2022 Ohio Birding Big Year

  April 30 th           Mike and I decided to go to Magee Marsh this morning with the hope of finding some new migrants.   It was chilly and the north winds were blowing, so it was pretty dead on the boardwalk.   I think there were more people than birds today.   We did manage to see a handsome Magnolia Warbler which was our only new bird.             Next, we took the wildlife drive at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.   I was less than enthusiastic, and we were trapped behind slow gawkers, so it seemed to take forever. Besides we didn’t see anything of interest.   At this point I was ready to go home.             My garden was calling, and I spent some time working in the yard until it started to rain.   I came inside and Mike said, “I just saw a post that someone saw a Glossy Ibis just west of Defianc...

  April 28 th           So, we found out early this morning that Howard got the same GI bug that Ann had and was feeling terrible.   We packed up, got in the car wearing masks and Mike drove straight home with one pit stop in about 4 ½ hours.   Mike and I unpacked and being totally possessed decided to go chase a Hudsonian Godwit that has been hanging around Huron, Ohio for a few days.           I drove to Huron which takes about an hour and a half and fortunately for us the godwit was still present.       A Hudsonian Godwit is a rare bird in Ohio, and we were lucky to get a chance to see one.   They are graceful shorebirds with a long, slightly upturned bill, long legs, and beautiful breeding plumage.   Every year they migrate nearly 10,000 miles from the tip of South America to the Hudson Bay or Alaska.   As a bonus we also saw many swallows flyin...

  April 27 th           Unfortunately, Ann was sick during the night, so she and Howard weren’t able to go birding with us today.   She seems to be feeling somewhat better now.   Mike and I went out alone and drove the Panoram Loop in the Shawnee State Forest.   This route is recommended for birders and was good habitat for warblers etc.   We had just turned off the main road, got out of the car and soaring above us was a Broad-winged Hawk.   This was a hawk we had been hoping to see so we were happy.   As we drove the loop, we got some better looks at some of the warblers we had seen earlier.   We also heard a Pine Warbler and saw an Indigo Bunting which were new birds for the year.   We’ll be heading home tomorrow after a nice trip but wish Ann and Howard could have been with us today.   (3 new species, total 209)           Broad-winged Haw...

  April 26 th           Mike and I were up early this morning and went for a walk around the lodge area.   We had several new sightings before breakfast including a Yellow-throated Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler and Orchard Oriole.   After breakfast we went birding on Forest Rd. 1 also known as Pond Lick Run. This was a well-maintained paved road with very little traffic, so we made many stops along the way and found lots of our target birds including Worm-eating Warbler (voted bird of the day), Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler and Prairie Warbler.   We also got great looks at a Scarlet Tanager and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.           We returned to the lodge for lunch and had an easy afternoon with a little down time.   We were saving ourselves for a night excursion to look for Chuck-will’s-Widow.   We left after dinner and drove up and down a country road wher...

  April 25 th           We left home this morning for southern Ohio on a four-day road trip with Ann and Howard Rosenberg.   We are staying at Shawnee State Park which is directly south of Columbus fairly close to the Ohio River.   The area is surrounded by Shawnee State Forest which is the largest state forest in Ohio.   Part of the forest is designated as wilderness with no roads or logging allowed.   The main reason for our trip is to locate certain warblers and other birds that are much more common in southern Ohio.             We made a detour by going to Hueston Woods State Park which is near Oxford and Miami University.   We were trying to find a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron which is a fairly rare bird in Ohio, but we were unsuccessful.   We did have a nice lunch at Fiesta Charra in Oxford.   After lunch we drove out in the country to a grasslan...

  April 24 th           Birding season is really underway.   The first two weeks in May is the peak time for warbler migration in our area.   When it comes to migration, some days are much better than other days depending largely on the prevailing winds.   If birds are heading north, they like the wind behind them for an easier flight so the ideal wind is out of the southwest.   Last night the winds were blowing from that direction and a lot of new arrivals showed up this morning, so it was a special day at Magee Marsh.             Birders love to see warblers because they are brightly colored, and their songs are complex and fun to try and learn.   We were able to see six new species of warblers as well as some other returning birds.   (13 new species, total 182)          Green Heron       ...

  April 23 rd           We started our morning at Sandhill Crane Wetlands searching in vain for an American Pipit which has become something of a nemesis bird.   We didn’t find anything too exciting there, so we decided to jump on the turnpike and go to Pipe Creek Wildlife Area in Sandusky.   American Avocets were seen there yesterday, but it turns out they were gone today.           We started walking on the wooded trail to the marsh and saw many Palm Warblers and a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warblers.   We also saw a Yellow Warbler which was a new bird for the year.   Once we got to the marsh, I saw a Chimney Swift flying overhead.   They have slender bodies and very long, narrow curved wings and are sometimes called “the flying cigar”.   The Chimney Swift flies rapidly with nearly constant stiff wingbeats. They often give a high, chatterin...

  April 22 nd           I was playing platform tennis this morning, but Mike went out to Sandhill Crane Wetlands and staked out two Solitary Sandpipers.   I met him immediately after my game and also got to see the Solitary.   It is a medium-sized slender shorebird with a prominent eye ring and white spots on a dark back.   Most shorebirds migrate in flocks, but this bird is usually found alone.   It nests in northern spruce bogs and lays its eggs in old songbird nests placed high in trees.    (1 new species, total 166) Solitary Sandpiper                                                        Solitary Sandpiper                                 ...

  April 21 st           This morning Mike and I were up very early because he had to be at Toledo Hospital for an outpatient procedure by 6:30am.   The actual procedure took no time at all, and he was discharged by 8:30am.   We came home and he was feeling pretty good, so we decided to go birding.   I did all the driving today and we went out to the lakeshore.           We walked the boardwalk at Magee Marsh and saw several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.   We also saw a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Brown Creeper, Fox Sparrow, and Rusty Blackbirds.   Our one new species on the boardwalk was a Palm Warbler.   It has a rusty cap, yellow underparts with rusty streaks on the breast and yellow eyebrows.   This bird’s near-constant tail-wagging can help confirm its identity.   It is usually found on t...

  April 20 th           We had a little time this morning to do some birding but when we woke up the temperature was 28 degrees outside.   We took our time getting ready to go and it was a little warmer when we left home.   We made a quick stop at Wildwood Metropark which is less than a mile from our house.   We took a short walk and spotted a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher high in a tree.   A gnatcatcher is a small active woodland bird with a long tail usually seen flitting about in the treetops.   Their distinctive nasal wheezy call usually alerts you to their presence.           Next, we went to the Sandhill Crane Wetlands and saw a variety of ducks and shorebirds including a couple of Dunlin which were transitioning into breeding plumage.   Dunlin are relatively stocky shorebirds with short legs and a slightly drooping bill.   The breeding birds have a black ...

  April 18 th           We left New Jersey this morning after a nice visit with Becky and her family.   The weather was chilly but fine until we hit central Pennsylvania around noon. It started raining with a little sleet mixed in and was pretty nasty.   After a quick lunch at Wendy’s, we continued on to Ohio our Big Year state.   Even though the weather was awful, we couldn’t resist doing a little birding on the way home.           When we got off the turnpike near Sandusky, there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground.   We headed to a country road with corn stubble fields where some Smith’s Longspurs had been seen yesterday.   The snow was actually a benefit because many birds including Killdeer, Horned Larks, Savannah Sparrows, and Lapland Longspurs were foraging for food along the edge of the road.   We drove slowly and checked out all these birds ...

  April 14 th           We were a little bit crazy this morning.   I am writing this in the car while Mike is driving. We are on our way to New Jersey to spend Passover with Becky and Scott.   It is a 560 mile trip.   So, what did we do this morning?   The car was packed, and we were ready to go by 6:30am so we decided to make a couple of quick stops before getting on the turnpike.   Hey, it’s my birthday today so I guess I can be a little nuts.           We arrived at Irwin Prairie at dawn and were fortunate to hear a Sora calling.   The call is a plaintive descending whinny given by both sexes.   A Sora is a secretive gray and brown rail with a bright yellow bill and a black mask.   They are found in freshwater marshes and are more often heard rather than seen.           Next, we stopped at Sandhill C...

  April 11 th           This morning Mike and I went to the Cannonball Prairie Metropark which is one of our newer Metroparks.   This land was originally a farm which is being restored to a rich habitat for birds, frogs, and turtles.   Part of the land is being converted to a prairie which will support grassland birds and butterflies.   There is a large pond and wetland area, a woodlot, and the Wabash Cannonball bike trail runs through the park.           We walked through the woodlot and saw a Pileated Woodpecker which is always special.   Then we trekked through the grassland area and saw several types of sparrows including a Savannah Sparrow which was a new bird for us.           The Savannah Sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow with a fairly small bill and short tail.   It has a crisply streaked breast and strong faci...

  April 10 th           We had no time for birding yesterday, so we were both enthusiastic about going out today.   We were anxious to see the Magee Marsh boardwalk which just reopened a couple of days ago.   There was a strong storm that went through that area last August causing significant damage.   Numerous trees snapped off or were uprooted and there was major damage to the boardwalk.   One of the eagle nests was also blown down.   The area has been closed for tree removal and repairs and just reopened.           It really is a little early for most Spring migrants, but it was good to be back on the boardwalk.   It was amazing and heartbreaking to see the devastation but hopefully the birds will be back.   It was quiet but we did see our first of the year Hermit Thrush.   It is a medium-sized thrush that is brown above with a distinctive reddis...