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July 2011

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Tue, 5 Jul 2011 21:03:10 -0400
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Leslie Sours and I  visited Hardin, Wyandot and Marion Counties in search 
of grassland birds. When  we scheduled the trip the weather was predicted to 
be mild with a high of 83.  What we got was hot with a high of 90. We drank 
water all day to remain  hydrated. The birds did better than the weatherman. 
We saw birds from Bald  Eagles to Willow Flycatchers with their beaks open 
gasping to try to not  overheat. Through heat, dust and insects we birded on 
and compiled a decent list  of species. It’s difficult to say which species 
pleased Leslie the most but I  think the candidates are an adult Bald Eagle 
perched about 50 feet from us,  Dickcissels that came out in very good 
numbers to sing for her, a juvenile  Orchard Oriole that posed for Leslie to 
have its picture taken, or the Sandhill  Cranes. My pick for the day is the 
Sandhill Cranes that were at the same  location that I first discovered them on 
June  29th. 
We began at T-64 in  Jackson Township, Wyandot County where Dickcissel 
still rule. They were around  us in every direction. Many perched atop grass 
stalks and short trees singing  hardily. Joining them were Common 
Yellowthroats, Savannah Sparrows, Grasshopper  Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Eastern Kingbirds 
and Orchard Orioles. One juvenile  Orchard Oriole was atop a low shrub 
right at the edge of the road. It stayed put  as we took pictures.  
Our next stop was  T-50 in Jackson Township, Hardin County. Numerous 
additional Dickcissel joined  by Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks and numerous 
sparrows. Many of the sparrows  were a repeat of the Wyandot species but they 
were uncooperative, dashing about  the grasses and dropping down before we were 
able to get a good look. We got  just enough of a look to whet our appetite 
for more. At one point we thought we  had located a Henslow’s Sparrow. It 
was just far enough away to plant doubt in  your mind. It appeared to have a 
flat head but we had heat waves distorting the  image and the bird refused 
to sing. No song, no call. It will have to go down as  an unidentified Little 
Brown Bird.  
We next worked  Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area. An adult Bald Eagle perched 
in a tree with its  beak open, a picture that loudly said “I’m too hot!” 
was on the west side of  T-108. Another eagle, this one a juvenile, sat in a 
dead tree watching the birds  around the water below. Common Yellowthroats 
lived up to their name and were  everywhere. We located many Yellow Warblers, 
Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern  Meadowlarks and Cedar Waxwings. Only one 
hummingbird was found all day but we  did better with Trumpeter Swans when we 
located an adult with four cygnets  trailing behind. At the same pond there was 
several Pied-billed Grebes with  young and several Wood Ducks with varying 
numbers of ducklings, the wildest  being a hen with about 15 to 20 ducklings. 
One Hooded Merganser was sitting atop  a small log at the water’s edge. We 
made a pass by where Logan and I located  Sandhill Cranes on June 29th. 
Today, eight days later the cranes were  at the same location and making 
themselves very viewable. 
The last stop was at  Big Island Wildlife Area. Things were slower here but 
we stopped at the last  pull off before the barn on Prospect-La Rue Road. 
There was a bird calling from  the grasses that sounded familiar but did not 
match the suspect species when we  tried to nail down its identification. I’
m still working on sorting it out.  Music will have to wait as I listen to 
my bird sound tapes. The call has to  match something. I heard a few wrens 
calling from the grass and tried to phish  one out into the open.  I expected 
a  Marsh Wren as I have located them at this location in the past. Instead 
out came  a Sedge Wren. I guess I shouldn’t complain as the unexpected bird 
is better than  the expected one. 
Hot, dry and dusty we  headed for home. Now if I can get enough Killdeer 
Plains dust off the car I’ll  be able to tell what color it is once again.  
A list of species  follows. 
Charlie  Bombaci 
SPECIES  LIST 
Pied-billed  Grebe 
Great  Blue Heron 
Turkey  Vulture 
Canada  Goose 
Trumpeter  Swan 
Wood  Duck 
Mallard 
Hooded  Merganser 
Bald  Eagle 
Red-tailed  Hawk 
American  Kestrel 
Sandhill  Crane 
Killdeer 
Rock  Pigeon 
Mourning  Dove 
Chimney  Swift 
Ruby-throated  Hummingbird 
Red-headed  Woodpecker 
Downy  Woodpecker 
Northern  Flicker 
Pileated  Woodpecker 
Eastern  Wood-Pewee 
Acadian  Flycatcher 
Willow  Flycatcher 
Eastern  Phoebe 
Eastern  Kingbird 
Warbling  Vireo 
Red-eyed  Vireo 
Blue  Jay 
American  Crow 
Horned  Lark 
Purple  Martin 
Tree  Swallow 
Barn  Swallow 
Carolina  Chickadee 
White-breasted  Nuthatch 
House  Wren 
Sedge  Wren 
Wood  Thrush 
American  Robin 
Gray  Catbird 
Brown  Thrasher 
European  Starling 
Cedar  Waxwing 
Yellow  Warbler 
Common  Yellowthroat 
Eastern  Towhee 
Chipping  Sparrow 
Field  Sparrow 
Vesper  Sparrow 
Savannah  Sparrow 
Grasshopper  Sparrow 
Song  Sparrow 
Swamp  Sparrow 
Northern  Cardinal 
Indigo  Bunting 
Dickcissel 
Bobolink 
Red-winged  Blackbird 
Eastern  Meadowlark 
Common  Grackle 
Orchard  Oriole 
Baltimore  Oriole 
American  Goldfinch

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