Delaware Wildlife Area, Delaware County; Jackson Township, Hardin
County; Jackson Township, Wyandot County; Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, Wyandot
County; and Big Island Wildlife Area, Marion County
Today I was joined by Darlene Sillick, Leslie Sours and Doug Whitman for a
day of birding aimed mainly at grassland birds. We kicked things off at
Delaware Wildlife Area in Delaware County. Our arrival was greeted by an
incredibly cooperative Red-headed Woodpecker that put on a show landing in
front of us and staying in the open for a very long time. As we slowly worked
our way along Leonardsburg Road we located Green Heron, Osprey, Willow
Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher, Marsh Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher,
Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting, Orchard Oriole,
Baltimore Oriole and others.
Next we headed north to Hardin County to get Doug two life birds, Bobolink
and Dickcissel. I took our crew to Jackson Township Road 50 where Doug
quickly got both lifers. The fields surrounding us had a conservative estimate
of 50+ male Bobolinks. They were popping up everywhere. The field was like
a popcorn maker missing its lid. The same fields had innumerable
Dickcissels calling from grass stalks and low shrubbery, plus a few calling from the
telephone wires above us. We estimated their numbers at about 30+. We got
many great looks at this beautiful songster. Just for kicks we added a few
eastern Meadowlarks and Vesper Sparrows.
I then moved us just over a mile to Jackson Township Road 64 in Wyandot
County. The fields on either side of us were full of Dickcissels, we
estimated their numbers at about another 30+. They were everywhere and many perched
and sang in the sunlight right in front of us. Doug was getting to really
like Dickcissels. Along the culvert we added Yellow Warblers, Common
Yellowthroats, Eastern Kingbirds, Orchard Orioles and a Grasshopper Sparrow. As
we travel along the road to head for Killdeer Plains we started stacking up
numbers for Red-headed Woodpeckers. Little did we think that the day would
end with us locating 19 Red-headed Woodpeckers, a high count for all of us
and a sigh the species is faring better. Combined with my field trip
Saturday I tallied 26 Red-headed Woodpeckers over the two days. Nice!
At Killdeer Plains we stopped for a lunch break that became eat and look.
We were serenaded by Yellow Warblers, Brown Thrasher, Willow Flycatcher and
Warbling Vireo. Back on the road we ran up more Red-headed Woodpeckers
including 7 adults at once on TH-123 at the Abraham Green Tree Marsh. Horned
Larks and Eastern Meadowlarks were plentiful along the roads and at Pond 3
we located Trumpeter Swans, Wood Ducks, Hooded Merganser hens, Pied Billed
Grebes and Yellow Warblers. At Pond 27 there were few waterfowl but we
Darlene and Leslie found a tree with separate Baltimore Oriole nests on both
sides. They contently watched as a female sat on her nest. One of the nests
was the lowest from the ground that I have ever seen. Any of us could easily
reach up and grab the low branch it was attached to.
Our final stop was Big Island Wildlife Area in Marion County. By now we
were at mid afternoon and activity had slowed to a crawl. We checked our Herr
Road and the viewing platform on SR 95. Pied-billed Grebe, Wood Duck,
Great Blue Herons were about all that was moving. We called it a day and headed
for home.
Of much surprise to us were some of the birds we did not locate. Species
such as Red-eyed Vireo, Bald Eagle, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Carolina Wren
and grassland sparrows. The absence of the sparrows was partially
understandable as there were gusty winds much of the day which likely kept them
hunkered down. Still I would have expected to at least hear them more than we
did.
Still, I’ll take the day as the overall weather was comfortable, the birds
located made a decent list, and my companions were first rate. A complete
list of our day’s finds follows.
Charlie Bombaci for,
Darlene, Leslie, Doug and myself
SPECIES LIST
Pied-billed Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Trumpeter Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Ring-necked Pheasant
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
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