Today we took advantage of the weather and headed to
Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area in Wyandot County. The winds were gusting off and
on but it didn’t prevent us from having a day with several nice surprises.  Activity was steady and something seemed to
pop up wherever we went. The biggest surprise of the day though has to be a
Golden Eagle we observed near Pond 27. We had been watching two Bald eagles
when it flew in and landed near the Bald Eagles. Its golden tints on the head
and throat and the dark bill left no doubt as to the identification.
The ponds had much less waterfowl diversity than just a
week previous and the Upland Reservoir is currently so low that sandbars are
exposed. The fields throughout the wildlife area are wet with many large areas flooded
creating habitat for shorebirds. Shorebirds numbers and diversity were minimal
today but if the fields remain flooded they may soon produce both variety and
numbers.
In the flooded fields we located Greater Yellowlegs,
Lesser Yellowlegs and Pectoral Sandpipers. The best area was on the south side
of CH-68. Killdeer were seen in many areas.
Waterfowl included the usual masses of Canada Geese and
Mallards along with high numbers of Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall and lesser
numbers of American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler and Ring-necked Ducks, plus small
numbers of Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Hooded Merganser, Lesser Scaup, Wood
Duck and Ruddy Ducks. 
Trumpeter Swans were at Pond 27 and the wetland along
TH-108.
Many Pied-billed Grebes were at Pond 3 where they nest
most years.
American Coot were so common as to be almost a nuisance
species
Birds of prey included a few Northern Harriers,
Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels in addition to the Bald Eagles and the
Golden Eagle.
We had a male Ring-necked Pheasant display for us a mere
6 feet from the car. He was resplendent in his spring suit and the red of his
facial patches were as vivid as I have ever seen on any of his species.
Along TH-108 near CH-77 a flock of Wild Turkey was spread
along the road edge and a couple was in mid road and waited until the last
moment to get out of our way.
Tree and Barn Swallows are back in good numbers.
Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere and flashing their
red shoulder patches. A close look at the various flocks was rewarded by the
discovery of a group of Rusty Blackbirds along the swampy western side of
TH-108. 
Throw in the usual common suspects and we totaled 60 species.
Charlie
Bombaci

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