Dan Hall and I headed north in search of shorebirds Today. A needed break from cleaning nest boxes. Yesterday I began cleaning my boxes at Oxbow Road. The mud wasn't hardened and I sank almost to my knees. It was like trying to walk in a mixture of chocolate pudding and cement. Tomorrow I'll try my luck at cleaning nest boxes at Dustin Road.

Our first stop was Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area in Wyandot County. The western section of Pond 27 had many shorebirds on the mudflats. Species included Killdeer (the largest number), Semipalmated Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, a Spotted Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper. At the pond NE of the corner of CH-71 and TH-108 we located a Common Gallinule, Pectoral Sandpipers, Killdeer, Great Egrets (33) and Blue-winged Teal. Several Bald Eagles soared overhead much of the day and three, one adult and two juveniles were perched near Pond 27. Red-tailed Hawks were numerous and we observed one rise with its prey in its talons.

From Killdeer we went south to Big Island Wildlife Area in Marion County. The three American Avocets are still present at the rear off the first parking area on LaRue-Prospect Road just east of Epsyville Road. The same area had Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Semipalmated Plover, Trumpeter Swan and Green-winged Teal. At the western end of the ponds along LaRue Prospect Road we located an adult Common Gallinule with two juveniles. The were several Bald Eagles hanging around near this area. A surprise here was three Northern Harriers soaring above the tall grass.

Our last stop was at Area M in Galena, Delaware County. We checked activity on the emerging mudflats off the end of the boardwalk. Much of the same species seen elsewhere with one new addition, a Western Sandpiper mixed in among the Semipalmated Plover and Killdeer on the raised area near Osprey Platform #2.

Charlie Bombaci

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