Hi Birders! Thanks to Cam Lee and Christopher Collins for alerting me. Conditions are excellent for shorebirds and there are stacks of them at this site right now (http://ohioebirdhotspots.wikispaces.com/Big+Island+Wildlife+Area+Larue-Pros pect+Road). I managed to get my Ohio state tick American Avocet there on Saturday. And, yesterday, I got my state tick Stilt Sandpiper - there were actually 3 of them and I was really pleased to get good views of 1 in beautiful breeding plumage - my record photo is on the e-bird checklist at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38075199 There is a Wilson's Snipe that tends to stay right in the open all the time - photos are also on the above checklist link (it was there yesterday and also on Sat). Yesterday we also estimated 80 Lesser Yellowlegs, 12 Greater Yellowlegs, 37 Least Sandpiper, 6 Short-billed Dowitcher, 5 Pectoral Sandpiper, 7 Spotted Sandpiper, 3 Solitary Sandpiper, etc. Near the duck blind I got great views of my 2nd Ohio Least Bittern flying very low (after all my trying, with eventual success on my 6th visit, at Battelle Darby - now I suppose I'm going to see them popping out everywhere?). And a Trumpeter Swan with 2 cygnets (and another pair of adults). At least 4 Bald Eagles around. Please do let me know/post a report if you go there and see a rarer shorebird (or wader as we call them in South Africa). As mentioned, conditions there are currently perfect for shorebirds and its well worth a visit. Hopefully there will be another Ohio state tick for me to go for - this state listing is proving to be a good excuse to get acquainted with the amazing wildlife areas and parks of central Ohio! Just a side note on mammals, although I'm from Africa where I was able to find a myriad mammals including Leopard, Lion, Cheetah, Wild Dog, etc. within 5 hours of my previous home (Jo'burg), and although I've also lived in Wyoming with all the incredible wildlife there, I'm really excited about what I'm finding in Ohio. My latest life mammal was American Mink yesterday on a brief drive through Killdeer Plains - it kept crossing the road and gave wonderful views. Now hoping to see a Bobcat somewhere! Cheers and good birding, Chris --- Chris Lotz www.birdingecotours.com <http://www.birdingecotours.com/> cid:image005.jpg@01CEE9BE.A5852EB0 <https://www.facebook.com/pages/Birding-Ecotours/186476854747995> cid:image005.png@01CD7B9D.C8E4EB60 <http://twitter.com/#!/BirdingEcotours> cid:image006.png@01CD7B9D.C8E4EB60 <mailto:[log in to unmask]> cid:image007.png@01CD7B9D.C8E4EB60 --- --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus ______________________________________________________________________ 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]