Six hours at The Wilds failed to turn up the reported golden eagle, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. I met a couple of birders who had come down from Cleveland to search for it, too, and we exchanged cell phone numbers. I never got a call, so I assume that they came up empty as well.
I did have 7 rough-legged hawks: 4 light morph, 3 dark. Also several kestrels, lots of red-tailed hawks, two northern harriers. A couple of the ponds are still un-iced, and had a few mallards, a couple gadwall, about 50 ring-necked ducks and a few lesser scaup. I had about 20 Canadas fly over, with no obvious snows, cacklers, etc. Also, 5 swans, also fly-overs, probably trumpeters. Other than a few American tree and song, there weren’t many sparrows. Of interest – to me – were at least 21 cardinals all feeding together in the grass to the south of International Drive near Route 284. When I got there around 9, I counted 16. Later, I counted 18. On my final run along International Drive, I counted 21 and there could have been more. I don’t know what they were finding to eat, but they stuck around that same area all day. There weren’t any other species feeding with them, as far as I could tell.
Had hoped for that golden eagle as a Christmas present, but I’ll have to put it on the list for Santa next year.
Happy birdy Christmas,
Margaret Bowman
Licking Co., OH
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