Hello All,
Sorry for the late report. Yesterday afternoon the long trek out to the
Ottawa NWR estuary (walk straight north from the old parking area) was
worthwhile, even though it was raining lightly. Based on Lake levels elsewhere,
we anticipated some exposed mudflats at the estuary, but there was none. The
usual gathering of resting gulls and terns was present there as well as in the
impoundment just to the South. This is where we found a juvenal-plumaged Little
Gull, among mostly Ring-billed and some Bonapartes Gulls, for a good size
comparison. This plumage of Little Gull is seldom seen here in Ohio, in my
experience, and this is a beautifully-marked bird. Moderate numbers of Herring
Gulls, a 1st-year Greater Black-backed Gull and an adult Lesser Black-backed
Gull were also located, as well as Caspian, Common and Forster's Terns. Among
the dozen or so Great Egrets, four Snowy Egrets were still present. This
impoundment offers some very good shorebird habitat, though only small numbers
of the expected shorebirds were found there today. This location should be well
worth the walk back there for the next few weeks of shorebirding as it is a very
close resting/feeding spot for migrating shorebirds along the Lake. Heavier
rains prevented our investigation of other nearby impoundments for shorebird
habitat.
Good Birding,
Dan Sanders
Columbus
Dan Sanders
42 Scioto St
Powell, OH 43065
614-596-5666
<[log in to unmask]>
"When a man destroys a piece of art we call him a vandal; when he destroys
a work of nature we call him a developer." Anonymous
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