Hello birders,
     With early Canada goose and teal hunting season now in, many areas
previously accessible for shorebird birding are now closed to birders.
Other areas for shorebirds that can be viewed by birders often have
waterfowl hunters in abundance - hence few or no shorebirds present.
     Now is a good time to check sod/turf farms, with areas found by doing
an Ohio sod farms search on the internet, for buff-breasted sandpipers,
American golden-plovers, Baird's sandpipers, etc. One hundred
buff-breasteds were found at a sod farm near Minneapolis, Minnesota in
mid-September 2007. This sod farm has had 50 to 80 buff-breasteds, multiple
other autumns.
     I would recommend checking sod farms on weekends, especially Sundays,
when workers are not present. Checking these areas after a north weather
front moves thru should be productive.
     A major movement of red crossbills is occurring at Minnesota and
Wisconsin recently, with 4,000 birds observed at Duluth since August 14.
The Minnesota single day high count for red crossbills was set August 19,
when 365 red crossbills were observed flying over Hawk Ridge, Duluth.
     It's almost a "given" that Ohio will have flocks of red crossbills
this winter. I can't wait.
     Good birding,
     John Herman

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