A Blue Grosbeak has been on territory in the old Claycraft dump in east Gahanna for over a week now.  Despite the industrial surroundings, the bird can be easily heard and tracked from several pulloffs along Claycraft or Science Blvd; look for it in the scruffy edges bordering the golf course that has been developed on the crest of the old dumpsite.  The course also offers a startling view down on the Port of Columbus Airport, as it sits on a low hill just east of the airport.  Just be careful of the truck traffic, as there is quite a bit of it here.

This bird is just the tip of a swarm of recent sightings of this species around Columbus & central Ohio over the last 2 seasons.  Nesters have been found in several different locations, including old quarries and redeveloped areas from several locations on the south edge of town.  Walnut Woods may be the epicenter of this invasion, as MetroParks Resource Manager John Watts has found several birds on territories on the site of this new MetroPark southeast of Groveport.  Key to finding them seems to be finding their favored habitat: clumps of locust trees in the middle of successional fields or wasteland.  Since these birds can sing well into late August, central Ohio birders should keep an ear out for their loud, rolling, Purple-finch-like song.

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