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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