Kimberly and I just got home a few days ago, but I've had a couple of
chances to check out shorebird habitat here in Ottawa County, n.w. Ohio.
 With all the rain of the last few weeks, water levels are high in most of
the managed impoundments and other traditional sites.  On the other hand,
the rain has created many flooded spots in agricultural fields all over the
area.  Within the last few days I've seen small groups of Lesser Yellowlegs
and Short-billed Dowitchers at a number of flooded fields throughout the
area, and we've seen seven shorebird species flying over our house, which
is north of Oak Harbor and five miles south of Lake Erie, surrounded by
farm fields.  There are certainly hundreds of shorebirds in Ottawa County
now, perhaps thousands, using these temporary and "unofficial" habitats.
 The situation is not at all convenient for birders, but it works out for
the birds.

One of the most accessible concentration points has been southeast of Magee
Marsh, on the north side of Bodi Road just east of Lemon Road.  Viewing is
tough here, as the water is distant from the road and partly obscured by
tall grasses, but with some persistence there today I was able to spot
eight shorebird species.  The most notable were one juvenile Wilson's
Phalarope and two adult Stilt Sandpipers.  The others were 21 Killdeer, 6
Greater Yellowlegs, 65 Lesser Yellowlegs, 8 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 4
Least Sandpipers, and 35 Short-billed Dowitchers.  Aside from the phalarope
(and probably some of the Killdeer), all of these birds were adults, as
expected at this date.

People often talk about looking for "early" shorebirds in July, but it's
normal for several species to show up by the first few days of the month.
 In fact, the peak southward migration of adult Short-billed Dowitchers is
right now - generally from around the 10th to the 15th of July, in my
experience - and we're getting close to the peak for adult Lesser
Yellowlegs as well.  Numbers of other species will be picking up soon.  So
it's worthwhile to find some habitat and check it out if you can.  If the
rain holds off, some of the flooded impoundments could start to show good
mudflats in the coming weeks.

Kenn Kaufman
Oak Harbor, Ohio

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