Members of the Ohio Young Birders Clubs from Oak Harbor and Columbus
participated in their April field trip, Spring Fling in Central Ohio. Their day
got off to an inauspicious start when Greenlawn Cemetery, a usually
productive spring birding site, produced one (1) warbler, a Black-throated Green.
They did have a few good birds including a Red-breasted Nuthatch, but
activity was slow. Their intrepid leaders, Darlene Sillick and Joe Meara were
not helped by the weather conditions. After lunch at the Grange Audubon
Center they headed north to meet me at the Hoover Nature Preserve.
The first car arrived about 15 minutes ahead of the others. The proverb “
the early bird gets the worm” got a rewrite to “the early birders get the
cooperative Prothonotary Warbler.” While we waited for the others I heard a
male Prothonotary calling from near the board walk. The two kids walked out
on the boardwalk with me. After encouragement via phishing a brilliantly
colored male Prothonotary Warbler flew in and landed, where else, on the
boardwalk railing. After flitting around to make sure we appreciated him, he
was joined by a male Yellow Warbler and a male Yellow-rumped Warbler. A nice
start but unfortunately it was still just the three of us.
The remainder of the group arrived and we walked out to the end of the
boardwalk where everyone watched the resident pair of Osprey. An immature Bald
Eagle flew into the Osprey “No Fly Zone” and got a greeting from the male
Osprey. The eagle headed elsewhere where it wouldn't get harassed. Other
birds observed from the boardwalk included many Double-crested Cormorants, a
Caspian Tern among the Ring-billed Gulls, and a male Wood Duck.
I wanted to take the group into the back of Area N for Prothonotary
Warblers and other resident species. The unusually high water made the usual
route impractical so I did a flanking maneuver and took them along the high
ground. Almost immediately we encountered two or three Northern Parula. Soon
we began hearing the “sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet” call of Prothonotary
Warblers. In all we saw or heard about 15 PROWs. A few other species that the
kids enjoyed were Red-headed Woodpecker, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers at
their nest cavity, an Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-throated Warbler, a Pine
Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper and numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers. Back at the
parking lot Darlene added a Black & White Warbler.
Sunshine would have been nice but still it appears that everyone had a
good time and saw some nice birds.
Charlie Bombaci
Hoover Nature Preserve
SPECIES LIST
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Spotted Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
Caspian Tern
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
European Starling
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Black & White Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
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