Hi, Birders!



My wife Megan and I have been spectacularly excited about getting acquainted
with some of Ohio's birds and other wildlife since arriving in Columbus (to
live) in March this year, from the other side of the world (South Africa).



I'm trying to increase my Ohio state list, and for the last 8 days have been
focussing mainly on a single birding site just over 20 minutes from our home
- the rather large Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, with 6 separate visits
in just over a week (some of the sessions only an hour long, though). A few
of the highlights have been:

- the brilliant-plumaged Blue Grosbeak that Anna Wittmer and Ben Warner
showed me (although apparently easier to see, along with a good number of
Dickcissels, at SWACO right now)

- Least Bittern finally seen very well along the teal trail, today around 7
am

- American Bitterns seen 6 out of 6 times I've visited in the last week
(including 3 this morning between 5:45 and 7:30 am) - all of them were
flying, a couple of times almost right overhead. Mainly along the teal trail

- Sora and Virginia Rails abound along the teal trail and with a bit of
patient, quiet watching along the edge of the reeds, one gets good views of
both of these, as they often show themselves - early this morning some of
the views were particularly amazing

- King Rail - heard once early this morning along the teal trail

- stacks of Henslow's Sparrows "singing" (some of them very close to the
trail, giving close-up views) along the harrier trail



I'll gladly try and show anyone any of the above if you want - just let me
know. I'd like to return to see if I can get to grips with Sedge Wren that
I'm sure I heard while jogging this morning.



To increase my Ohio state list, do let me know if you have any sites for
less common ducks/waterfowl, grebes, gulls, shorebirds..and then also Pine
Siskin please. Also any good mammals, etc.



Cheers and good birding!

Chris

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Chris Lotz

www.birdingecotours.com <http://www.birdingecotours.com/>

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Office: 545 Metro Place South, Suite 100, Dublin, Ohio 43017, USA

See http://birdingecotours.com/contact/ for office contacts in South Africa,
the UK and Peru

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