I went to Lake Snowden on Saturday afternoon (Global Big Day!) to try to find the American Bittern reported to the Athens Area Birders by Zella - without success. I ended up birding there quite some time, finding a Great Egret along the first cove to the right from the entrance, a Pied billed Grebe on the water, and Warbling Vireos singing despite the cold overcast conditions. An American Kestrel was hovering near the highway. 

The most exciting sighting was a Peregrine Falcon that passed over the camping area to the left. It was accompanied by frenzied alarm calls from grackles, blackbirds, and robins. A little later, a Cooper’s Hawk emerged from the woods across the lake, briefly escorting a Turkey Vulture that might have come to close to his nest. 

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29659136

I decided to stop at the Lake Snowden dam area by the Hocking College Fish Hatchery to try my luck on the Blue Grosbeak again that has been reported there. This time I was lucky and saw the male perched on some old bleachers around the group of trees. 

My luck with birds of prey continued with a Red-tailed Hawk, and an Osprey and Bald Eagle flying over the lake at the same time! I also saw the female Red-breasted Merganser that Phil had reported, and was able to take a few diagnostic shots. Of note were about eight Purple Martins zooming around the fish ponds there. 

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29659124

Keep birding the Spring!

Stefan


Dr. Stefan Gleissberg
Athens Area Birders
groups.io/g/athensbirders
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