Big Island Wildlife Area, Marion County and Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, Wyandot County were both productive today. The waterfowl movement is in high ear and shorebirds are beginning to make their presence known. Some highlights were:
Big Island Wildlife Area
Herr Road - The fields are quite wet and there were many Wilson's Snipe working the area. Other shorebirds present included Pectoral Sandpipers, Greater Yellowlegs and Killdeer. Singing in the dryer grassy areas were numerous Eastern Meadowlarks.
The Observation Deck on SR 95 - The water is very high at this location. Waterfowl observed included Canada Geese, Mallard, American Black Duck, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, and Pied-billed Grebes. The fields and grassy edge areas had numerous Tree Swallows, Horned Larks and Eastern Meadowlarks. Other notables were Red-tailed Hawks doing courting flights and 3 immature Bald Eagles.
The ponds along LaRue-Prospect Road were filled with waterfowl. Trumpeter Swans, Canada Geese, Mallard, American Black Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup (2), Lesser Scaup, Common Merganser, American Coot and Pied-billed Grebe. Bald Eagles and Northern Harriers were present. In a field on the south side of the road there were Sandhill Cranes.

Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area
Pond 27 - Waterfowl included Tundra Swans, Canada Geese, Mallard, American Black Duck, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Blue-winged Teal and Many American Coot. 
In a flooded field along CH-68 there were Wilson's Snipe (30+), Pectoral Sandpiper, Killdeer and Blue-winged Teal.
Along CH-71 there were eastern Meadowlarks and several immature Bald Eagles.
The wetland at TH-108 had many of the waterfowl seen at Pond 27 and Hooded Mergansers. The fields along the west side had Eastern Meadowlarks.
The Upland Reservoir had Red-breasted Mergansers, Redhead, Ring-Necked Duck and 14 Horned Grebes.
Along CH-77 I found a large mixed flock of blackbirds. A though look disclosed 3 Rusty Blackbirds mixed in with the Red-wings and Grackles.
Pond 3 had a nice mixture of waterfowl. The only new species was Ruddy Ducks.
Charlie Bombaci

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