Leslie Sours and I birded at Blackhand Gorge State Nature
Preserve in Licking County today. We could not have asked for better weather or
a better show by the birds. From the time we arrived in the morning until we
had to quit to go home the time was filled with great birds. The crème de la crème
without competition was a spectacular male Golden-winged Warbler that put on a
show for us. This I would have never expected as I had another Golden-winged
Warbler Sunday at Hoover Meadows in the Hoover Nature Preserve in Delaware
County. Leslie and I had about 20 species of warblers for the day. I say about
as we each managed to miss at least one that the other got. Blackhand Gorge
State Nature Preserve is like a pilgrimage for me in early May. I have had more
century days here than anywhere else and a dozen or so species of warblers nest
in the preserve.
Birds present, in part, at Blackhand today include:
Turkey Vultures were plentiful but
no Black Vultures. Usually I spot one or two.
 
Red-shouldered Hawks were soaring
overhead and being quite vocal at day.
 
A Belted Kingfisher was fishing
along the river.
 
Woodpeckers included Red-bellied
Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker and Pileated
Woodpecker.
 
Flycatchers included Eastern
Wood-Pewee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe and Great
Crested Flycatcher. No Eastern Kingbirds.
 
Vireos included White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated
Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo and Red-eyed Vireo.
 
Only a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets
were observed.
 
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were thick as
gnats. With a little phishing they constantly came in close. They are always a
favorite of mine.
 
Thrushes were strangely absent
except for Wood Thrushes.  They are in
good color and looking handsome. One escorted us along the trail.
 
Gray Catbirds were everywhere. They
were sounding off with their gibberish babbling.
 
Warblers always steal the show this
time of year and today was no exception as the species present included Blue-winged
Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow
Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated
Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Palm
Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, American
Redstart, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler
and Yellow-breasted Chat.
 
Both Summer Tanagers and Scarlet
Tanagers were observed.
 
Eastern Towhee were in high numbers
and the males and females are paired off.
 
For Little Brown Bird (LBB) fans we
had Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow and White-crowned
Sparrow.
 
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were
everywhere and we usually would see a female surrounded by two to three males
looking for her attention.
 
Indigo Buntings were present in
moderate numbers. Most looked quite handsome although we did see one that
looked like a candidate for rehab.
 
Baltimore Orioles in their flashy
black and orange were seen high in the trees .
 
We did have a mystery bird. Unfortunately
we did not get a clear or long view of it. Our first impression was an Indigo
Bunting as we could see the blue as it perched in a group of leaves. Slight
movement by the bird gave an impression of brown or rufous on the wing but
before that could be totally determined the bird flew. It appeared to be a
little bigger than a bunting, but by itself that is not fact, but only
impression. A Blue Grosbeak or an Indigo Bunting pulling a fast one on us
birders? We will never know therefore it goes down as a “hum?”
 
A day well spent enjoying nature and
the birding company of a friend.
 
Charlie Bombaci

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