We just got back in time to beat the storm from a fine afternoon birding at Pipe Creek Wildlife Area near the entrance to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio (turn right by the McDonald's)- and the waste water treatment plant. Pipe Creek WA is a series of man-made mitigation wetlands (ponds) with some wooded areas.  Near the parking area are a couple of picnic tables and a canoe/kayak launch for the Big Island Preserve and Water Trail (not to be confused with the Big Island WA) and trash barrels.  There are no porta-potties (don't forget the McDonald's...).  You can check ODNR's website if you are interested in kayaking in the area or need a map.  The ponds are set up in a sort of pentagon which has devices for lowering and raising the water levels.  There is currently not much in the way of mudflats.  We walked the outer perimeter trail of the pentagon and saw over 50 species of birds- though some escaped before we nailed the ID- including some other warblers.  The trail is a little over 2 miles long.  This is an especially good place for beginners to see a little of everything- and there were some nice surprises.  It really was fun. I have listed the species we saw in order around the perimeter trail- we went clock-wise to give another small group some space- they were going counter clock-wise.  I met a nice couple from Canada who helped me identify one of the Baltimore oriole songs. 1.  American robin2.  Common grackle3.  Northern rough-winged swallow4.  Tree swallow5.  Canada goose (with young)6.  Great egret7.  Downy woodpecker8.  Northern cardinal9.  American crow10.  Blue jay11.  House wren12.  Great crested flycatcher13.  Double-crested cormorant14.  Mallard (with young)15.  Great blue heron16.  Herring gull17.  Chestnut-sided warbler18.  Brown-headed cowbird19.  Baltimore oriole20.  Swainson's thrush21.  Black-and- white warbler22.  Ruby-crowned kinglet23.  Yellow warbler24.  Yellow-rumped warbler25.  Black-throated blue warbler26.  Eastern kingbird27.  Cedar waxwing28.  American goldfinch29.  Red-bellied woodpecker30.  Killdeer31.  Red-winged blackbird32.  Mute swan33.  Turkey vulture34.  White-throated sparrow35.  Magnolia warbler36.  Indigo bunting37.  Black-crowned night heron38.  Ring-billed gull39.  Lesser scaup40.  American coot41.  Pied-billed grebe42.  Barn swallow43.  Willet44.  Mourning dove45.  Marsh wren (and nest)46.  Ruddy duck47.  Spotted sandpiper48.  European starling49.  Caspian tern On the way home we spotted a chipping sparrow and house sparrow at the McDonald's. At Pipe Creek WA we also saw many northern water snakes (I hope some were Lake Erie)- some working on making more water snakes, Eastern garter snakes, leopard frogs, cottontail rabbits and an assortment of butterflies and dragon/damselflies.  There were some small swarms of midges (food!!).  We got no mosquito bites or ticks (that I have found so far...), though the grass was much higher than past years at this time- and of course most trees were fully leafed out. Kathleen Bradley and Jay Abercrombie

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