After our morning on KEGU duty, Ben, Kent, and I headed to Noble County for some end of the year clean up at Chapel Dr. and Seneca Lake.

At Seneca Lake, we had big numbers of a few species including at least 120 Am Black Ducks, 200+ Hooded Mergs, 41 Common Loon, and over 600 each of Ring-billed and Bonaparte's Gulls.  We also had 162 Killdeer, but no other shorebirds.  Had we had these mudflats at Seneca in Aug/Sept we would have had much better diversity on the year.  Shorebirds are a premium in Noble.

At Chapel Dr. we had a nice variety of raptors including RT Hawk, 2 light morph Rough-legged Hawks, 6 N Harriers (2 Gray Ghosts), and an Am Kestrel.  Our target bird was Short-eared Owl, which we have tried for on several occasions, but dipped in spite of prime habitat.  Tonight, a good hour before sunset, we were rewarded with 3 SEOWs coursing over the scrub brush along Chapel.  A real treat!

We also had a big kettle of vultures including over 80 TUVUs and 10 BLVUs by Wolf Run State Park near Belle Valley.

Non-birds included 2 Sulphurs and a Celery Looper (moth).

Jon Cefus


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