A month or so ago, I discussed some first Ohio county records for 
various bird species. Obviously, most species have been here for a long 
time, and only the rarer ones (maybe 100+ spread across 88 counties) 
have "first" records.
        I find, ahem, that Franklin County and central Ohio rank far higher 
than I reckoned at the time. Franklin County has twelve first records, 
and the adjacent six counties thirteen more (most found by Franklin 
County birders). I dare to suggest that Franklin County ties with 
Cuyahoga for second place, only to Lucas County in first records for the 
state, but I could be wrong (I find one Cuyahoga record--western 
meadowlark--actually belongs to Lucas, which ties us). I welcome careful 
lists that might prove me wrong.
        Here are the data I'm using: twelve Ohio species were first recorded in 
Franklin County: Cattle Egret, Mississippi Kite, Prairie Falcon, Rufous 
Hummingbird, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bell’s Vireo, Black-throated Gray 
Warbler, Green-tailed Towhee, Bachman’s Sparrow, Harris’s Sparrow, 
Yellow-headed Blackbird, and Bullock’s Oriole.  It was Franklin County 
observers for the most part who added thirteen first state records in 
the six adjacent counties: Eurasian Wigeon, Cinnamon Teal, King Eider, 
Common Eider, Golden Eagle, Purple Gallinule, Franklin’s Gull, 
Black-legged Kittiwake, Magnificent Frigatebird, Harris’s Hawk, 
Long-billed Curlew, Ruff, and Spotted Towhee. I bow to Lucas County, but 
who else can do better?
Happy new year to all,
Bill Whan
Columbus

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