As we discussed (see my post here on 5/17/10 and http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=flood_050210_how_it_happened ) the region experienced a large incursion of purple gallinules as a result of violent weather. Somehow a male and a female found one another, with the normal result; single birds have occurred north well into Canada in other years. No doubt these birds will return to their normal climes in a more leisurely way once the young are able to fly; as far as we know, vagrants always have. Ohio held the world record for the northernmost nest of this species based on a nesting here in Franklin County ( for that story, see http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v081n02/p0224-p0226.pdf , where a discussion of molt of flight feathers seems to determine when they can depart), and now holds the new one. These rallids are not strong fliers and easily blown off-course; before all the birds counted this year, there were 13 state records since 1980. Bill Whan Columbus Barrett,Robert P wrote: > Exciting news, no doubt about it. But I have to wonder, what will > they do when it turns cold? While it's possible for a pair of > Gallinules to produce young in Ohio, can we expect the young to breed > in their native wetland at Clearfork? Will they fly south in the > fall and stay there, or might they return in the spring? Will the > young even be strong enough to fly south in October? Or does this > species not migrate (willingly) far from the Gulf Coast? If not, why > not? What could tell them that they have gone far enough, and that > heading farther north is not in their favor? I'm thinking that they > must be responding to some sort of signal or indicator (cypress > trees? Alligators?) and wondering what it could be. There must be > some good reason why we don't normally encounter Purple Gallinules in > Ohio, and this makes me very curious about it. > > Dr. Bob Barrett Geography and Planning University of Akron > ________________________________________ From: Ohio birds > [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask] > [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 10:53 PM To: > [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] Clearfork > Reservoir Rarities, Gallinules. (7/15) Ben Warner > > This is exciting news! As predicted and prophesied by some this > spring during the Purple Gallinule invasion, it seems some Purple > Gallinules have found love at the northwest marshes of the Clearfork > Reservoir! I went there this evening with Dave and Emily Slager > (8-9:30pm) and re-found the little family. I only saw one adult but > did see at least 4 different black, fuzzy, baby Gallinules following > the adult around! Other observers have located and counted at least > youngsters and both adults! Really cute little black fuzzballs. Even > heard the adult vocalize. IF you go there to see them Please be > respectful of the habitat and the rare birds and do not disturb the > birds (no recording playback) or the marsh and stay right there along > the roadside. The birds are a bit tricky to see through the > spatterdock lilly pads and burr reed and cattails etc. so be patient. > here is a google map of the area in Richland Co. near Lexington Ohio. > > > > Link: > <http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=40.725625,-82.654878&spn=0.004464,0.009602&t=h&z=17> > > > > The birds are fairly faithful to the area north of the road, in the > far western reaches of the marsh, and often are seen in the lower > weedy areas in the middle of the Lilies. There is a couple pull-offs > right before you cross the small bridge on Orweiler Road. Its not > very busy. Other birds there this evening were Common Moorhen, Swamp > Sparrows, Green Heron, Wood Duck, Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Blue Bird, > and hundreds of roosting Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. Cool > stuff! And the babies were found by local Amish young men, nice work! > Here is a photo Someone Else took (Bruce Glick) of the adult and some > babies. > http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31290960&l=ec20ac4ffe&id=164901416 > Cheers! - Ben Warner > ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]