Birders in southern Michigan and at states west of Ohio know that sod,
or turf farms, often attract buff-breasted sandpipers, American
golden-plovers and other shorebirds. Grand Haven sod farm at Ottawa County,
Michigan, among the several southern Michigan sod farms has attracted
buff-breasteds, including 15 on September 5, 1970. Twenty-five
buff-breasteds were seen at H & E sod farm at Kankakee County, Illinois on
September 19, 2008. A sod farm at Chisago County, Minnesota had 110
buff-breasted sandpipers on September 1, 2007.
     There used to be a large sod farm at southern Huron County,Ohio at the
old Huron bog, where up to 200 American golden-plovers and a dozen
buff-breasteds were seen in autumn in the early 1980s. After a couple of
consecutive severe drought summers the farm was plowed up and vegetables
are currently grown there.
     Ohio currently has several sod farms. In the Cleveland area, Medina
Sod is at southern Medina County, near routes 71 and 76. Medina Sod also
has a farm east of Orrville, Ohio, along Burton City Road. I have been to
this sod farm once and saw a few Am. golden-plovers. The trick to birding
at sod farms is to be there on several dates. Blue Velvet is a sod farm
near Mayfield Road, Chesterland, Ohio.
     Southwest Ohio has sod farms at Xenia Turf, near the Greene County
airport, at Green Velvet sod farm northeast of Dayton, and at Harper Turf
farm, a large sod farm near Blanchester, Ohio, east of Cincinnati and
northwest of Indian Creek Wildlife Area.
     Other Ohio sod farms include Hickory Valley farm, near Bremen, Ohio
near Lancaster, and Cygnet Turf near North Baltimore at Wood County.
     Additional information can be found about these sod farms on the
internet.
     Obviously, Ohio is not at the center of the buff-breasted sandpipers
autumn migration corridor. However, when quality habitat exists birds tend
to find it. Ohio may not get 100 buff-breasteds but lesser numbers are a
distinct possibility.
     The best time to visit these sod farms is during the peak of
buff-breasteds migration, from late August until late September. A few
buff-breasteds have already been seen in Ohio this "autumn". Sundays and
early evenings, when the farm workers are not present, is the best time to
visit, especially after a northwestern weather front has moved thru.
     Remember that these sod farms are PRIVATE PROPERTY, so entrance onto
them is by permission only. Considerable resources go into these sod farms
to produce "perfect grass".
     If a sod farm is not near where you live, recently mowed hay fields or
recently harvested agricultural fields can attract buff-breasted
sandpipers, Am. golden-plovers, etc. A few autumns ago a couple
buff-breasteds were found at a recently green-chopped corn field at Ashland
County, Ohio.
     Good birding,
     John Herman

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