its  size,
length of bill, etc., and color markings were readily  observable.
DOWITCHER. Macrorhamphus lymnodromus griseus. One was
observed  at close range on July 15, 1927, in company with Yellowlegs,
Pectoral and  Semipalmated Sandpipers. It is probable that this
bird is referable to the  subspecies scolopaceus; Dawson states that
both forms are rare migrants in  Ohio, and Butler makes the same
statement for Indiana; however Butler states  that “of all the references
to the Dowitcher only one refers to the  short-billed form” (g&ens).
STILT SANDPIPER. Micropalama himantopus.  About sunset of
July 15, 1927. I discovered one of these birds in company  with about
sixty individuals of several common species of shorebirds. It was  inclined
to associate mainly with a group of about fifteen  Yellow-legs,
and while these fed principally in shallow water, the slightly  smaller
and much darker sandpiper was singled out as confining its  feeding
activities on the mud flat. As the bird tilted the tail upward in  reaching
down to pick up food, the heavily barred underparts were  very
noticeable and a decided contrast with the light underparts of  the
Yellow-legs; there was a distinct line over the eye contrasting  with
the dark crown; even the rufous coloring about the back of the  head
was perceptible, while comparison of bill and legs with all  species
present was easily accomplished. Its actions closely resembled  no
other species present, the bird appearing less vivacious than  its
associates.
RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. Pelidna alpina sakhabina. A flock of  five
was observed on October 18, 1924, and a single individual on  November
16, 1924.
SANDERLING. Crocethin alba. A single bird was observed  on September
13, 1925,.
WILLET. Catopthrophorus semipalmatus. While  observing a
mixed flock of shorebirds on August 16, 1924, a Willet glided  down
to the mud flat alighting within thirty feet of me. It appeared as  a
giant beside the Yellow-legs, the largest birds present before its  arrival
; in flight the broad white band through the wing was quite  conspicuous.
The bird quickly perceived that it was under observation
and  flew to a small island about fifty yards distant. A local game
Easter Birds  of Little Egypt 31
warden, who also saw this bird while I watched it,  remarked that it
was the first “curlew” he had ever seen here. The  subspecific identity
of this bird is, of course, questionable; Dawson does  not attempt to
designate the geographic race to which belongs the single  specimen
mentioned in his “Birds of Ohio.”
GOLDEN PLOVER. Pluvialis  dom.inica dominica. Two observed
September 16, 1923. Although once common as  an Ohio bird its
recent scarcity suggests publication of my only record for  this locality.
PIPING PLOVER. Aegialitis meloda. A single bird  observed
August 16, 1924; accompanied several other species on a mud  flat;
a Semipalmated Plover near it rendered identification doubly  certain.
Dawson remarks that this is a rare bird in the interior of  Ohio.
In addition to the eight species above referred to, ten members
of  the Zimicolae occur at Englewood Dam more or less regularly as
migrants and  two species, the Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper, breed
quite regularly.  Whatever may have been the effect on the land birds.
the building of this dam  certainly has had a salubrious effect on
waterbird life.

Ben and and his wife Edith Blincoe were nature writers for the two Dayton  
newspapers for many years.  
 
 

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