​We spent the day birding at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area in Wyandot
County ​on Saturday. The highlight of the day was nearby. There was a huge
flock of Lapland Longspur on Township Road 65 near the intersection with
US-23 just NE of Harpster. Over 250 Longspurs with just a few Horned Larks.
Quite a sight to see the flock in the air, all at the same time.

There was a large flock of American Tree Sparrows -- at least 50 -- feeding
in the parking lot for Pond 30 on the east end of the wildlife area.

We found a pod of birds on the road outside Pond 3 and watched 4 Red-headed
Woodpeckers feeding in a cornfield beside the road.

Many Trumpeter Swans were talking to each other on the Harold Roe Wetland
and we found more on Pond 27. Ducks were scarce with just a few Mallards
staying around during the cold weather.

At sunset we parked in parking area U near the wildlife headquarters. We
watched at least 800 Canada Geese fly in to the area for the night. And
right on time, about 20 minutes after sunset, a Short-eared Owl soared by.
In the morning we had hiked looking for Long-eared Owls but did not find
any. We also watched for Northern Shrikes, but didn't find any.

All in all quite a nice day of birding and the ice storm cooperated in
passing by south of us.

Ken Ostermiller
Westfield Center

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.


You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]