Today I decided to check activity at Big Island Wildlife Area (Marion County) and Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area (Wyandot County). Warblers and the like have been slow in central Ohio so I went for a change in venue. It turned out to be a really good decision. By the time I started south for home I was ready to do the "Snoopy dancing on the doghouse bit." The topper without competition was discovery of a pair of Barn Owls. The rest of the observations didn't hurt my mood either. All species listed were observed, none are "heard only."
Grebes - Pie-billed and Horned Grebes at both sites. Numbers considerably higher at Big Island.
Cormorants - Over 500 present at Big Island.
Herons - Great Blue Herons numerous at Big island whereas they were sparse at Killdeer. A lone Black-crowned Night Heron at Big Island.
Vultures - Turkey Vultures at both sites. No Black Vultures.
Waterfowl - Canada Geese abundant everywhere. Trumpeter Swans at both but in small numbers. Ducks observed were Mallard, Wood Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Duck. Numbers highest along LaRue-Prospect Road at Big Island.
Eagles and Hawks - Bald Eagles at both sites. Five nest locations viewed. Red-tailed Hawk and American Kestrel in moderate numbers.
Coots, Gallinule and Rails - Big island had Sora, Common Gallinule and American Coot but only coots seen at Killdeer. American Coots were abundant, possibly 1,000 individuals.
Cranes - A pair of Sandhill Cranes observed at Big Island.
Shorebirds - A variety at both wildlife areas. Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper, Dunlin and Pectoral Sandpiper at both wildlife areas. Semipalmated sandpiper, Least sandpiper and Wilson's Snipe at Killdeer only.
Ring-necked Pheasant at Killdeer.
Gulls and Terns - Ring-billed and Bonaparte's Gulls and Caspian Tern at Big Island.
Owls - Barn Owl in Big Island Vicinity. To protect owls the site location will not be provided.
Woodpeckers - Red-headed, Red-bellied Downy and Northern Flicker.
Flycatchers - Phoebe and Eastern Kingbird at Big Island.
Horned Lark - Present at both areas.
Martins and Swallows - Tree, Northern Rough-wing, Barn Swallows. Purple Martins at Killdeer.
Wrens - Marsh Wren at Big Island.
Mimics - Brown Thrashers at both sites.
Pipit- American Pipit at Big Island.
Warblers - Only species seen was Yellow Warbler. Present but uncommon at both areas.
Sparrows and Allies - Eastern Towhee, Chipping, Field, Song, Swamp Sparrows and Northern Cardinal.
Blackbirds - Other than the normal unloved. Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle and Brown-headed Cowbird, there were Eastern Meadowlark.

Not Crane Creek but enough to call it a successful trip.
Charlie Bombaci


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