2022 Ohio Birding Big Year

February 25 th           We recently received a tip about where to find a Barred Owl at Sidecut Metropark.   We arrived at the spot and initially could not find the owl.   All of a sudden, we saw a bunch of Blue Jays surrounding an area and making an awful racket.   This behavior is called mobbing and certain birds like Blue Jays and Crows will mob an owl or hawk and harass them.   Sure enough, the jays were mobbing the Barred Owl which flew higher in a pine tree. We were able to get good looks and a photo.   We were very excited.           A Barred Owl is a medium sized owl with a round head and dark eyes.   It got its name because of the barring on its breast.   It doesn’t have tufts on its head like its larger cousin the Great Horned Owl.   Barred Owls can be heard calling at night and sometimes during the day with their familiar hooting call hoo hoo ho-ho, hoo hoo ho-hoooooaw (“who cooks for you, who cooks for you all”).   They usually nest in a tree cavity and are mostly noctu

  February 24 th           Spring is in the air.  After almost two weeks without finding a new bird, we finally had success today.  Many people think that Spring migration is in May when all the beautiful warblers pass through, but migration actually begins in late February.  Ducks, geese, and swans are beginning to move north along with early returning birds like American Woodcock and blackbirds.  Also flocks of American Crows are moving along the lakeshore.            Local boaters may know Anchor Point and Meinke Marina which is where we saw our FOY (first of the year) Killdeer.  A Killdeer is a plover which is a type of shorebird.  Killdeer are found on open ground with low vegetation including lawns, golf courses, pastures, fields etc.  It is one of the least water-associated of all shorebirds.  They are found year-round in the southern United States, but many move north in the summer, and are very early spring migrants.  We saw four today in a couple of locations.          

  February 11 th           On Thursday February 3 rd a family in Richfield, Ohio which is halfway between Cleveland and Akron, spotted a very rare Varied Thrush in their yard.   They are birder friendly but had no street parking and limited parking in their driveway.   Therefore, to accommodate all the interested birders, they set up a reservation system.   We found out about this on Monday February 7 th and the first available reservation was for this afternoon.   Basically, you were given a one-hour time slot to see the bird.             The weather forecast was horrible (90% chance of rain and 20-30mph winds) but this was our only opportunity.   It was a 2-hr. drive, but we arrived about 45 minutes early and found a place to park.   We stood around for about an hour and a half until the bird finally showed up.   We got very brief looks at the thrush which seemed to be very skittish. While we were waiting around, a big flock of wild turkeys came to the feeders. This was an une

  February 6 th On the road again Goin’ places that I’ve never been Seein’ things that I may never see again And I can’t wait to get on the road again Willie Nelson After surviving the recent snowstorm and a mild case of cabin fever, I was ready for a road trip.   There have been reports in the past week of a Harris’s Sparrow in Holmes County.   Holmes County is south of Wooster and has a large Amish community.   It is rural, quaint and includes towns like Millersburg, Berlin, Charm and Walnut Creek.   I always love to see the well-kept farms and the residents getting around with their horse and buggy.   It was a 2½ hour trip on lots of country roads and unfortunately we were unsuccessful in locating the sparrow.   As we were leaving the area, a small flock of Eastern Meadowlarks unexpectedly flew right in front of our car.   Normally meadowlarks are not around in the winter, so this was a surprise.   Apparently, meadowlarks will eat grain, seeds, and berries during

  February 3 rd           Some of you may wonder how we know where to look for the birds and how we find them.   A birder develops some skills with practice.   These include looking for movement and learning the habits, size, shape and identifying field marks of various birds.   Equally important is being keenly aware of the sounds around you.   When you hear a bird calling, you should follow the sound and try to locate the bird.   With a lot of practice which includes listening to recordings of bird vocalizations, a birder can eventually learn many of the songs and calls of birds.   A definitive ID can be made by sight and/or sound. Sometimes you can find birds by just being out in an appropriate habitat and keeping your eyes and ears open.   This is really the most rewarding way to bird.   You get a great sense of satisfaction when you discover a special bird on your own.   However, we are more than willing to accept information about sightings made by other birders.   In ou