Thirteen years ago, I wrote a little article entitled "Accidental
Habitats, Benign Neglect: Shorebirds in Ohio." It pointed out that
shorebird species on Ohio's list numbered 47, more than any other group
of birds, and lamented that hardly anyone managed stopover spots for
them, and that few of their existing natural migratory habitats have
been allowed to persist.
        The numbers of shorebirds being found this fall may be the best we've
seen since that day. A lot of them are here for incidental reasons:
breeding success in the Arctic has apparently been much better than
usual, largely due to climate warming.  Daring birds arriving first at
the breeding grounds were rewarded, food sources such as insects were
prolific, and we have surviving adults and extra juveniles migrating as
a result. Given climate trends, this may continue in years to come...at
least until continuing climate warming may start to work against
shorebird breeding success.
        The numbers of local stopover habitats for shorebirds have also been
exceptionally good. Lake Erie levels are down, and especially in the
northwest the few watercourses still allowed to connect to the Lake are
down as well: think of the Huron River, the Chaussee, the Crane Creek
estuary.
        Ohio is blessed with few natural lakes, but reservoirs--such as Hoover,
Mosquito, Ladue, Berlin, etc.--have low water and many more mudflats
than usual. Even Division of Wildlife properties--where shorebirds have
low management priority--are attracting more migrants.
        Drought has even drawn down bodies of water like rivers, widening
banks, exposing gravel bars, etc. All of these natural changes in water
levels have benefited migrant shorebirds. The City of Columbus, for
example, is taking out its dams, and the removal of the first of them
has already produced new shorebird sightings.
        Most rewarding of all has been new awareness of shorebirds and their
habitats, and intentional efforts to attract them. Federal properties
such as Ottawa have newly been managed to benefit these long-distance
migrants.  Enlightened city and county park systems have built shallow
wetlands into their plans--think of the many new records here in the
Franklin County Metro Parks, or more established spots in the Lorain
County system like Sandy Ridge. And finally there are the usual Lakeside
spots, like the harbors at Lorain and Conneaut, where human activities
have benefited shorebirds without the slightest intention to do so.
Let's enjoy these prodigious travelers while we can, and wish them well.
Bill Whan
Columbus


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