In an entirely arbitrary manner, I chose 2003 to contrast with 2010 Ohio
reports of shorebirds during the last week of July, with results of 2003
appearing below. Note that some major potential producers of shorebird
records at that time of year--like the upper end of Hoover Reservoir in
Delaware Co, Pipe Creek WA, the Lorain impoundment, and the Crane Creek
estuary--were not productive, so another year might have produced far
larger numbers. It looks like these one-time power-spots for shorebirds
will have little to offer this coming week, either.
        I invite readers to look at what appeared on this list in 2003--when we
had far fewer members--with four-figure numbers involving 18 species
during the last week of July 2003 versus the same period in 2010, which
begins today. Perhaps discrepancies, should they seem obvious, can be
explained in some way, but I don't think numbers of observers (which
seem to be larger now), overall shorebird breeding success in 2010
(which reportedly has been pretty good this summer), or weather (which
thus far would not discourage migrant touchdowns here), will explain
lower numbers this year, should that be the case.
        Eighteen species were reported during this period in the migration
season in 2003, with unusually large numbers in Marion and Wyandot
counties (and unusually low ones at the traditional spots mentioned
above). Along Lake Erie, only Conneaut and the Sandusky Bay marshes were
reported as shorebird venues. No doubt there are all kinds of biases in
the comparison, but it's still worth looking at what reports emerge
during the coming week, and comparing them with 2003, which wasn't by
any means a bumper year for Ohio shorebirds. As we hear reports from the
field, think it over.
More later,
Bill Whan
Columbus



LAST WEEK OF JULY, 2003
25 July: Rick Counts reported the following from a Wyandot Co cornfield
with a clogged drain tile:
Semipalmated plover-2
Killdeer-35
Lesser yellowlegs-12
Solitary sandpiper-13
Spotted sandpiper-2
Short billed dowitcher-2
Semipalmated sandpiper-18
Least sandpiper-4
Pectoral sandpiper-24

The same day, Dan Sanders reported these from Big Isl WA:
Killdeer, 125
Lesser Yellowlegs, 74 in one scope sweep
Greater Yellowlegs, 2
Pectoral Sandpiper, 42
Solitary Sandpiper, 11
Semipalmated Sandpiper, 7
Short-billed Dowitcher, 5
Least Sandpiper, 6
Spotted Sandpiper, 4

On 27 July, I reported from Big Isl (Marion Co.) this:
"Yesterday we had well in excess of a thousand shorebirds--semi plovers,
killdeers, both yellowlegs, solitary and spotted SPs, one sanderling,
semipalmated and least SPs, pectoral SPs, short-billed dowitchers, and
two Wilson's phalaropes...Nice as they are, no tip of the hat is due for
the migrant shorebirds at BIWA. As in nearly all appearances of their
habitat in recent decades, this one was not intended to benefit these
birds but came as a result of maintenance of dikes. Accidental habitat,
that is. It'll shortly be fixed, another boat-deep stagnant carp-filled
pool restored to our large inventory."

The same day, Bob Royse reported shorebirds in Columbus:
"There is a fairly large accumulation of shorebirds right now at
the McKinley Rd. quarry in Columbus. The water level there is lower than
I've ever seen it with some good shorebird habitat. Unfortunately there
aren't really any vantage points to look in there besides the top of the
Indian mound. That's too far away for my lowly scope to be of any use,
but birds are in there for sure."

The same day, Rick Counts reported from two other Wyandot locations:
C.h.44:
Killdeer-40
Lesser yellowlegs-12
Solitary sandpiper-11
Short-billed dowitcher-6
Semipalmated sandpiper-16
Western sandpiper-2
Least sandpiper-6
Pectoral sandpiper-28
T.h.42:
Killdeer-11
Lesser yellowlegs-9
Solitary sandpiper-2
Least sandpiper-2
Semipalmated sandpiper-4
Pectoral sandpiper-5

That day, Sylvain Houpert reported the following from Pickerel Creek:
"Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers
(15), Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs (1),
Dowitchers, probably short-billed (3), Spotted
Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper (1), Pectoral Sandpiper
(1), Semipalmated Plover (2)."

On July 28, Joe Sedransk and Dave LeGallee reported from Conneaut:
Least sandpipers (~20)
Semipalmated sandpipers (~10)
Killdeer (6)
Semipalmated plover (6)
Sanderling (3)
Pectoral sandpiper (2)
Short billed dowitcher (5)
Spotted sandpiper (5)
Lesser yellowlegs (1)
Greater yellowlegs (1)

The same day, Counts reported from some Wyandot Co areas:
Avocet-1
Killdeer-80
Greater yellowlegs-8
Lesser yellowlegs-115
Solitary sandpiper-3
Spotted sandpiper-3
Short-billed dowitcher-7
Stilt sandpiper-3 breeding plumage!!!
Semipalmated sandpiper-6
Least sandpiper-24
Pectoral sandpiper-46

C.h.44-which is drying up fast
Killdeer-10
Lesser yellowlegs-12
Solitary sandpiper-5
Short-billed dowitcher-3
Semipalmated sandpiper-12
Least sandpiper-3
Pectoral sandpiper-7

C.h.42
Killdeer-12
Semipalmated plover-1
Lesser yellowlegs-95
Solitary sandpiper-2
Spotted sandpiper-1
Least sandpiper-3

The same day, Su Snyder reported from Funk WA:
74 Killdeer
8 Gr Yellowlegs
96 L Yellowlegs
2 Solitary SP
1 Spotted SP
3 SB Dowitcher
4 Semi-palm SP
8 Least SP

On the 29th, Larry Gara reported for Cowan Lake:
4 Spotted Sandpipers, 3 Solitary Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs and
about 15 Killdeer

The same day Regina Schieltz had in Darke Co:
at least 30 yellowlegs. It was difficult to count, but definitely more
lesser than greater.
at least 30 killdeer
1 least sandpiper

On 30 July, Dan Sanders reported from Big Island WA:
total numbers of shorebirds; well over 1,000 total with Killdeer and
Pectoral Sandpipers dominating. Eleven species were seen as follows
(greatest to least in numbers):
- Killdeer
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
- Least Sandpiper
- Solitary Sandpiper
- Short-billed Dowitcher, 5
- Greater Yellowlegs, 4
- Spotted Sandpiper, 3
- Wilson's Phalarope, 2 juveniles
- Semipalmated Plover, 1

On the same day, Bob Powell reported from Cowan Lake:
I found all the species that Larry reported -
Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs.  In
addition, I found what I believe to be two juvenile Western
Sandpipers.

On the same day, Rick Counts reported from Wyandot Co:
T.h.42

Killdeer-40
Semipalmated plover-1
Greater yellowlegs-3
Lesser yellowlegs-16
Solitary sandpiper-2
Spotted sandpiper-3
Short-billed dowitcher-2
Stilt sandpiper-2
Semipalmated sandpiper-4
Least sandpiper-14
Pectoral sandpiper-5
Sora-1
Common egret-1

C.h.110
Killdeer-95
Semipalmated plover-5
Greater yellowlegs-13
Lesser yellowlegs-76
Solitary sandpiper-4
Spotted sandpiper-5
Short-billed dowitcher-6
Stilt sandpiper-2
Semipalmated sandpiper-16
Least sandpiper-34
Pectoral sandpiper-52

On the same day, Eli Elder reported from Conneaut:

Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
S. P. Plover
Least Sandpiper
RED KNOT

Then on 31 July Gabe Leidy reported from Conneaut:
Black-bellied Plover  3
Semipalmated Plover  39
Killdeer  10
Greater Yellowlegs  31+
Lesser Yellowlegs  26+
Spotted Sandpiper  2
RED KNOT  1  adult
Sanderling  3
Semipalmated Sandpiper  92
Least Sandpiper  42
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER  2  adults
Pectoral Sandpiper  5
Stilt Sandpiper  17
Short-billed Dowitcher  18
WILSON'S PHALAROPE  2  juv.

As editor of the Ohio Cardinal at the time, in addition to the above I
also received significant reports of 320 Killdeers and 200 pectoral SPs
at BIWA 27 July.

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