First I started off at Indian Lake, hoping to find some more Black Terns, but it was a bust. But I did take the Pew Island Trail, just to see what is there. A few of everything. Looks like it might be a good rest stop on the spring highway... Since it looked like beach combing was going to be terrible, I went back home and got my kayak out today and did a little PROW (Prothonotary Warbler) censusing at Big Island Wildlife Area. The Barn Pond (My name, it isn't really named on the map but it is the pond on LaRue Prospect that is behind the white barn) and Unit B (Where the duck blind is.) The PROWs had been very quiet this year, usually I can hear them from LaRue Prospect in the Oxbow, but due to all the high water, some of the normal nesting spots were under water. So I was a little worried that numbers were going to be lower this year. Turns out there was almost two DOZEN! (16; 12 in the Barn pond, and 4 in Unit B.) Males were singing everywhere and there were females either in the nesting cavity, or gathering food. So it was a good day. I wasn't able to get deep enough into the woods due to vegetation...and no hip waders, or there probably would have been closer to 20-24. Also the Kingbirds are nesting all around the Barn pond. I had 3 nests, and another pair that I didn't see their nest...due to the same issue above. Unit B I had never been on, but from the road I noticed that there were some cuts in the Cattails that seemed to stretch back near the back, so I thought I would give it a go. Most of this area can't be seen from the dike that surrounds the unit due to the Cattails so I really didn't know what to expect. Finally The Wood Ducks were everywhere it seems...except the nesting boxes. List of the birds below. Blog post with pictures and some shaky video that Youtube is trying to settle down :-D : http://www.sjlarue.com/blog/2014/6/protonotary-nesting-activity Happy Birding, and God Bless! Steve J Pew Island, Logan, US-OH May 31, 2014 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) Comments: Interesting little gravel trail surrounding two settling ponds used to filter dredging liquid. Also a small boardwalk over some marshy areas. During hunting season, boardwalk is blocked off, but the detour is still a good walk. Surprising variety of birds for such a small space...probably a lot more in spring migration. Climb hill to see containment ponds...possible shorebird habitat. 46 species Canada Goose 8 Wood Duck 2 Mallard 4 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Double-crested Cormorant 8 Great Blue Heron 2 Turkey Vulture 4 American Coot 4 Killdeer 2 Ring-billed Gull 2 Mourning Dove 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Downy Woodpecker 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 Willow Flycatcher 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 Warbling Vireo 2 Red-eyed Vireo 2 Blue Jay 2 American Crow 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 Tree Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 4 Carolina Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 2 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 House Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 American Robin 4 Gray Catbird 4 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 8 Cedar Waxwing 4 Yellow Warbler 4 Chipping Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 8 Common Grackle 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 Baltimore Oriole 4 American Goldfinch 4 House Sparrow 4 Big Island Pond Behind White Barn, Marion, US-OH May 31, 2014 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) Comments: Kayaked around this large pond. A lot of the area visible from containment dike, but most of it is only accessible by small boat, or waders. Lots of good habitat. Mostly dead or dying Ash trees. Large Heron Rookery. Most woodpecker species seen. Also is a PROW, Vireo, flycatcher, Woodpecker, Marsh and House Wren, nesting site. Wood ducks and other waterfowl prevalent. 50 species Canada Goose 30 Trumpeter Swan 2 Wood Duck 30 Mallard 10 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 30 Large Rookery. Turkey Vulture 6 Bald Eagle 2 Common Gallinule 2 Killdeer 2 Mourning Dove 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-headed Woodpecker 4 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 2 Northern Flicker 2 Pileated Woodpecker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 Willow Flycatcher 4 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Eastern Kingbird 6 Yellow-throated Vireo 2 Warbling Vireo 2 American Crow 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 Tree Swallow 16 Barn Swallow 10 Carolina Chickadee 2 Tufted Titmouse 2 House Wren 4 Marsh Wren 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 American Robin 6 Gray Catbird 4 Northern Mockingbird 2 European Starling 6 Cedar Waxwing 2 Prothonotary Warbler 12 3 pair on nest, heard two in woods to the west competing vocalizations, two seen on island in middle of pond, two others in other locations along back of pond. I was not able to get to other areas of the west woods due to water vegetation blocking the way, or there would have possibly been more. This does not include any supposed females that would have been paired with the males. Except for the ones seen in nesting cavities previously mentioned. Yellow Warbler 4 Chipping Sparrow 2 Field Sparrow 4 Song Sparrow 4 Northern Cardinal 4 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Common Grackle 4 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 Baltimore Oriole 4 American Goldfinch 6 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18642609 Big Island Wildlife Area--Larue-Prospect Rd. north (Unit B), Marion, US-OH May 31, 2014 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Protocol: Traveling 1.0 mile(s) Comments: Kayaked all around pond to look for any missed species. 42 species Canada Goose 30 Trumpeter Swan 2 Wood Duck 20 Mallard 10 Pied-billed Grebe 6 2 Adults 4 juveniles Double-crested Cormorant 8 Great Blue Heron 20 Turkey Vulture 10 Bald Eagle 2 Red-tailed Hawk 1 Virginia Rail 1 Sora 6 Common Gallinule 20 American Coot 20 Killdeer 2 Mourning Dove 8 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Eastern Wood-Pewee 2 Willow Flycatcher 2 Eastern Kingbird 4 Warbling Vireo 1 American Crow 2 Tree Swallow 10 Barn Swallow 10 Marsh Wren 10 American Robin 8 Gray Catbird 4 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 8 Cedar Waxwing 2 Prothonotary Warbler 4 Yellow Warbler 6 Song Sparrow 2 Swamp Sparrow 4 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Common Grackle 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 Baltimore Oriole 4 American Goldfinch 4 View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S18642696 ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. 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