Greetings Birders-

There has been three reports of American Woodcocks in Northwest Ohio in the
last two days.

Doug Vogus had one during the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge monthly census
on Sunday that was calling and doing the mating flight at dusk - southeast
of the employee parking area.

Todd Crail reported a Woodcock calling on Sunday evening at Irwin Prairie,
which is located 35 miles west of Ottawa NWR on the west side of Toledo and
south of Secor Metropark. According to Greg Links, this is a new record
early date for this bird for the Toledo Area. The last early record was Feb
9, 1976. 

I had a bird in flight tonight in my headlights at Maumee Bay State Park on
the road not far from the sledding hill between the two woodlots heading
west toward the open field on the west side of the Cottonwoods. Last year I
didn't have my FOY Woodcock until March 1st.

Just to give you an idea on the difference between the weather last year
around this date in February. On February 5, 2011 I shoveled six inches of
snow off my driveway. On February 10, 2011, the temperature on my Weather
Channel Station outside read -7°F. I am located 1/4 mile from Lake Erie
around the corner from Maumee Bay State Park. According to the Weather
Channel's website, single digits are not forecasted for the next ten days
and either is any snow accumulation. The Woodcocks will be happy! I have to
admit, it was a bit strange to hear a Killdeer in Toledo last week in
January. Last year I didn't have one until March 9th. It seems like the
Red-winged Blackbirds will be singing any day now! I had Horned Larks on the
beach at Maumee Bay SP during lunch today.

Good Birding!

Sherrie Duris
Vice President/Field Trip Coordinator
Toledo Naturalists' Association

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