Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio's Birdlife • Vol. 39, No. 3, Spring 2016

52 Pages·2016·2.34 MB·English

Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife • Vol. 39, No. 3, Spring 2016
A long sought after target, Dan Enders finally captured a shot of his “Lifer” Kirtland’s Warbler. He was fortunate to see one
close to home at Stubbs Park in Centerville on 05 May.
On the cover:
An easy selection for Spring 2016 cover, this stunning photograph of the incredibly rare Curlew Sandpiper was captured on 12
May by Sabrewing Tour’s Brian Zwiebel on Raab Rd in Lucas.
Vol. 39 No. 3
Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife
EDITOR OHIO BIRD RECORDS
Craig Caldwell COMMITTEE
1270 W. Melrose Dr.
Jack Stenger
Westlake, OH 44145
Secretary
440-356-0494
394 Bielby Rd.
[email protected]
Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
[email protected]
PHOTO EDITOR
Christopher Collins PAST PUBLISHERS
3560 Alvera Ct.
John Herman (1978–1980
Beavercreek, OH 45432
Edwin C. Pierce (1980–2008)
[email protected]
PAST EDITORS
LAYOUT
John Herman (1978–1980
Roger Lau
Edwin C. Pierce (1980–1991)
[email protected]
Thomas Kemp (1987–1991)
Robert Harlan (1991–1996)
Victor W. Fazio III (1996–1997)
CONSULTANTS
Bill Whan (1997–2008)
Mike Egar Andy Jones (2008–2010
Victor Fazio III Jill M. Russell (2010–2012)
Rob Harlan
Andy Jones
Laura Peskin
Bill Whan
ISSN 1534-1666
The Ohio Cardinal, Spring 2016
COMMENTS ON THE SEASON
By Craig Caldwell were first seen later than usual, but that doesn’t
mean they weren’t here on time.)
Laura Keene’s departure and Christopher This issue of the Cardinal contains reports of
Collins’ arrival as Photo Editors have reminded 305 species, slightly above the previous five years’
me how much I depend on my volunteer helpers. spring season average of 303. Seven hybrids and
Roger Lau has done a magnificent job of turning 10 reports at the genus or family level are also
each issue’s host of Word documents, Excel files, included. Four of the accounts are of exotic spe-
and photographs into a coherent whole since he cies which were most likely released or escaped,
began with the winter 2013-14 edition. Proof- though one could have wandered a couple hun-
readers Tim Colborn, Mike Egar, Rob Harlan, dred miles from an established population. Ten
and Laura Peskin do more than just correct spell- review species or forms were reported to the Ohio
ing errors and awkward syntax; they (especially Bird Records Committee (OBRC); four of them
Rob) also question some sighting reports which I also have other sightings not formally reported.
should have questioned myself. Victor Fazio III, Ten review species generated only postings to
Andy Jones, and Bill Whan provide valuable or- eBird, Ohio-birds, Facebook, or other on-line
nithological and historical advice whenever I ask. venues. Fortunately many of these posts include
My thanks go to all of them. a photograph or detailed description which will
Our weird weather continues. Mar tempera- enable OBRC review.
tures were among the highest on record: The As always, the OBRC and this editor urge
overall average and average maxima and minima birders to formally report all sightings of Review
were at or above the 95th percentile. Precipitation List species, of Core List species found at unusual
was also above average, though not so dramat- times, of nesting by birds previously not known
ically; the month ranked in the upper third of to nest in the state, and of course sightings of
the 122 years with data. The western 2/3 of birds never before found in Ohio. An easy-to-use
the state (except the far northwest) received up to on-line form is available at http://www.ohio-
triple its usual rain and snow and the rest of the birds.org/records/documentation.php.
state’s precipitation amounts ranged from aver-
age to 1½ times normal.
Apr and May temperatures were in the middle Random notes:
of those months’ historical ranges. Precipitation, 1. Once a month, ONWR opens its gate to al-
however, was below average in both months, low birders to drive through otherwise closed
ranking at numbers 57 and 46 of their respective areas. The Refuge used to call the event and
122 years’ of data (with number one being the route the Auto Tour; now it’s Wildlife Drive.
driest). Only the far southeast, and only in Apr, 2. Stand by for some more big changes to the tax-
did any area exceed 150% of its normal rain and onomic order in the summer Cardinal. As this
snow. And snow it did – on 09 Apr, Toledo re- issue was in production, the North American
ceived eight inches of the wet stuff and the Cleve- Classification Committee of the American
land area up to five. Eastern Cuyahoga got a Ornithologist’s Union (NACC/AOU) released
late couple of inches on 15 May. its annual update. Several entire families have
Weather data are from the National Weather been moved to reflect relationships revealed by
Service (http://water.weather.gov/precip/), the the latest DNA data.
NOAA (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and- 3. This season generated more than 890,000
precip/maps.php and http://www.ncdc.noaa. eBird entries. 231,000 (26%) of them were
gov/extremes/records/), and the Plain Dealer. from Lucas and another 64,000 from Ottawa.
The trend to earlier arrivals from the south
continues. Eleven shorebird species, nine war-
blers, and four of our six swallows arrived earlier Data for the following Species Accounts come
than their historic norms, some by as much as a from reports submitted directly to The Cardinal
month. And many of the early sightings were and The Bobolink, the latter courtesy of its pub-
soon followed by more, which to me means the lisher, Robert Hershberger; eBird (http://ebird.
first arrivals weren’t outliers. (Three warblers org/content/ebird); and the Ohio-birds listserv
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Vol. 39 No. 3
(http://birding.aba.org/maillist/OH). In the ren, unless the lake is specified; a bit of the
species accounts, “normal” arrival dates are from lake is also in Clinton
Harlan et al., Ohio Bird Records Committee Annotated CBC = Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count
Checklist of the Birds of Ohio, 2008. CCE = Crane Creek Estuary, Lucas and Otta-
Taxonomic order and nomenclature follow wa, viewable from both ONWR and the CCE
the Check-List of North American Birds, 7th Edition Trail which originates at Magee
(1998) as updated through the 56th Supple- Chapel Drive = a road off Ohio 83 south of Cum-
ment (2015). This document is published by the berland in Noble which traverses grasslands
NACC/AOU and is available at http://www. Clear Creek = Clear Creek Metro Park; the east-
aou.org/checklist/north/print.php. County ern 2/3 is in Hocking, the rest in Fairfield
names are in bold italics. Locations whose coun- Clear Fork = Clear Fork Reservoir (or Lake),
ties are of the same name, for example Ashtabu- partly in Morrow but most of the birding is
la (city) and Delaware Wildlife Area, usually do done in the larger Richland Section.
not have the counties repeated. County names CLNP = Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve
for sites described in Cincinnati (Hamilton), (the former Dike 14), Cuyahoga
Cleveland (Cuyahoga), Columbus (Franklin), CMM = the trio of Jon Cefus, Greg Miller, and
Dayton (Montgomery), and Toledo (Lucas) are Ben Morrison
also omitted. Shortened names and a few sets of CNC = Cincinnati Nature Center, a non-govern-
initials are used for locations and organizations mental entity whose Long Branch Farm and
which occur repeatedly; these abbreviations are Rowe Woods units are in Clermont
listed here. The term “fide” is used in some cita- Conneaut = the mudflats to the west of Con-
tions; it means “in trust of” and is used where the neaut Harbor, Ashtabula
reporter was not the observer. CP = County Park
CPNWR = Cedar Point National Wildlife Ref-
uge, Lucas
Abbreviations: CVNP = Cuyahoga Valley National Park,
Cuyahoga and (mostly) Summit
A/R Corner = fields at the corner of Angola and Darby Creek = Battelle Darby Creek Metro
Raab Roads, Lucas Park, almost entirely in Franklin but with bits
Alum Creek = Alum Creek Reservoir, Dela- in other counties as well
ware, unless otherwise noted Deer Creek = the State Park is in Pickaway, the
Armleder Park = a Cincinnati city park on the Wildlife Area is in Fayette, and Deer Creek
Little Miami River, Hamilton Lake is in both but mostly Pickaway
Audubon = the National Audubon Society East Fork = East Fork State Park, Clermont
(http://www.audubon.org) East Harbor = East Harbor State Park, Ottawa
BBS = the North American Breeding Bird Sur- Edgewater = the Edgewater unit of Cleveland
vey, a joint project of the United States Geo- Lakefront Metroparks, Cuyahoga
logical Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Fernald = Fernald Preserve, Butler and
Wildlife Service Hamilton
Berlin Lake = Berlin Lake (or Reservoir), Ma- Findlay Reservoirs = several contiguous water
honing and Portage bodies east of town in Hancock
Big Island = Big Island Wildlife Area, Marion Funk = Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area, Ashland
Blendon Woods = Blendon Woods Metro Park, and (mostly) Wayne
Franklin Grand Lake = Grand Lake St. Marys. The State
The Bowl = a limited-access area near the Har- Park, the state fish hatchery, and the eastern
rison airport 20% of the lake itself are in Auglaize. The
BRAS = Black River Audubon Society rest of the lake is in Mercer.
BSBO = Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Otta- Great Miami WMB = Great Miami Wetlands
wa (http://www.bsbo.org) Mitigation Bank, Montgomery
Buck Creek = Buck Creek State Park, Clark Headlands = Headlands Dunes State Nature
Burke Airport = Cleveland Burke Lakefront Air- Preserve, Headlands Beach State Park, and
port, Cuyahoga adjoining waters, Lake
Caesar Creek = Caesar Creek State Park, War- Holden = Holden Arboretum, Lake, except for
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The Ohio Cardinal, Spring 2016
its Stebbins Gulch unit in Geauga MP = Metro Park, MetroPark, or Metropark de-
Hoover NP = Hoover Nature Preserve, pending on the system
Delaware NC = Nature Center
Hoover Reservoir = the northern 80% is in Del- NF = National Forest
aware, the rest and the dam in Franklin NP = Nature Preserve, except as part of CVNP
Indian Lake = Indian Lake State Park, Logan OBBA II = the second Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas
Jones Preserve = Jones Preserve at Long Point, on OBRC = Ohio Bird Records Committee
Kelleys Island, Erie Old Highland Stone = that company’s wa-
Kelleys Island = the island and adjoining waters, ter-filled gravel pits, Highland
Erie Old Woman Creek = Old Woman Creek Nation-
Killbuck = Killbuck State Wildlife Area, Holmes al Estuarine Research Reserve, Erie
and Wayne OOPMP = Oak Openings Preserve MetroPark,
Killdeer = Killdeer Plains State Wildlife Area; a Lucas
bit is in Marion but it’s mostly in Wyandot ONWR = Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Lu-
LaDue = LaDue Reservoir, Geauga cas and Ottawa
Lake Erie Bluffs = a Lake Metroparks parcel ONWR Boss and Navarre = units of ONWR
whose popularity among birders is blooming. separate from the main area, both Ottawa
Lake Hope/Zaleski = Lake Hope State Park and Pearson MP = Pearson Metro Park, Lucas
surrounding Zaleski State Forest, Vinton Pickerel Creek = Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area,
Lake Loramie = Lake Loramie SP, Shelby Sandusky
Lorain = the dredge spoil impoundment east of Pickerington Ponds = Pickerington Ponds Metro
downtown in the city and county of the same Park, Fairfield and Franklin
name, unless otherwise noted Pipe Creek = Pipe Creek Wildlife Area, in the
Lost Bridge = a Great Miami River crossing city of Sandusky, Erie
on Lawrenceburg Road near Elizabethtown, Rocky Fork = Rocky Fork State Park, Highland
Hamilton, where a covered bridge was lost Salt Fork = Salt Fork SP, Guernsey
to fire in 1903 Sandy Ridge = Sandy Ridge Reservation,
m. obs. = multiple observers Lorain
Magee = the boardwalk and immediate vicinity Seneca Lake = most of the lake and the (non-
in Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas, unless state) Park are in Noble, while the dam is in
otherwise noted. The northern third of the Guernsey
causeway is also in Lucas, the rest in Ottawa. SF = State Forest
Mallard Club = Mallard Club Marsh WA, Lucas Shawnee = Shawnee State Forest, Scioto, unless
Maumee Bay = Maumee Bay State Park, Lucas, otherwise noted
unless otherwise noted Shawnee Lookout = Shawnee Lookout County
Medusa = Medusa Marsh, Erie, an informally Park, Hamilton
named and privately owned area between Sheldon Marsh = Sheldon Marsh State Nature
Sandusky and Bay View Preserve, Erie
Metzger = Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas, SNP = State Nature Preserve
not to be confused with Metzger Reservoir, SP = State Park
Allen Springfield Lake = in Greater Akron, Summit
Mill Creek = Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, a Springville Marsh = Springville Marsh State Na-
limited-access area in Mahoning ture Preserve, Seneca
Mohican = Mohican State Forest and State Park. Spring Valley = Spring Valley Wildlife Area, al-
Many trails cross the boundaries so some re- most entirely in Greene but extending into
ports include sightings from both without Warren
distinction. SWA = State Wildlife Area
Mohican SF = Mohican State Forest, Ashland TNC = The Nature Conservancy (http://www.
Mohican SP = Mohican State Park, (mostly) nature.org)
Ashland and (slightly) Richland Villa Angela = the Villa Angela unit of Cleve-
Mosquito Lake = Mosquito Creek Lake, also land’s Lakefront Reservation
called Mosquito Creek Reservoir, Trumbull. WA = Wildlife Area
Mosquito (Creek) Wildlife Area adjoins it. Wake Robin = a trail and boardwalk in Mentor
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Vol. 39 No. 3
Marsh State Nature Preserve, Lake
Wendy Park = a lakeshore Cleveland park,
Cuyahoga
Wilderness Road = a road which traverses Funk
Bottoms Wildlife Area, Wayne, and adjoining
farmland
The Wilds = a limited-access big-mammal breed-
ing and research facility in Muskingum, also
used generically to include the surrounding
reclaimed strip mines
Willow Point = Willow Point Wildlife Area, Erie
Winous Horseshoe = a limited-access part of
Winous Point Shooting Club, Ottawa
Winous Point = Winous Point Shooting Club,
Ottawa
Zaleski = Zaleski State Forest, Vinton
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The Ohio Cardinal, Spring 2016
SPECIES ACCOUNTS
Greater White-fronted Goose Trumpeter Swan
Micki Dunakin saw the last one, at the Paulding Ryan Jacob found about 60 at Metzger on 03
Sewage Lagoons on 01 May. The second-last Mar; that site and the other northwestern marsh-
were rather earlier, solos on 12 Apr at Indian es held numbers approaching that on other dates.
Lake (Margaret Bowman) and Hubbard Valley The high count elsewhere was the 24 which John
Park, Medina (Helen and Ken Ostermiller). Games and Ron Sempier noted at Killdeer on 27
Marcia Kinnard and Su Snyder found 85 along Apr. (27 counties)
Wilderness Road on 16 Mar. The second-high- Tundra Swan
est count was Robert Royse’s 68 at Deer Creek Dan Roth saw the last, at the Ira Road marsh in
WA on 08 Mar. (16 counties) CVNP on 23 Apr. Ed Pierce et al. counted 914
Snow Goose at ONWR on 06 Mar (fide Douglas Vogus). The
The last to leave spent from 17 Apr to 16 May most elsewhere were Ron Sempier’s 530 at Kill-
in the Crook Street wetlands, Lorain (Ed Wran- deer’s Pond 27 on 01 Mar. (18 counties)
sky). It stayed one day longer than the blue Wood Duck
morph bird at Leesville Lake, Carroll, seen by Sandy Ridge hosted about 80 for Mike Sustin on
Jon Cefus, Kent Miller, and Ben Morrison (here- 20 Mar. (83 counties)
after CMM). The high count was 28 (16 blue
Gadwall
and 12 white) which Ed Pierce’s census crew
Reports were steady to the last of the season on
found in ONWR on 06 Mar (fide Douglas Vo-
24 May. That day Gustino Lanese saw one bird
gus). Ryan Jacob had seen 25 at Metzger on 03
at Conneaut and Cory Chiappone two at Mal-
Mar. (14 counties)
lard Club. (There was a single mid-Jun sighting
Ross’s Goose as well). Paul Sherwood counted 432 at Medusa
Deer Creek WA hosted the high count of three on 25 Mar, while the most away from Lake Erie
on 08 Mar (Robert Royse) and all other sightings were the 158 which Cam Lee found at Killdeer
were of single birds. Heather Luedecke saw the on 03 Apr. (61 counties)
last on 08 May, at a Franklin apartment com-
Eurasian Wigeon
plex where it had been for several days. The
One spent from 09 to 29 Mar in Delaware WA
second-last was at Clouse Lake, Perry, on 04
(m. obs.). Sandy Ridge hosted another between
Apr (m. obs.). Scioto and Shelby also produced
03 Mar and 03 Apr (m. obs.). The last was an-
reports.
other crowd pleaser by St. Peter’s Church Road,
Cackling Goose Stark, from 13 to 20 Apr. Other singles stayed
The reports are: up to 10 days at sites in Erie, Greene, Holmes,
One at ONWR on 02 Mar (Rhonda Berry) Sandusky, Trumbull, Wayne, and Wyandot.
Two at Metzger on 04 Mar (Ryan Jacob)
American Wigeon
One in North Bloomfield, Trumbull, on 12
Cory Chiappone saw the last, three birds at Mal-
Mar (Chris Pierce)
lard Club on 24 May. Dan Gesualdo provided
One at a pond on the Procter & Gamble proper-
the high count of 450, at Willow Point on 13
ty, Warren, on 20 Mar (Jason Cade)
Mar. The most elsewhere were 316 at Killdeer
Canada Goose on 08 Mar (Cam Lee). (63 counties)
The 06 Mar ONWR census produced 957
[Eurasian x American Wigeon]
(Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). The sec-
Dan Gesualdo found one among the American
ond-most were Ron Sempier’s 850 at Killdeer’s
Wigeon at Willow Point on 06 Mar and lots of
Pond 27 on 01 Mar. Only Pike lacked a sighting.
folks enjoyed another in the wetlands along Wil-
[Snow x Canada Goose] derness Road between 05 and 14 Mar.
One was seen on and off at several Erie sites
American Black Duck
during Apr (m. obs.)
Killdeer’s Pond 27 hosted 120 on 17 Mar (Steve
Mute Swan Mulhall); the second-most were 75 at Blen-
The high count of seven was shared. Megan don Woods on 08 Mar (Sarah Lawrence). (50
Blackwell saw that many at Lakeshore Park, counties)
Ashtabula, on 24 Mar, as did Jeffrey Roth at
Mallard
Kessler Swamp SNP, Hocking, on 18 May. (42
The Ostermillers found about 1200 at Funk on
counties)
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Vol. 39 No. 3
03 Mar. Irina Shulgina saw about 500 at Kill- al sections of Killbuck on 21 Mar. Susan Evanoff
deer on 06 Mar as did John Games and Ron and Su Snyder had seen about 750 along Kill-
Sempier three days later. Only Coshocton, buck’s Cemetery Road on 11 Mar. (78 counties)
Lawrence, and Pike did not produce reports.
Greater Scaup
[American Black Duck x Mallard] Elizabeth McQuaid et al. saw two at Medusa on
Tania Perry recognized five in Delaware WA on 24 May; they were the last. The most were 50 at
05 Apr. (15 counties) the Bayshore fishing access, Lucas, on 13 Apr
(Scott Myers and Kim Warner) and the inland
Blue-winged Teal
high was 25, at Killdeer on 14 Mar (Irina Shulgi-
Bryan Sharp’s 250 at Delaware WA on 02 Apr
na). (41 counties)
was the high count. (74 counties)
Lesser Scaup
Northern Shoveler
The last of the season was at Lorain on 22 May
Ed Pierce et al.’s ONWR census on 04 Apr count-
(Gregory Bennett) though there were also several
ed 303 (fide Douglas Vogus). Daniel DeLapp had
Jun sightings. Ed Pierce’s census crew counted
found 196 there on 29 Mar. The third-highest
4026 at ONWR on 06 Mar and 2328 there on
number, 175, was provided by Matthew Bockey
03 Apr for the two highest numbers (fide Doug-
from his property in Allen. (65 counties)
las Vogus). The most away from Lake Erie were
Northern Pintail Chris Pierce’s 350 at the Wellington Upground
The last but for a surprise late Jun appearance Reservoir, Lorain, on 24 Mar. (71 counties)
was one near the BSBO office at the Magee en-
Scaup sp.
trance on 19 May (Kraig Cawley). Robert Foppe
Elliot Tramer saw a mixed flock of about 4300 at
and Jennifer Smolenski saw about 3100 at Funk
CPNWR on 13 Apr.
on 04 Mar; there and other Wayne sites hosted
smaller four-digit numbers on other dates. The Surf Scoter
most in another county were 200, a number Bob Lane saw the last, two birds in the Portage
shared by Karen Bonnell along Howard Road, section of Berlin Lake on 24 Apr. They and two
Lucas, on 08 Mar and Cam Lee at Killdeer on in the Pleasant Valley Quarry, Pickaway, on 15
09 Apr. (48 counties) and 16 Mar were the only multiples (m. obs.).
Singles were also spotted in Allen, Delaware,
Green-winged Teal
Erie, Lake, Lorain, Seneca, and Wyandot.
Three mid-Jun reports followed this season’s last,
a single bird which John Games and Ron Semp- White-winged Scoter
ier found at Killdeer on 26 May. Robert Royse The reports are:
counted 265 in the Pickaway section of Deer Three on 01 Mar and one on 03 Mar on the
Creek Reservoir on 12 Mar and the Ostermillers Great Miami River, Montgomery (Eric
saw 210 along County Road 1950, Ashland, on Elvert)
17 Apr. (54 counties) One at Defiance Reservoir on 02 Apr (Scott
Myers)
Canvasback
One at LaDue on 06 Apr (m. obs.)
Several observers saw the last, one bird at Mau-
One at the Paulding Reservoir from 13 to 23 Apr
mee Bay on 13 and 14 May. Nancy Anderson’s
(Micki Dunakin, Scott Myers)
60 at East Harbor on 06 Mar was the high count.
The second-highest was 45, at Delaware WA on Black Scoter
10 Mar (James Gore). (27 counties) Robert Foppe and Jennifer Smolenski saw one off
Edgewater on 03 Mar.
Redhead
Cam Lee saw the season’s last, at Killdeer on Long-tailed Duck
29 May; it lingered into Jun as well. Nancy An- Three graced the Findlay Reservoirs on 08 Mar
derson estimated 3600 were off East Harbor on (Edward Ingold). One was in the Lorain (city)
06 Mar; ONWR hosted about 1500 that same harbor area from 25 to 30 Mar (m. obs.).
day (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). (67
Bufflehead
counties)
Su Snyder’s straggler at Wilderness Road on 31
Ring-necked Duck May was the last but for an injured bird in Knox
The last of the season were singles at Prairie which was seen into Jun. Tom Bartlett counted
Lane, Wayne, on 22 May (Tom Fishburn) and 419 at Kelleys Island on 20 Mar; the next highest
ONWR on 24 May (Kim McKenzie), though number was Doug Marcum’s 185 at Berlin Lake
one popped up in Hamilton in mid-Jun. Randy on 30 Mar. (68 counties)
Rowe found at least 1000 scattered among sever-
110
The Ohio Cardinal, Spring 2016
Common Goldeneye on 31 May were also probably not wild. (26
Kathy Jakischa saw the last, at Lorain on 03 counties)
May. It was a later departure than usual, but
Chukar
the second-last, two which Jim O’Connor saw at
Peter Pawelkiewicz happened to see one along
Headlands on 18 Apr, were on schedule. Robert
New London Road, Ashtabula, on 26 Mar; no
Foppe and Jennifer Smolenski found about 400
telling where or when it was released.
off Edgewater on 03 Mar. Mosquito Lake hosted
the inland high count of 54 on 08 Mar (m. obs.). Ring-necked Pheasant
(36 counties) Irina Shulgina and Tom Bain shared the high
count of seven, at Darby Creek on 19 Apr and
Hooded Merganser
near Charlie’s Pond, Pickaway, on 01 May re-
The high count was 70, at ONWR on 06 Mar
spectively. (32 counties)
(Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Robert Bat-
terson’s 57 at the Columbus Upground Reser- Ruffed Grouse
voir, Delaware, on 11 Apr was the next highest Reports were thinly distributed throughout the
number. (68 counties) period. Alex Eberts saw a female with four
youngsters in Vinton Furnace Experimental For-
Common Merganser
est, Vinton, on 31 May. Janet Shields saw two
The one which Ken Andrews saw in CVNP on
along Pond Lick Road in Shawnee on 02 May;
30 May was probably the last migrant, as the
Eli M. Miller saw one and heard another in
few Jun sightings were at or near the state’s few
Woodbury WA, Coshocton, on 07 May. Other
known repeat nesting locations. One pair did
Scioto and Vinton sites plus Lake, Perry, and
nest further up the Cuyahoga River than CVNP
Ross produced singles.
last year, though. The ONWR census of 06 Mar
tallied 536 (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) Wild Turkey
and other Lake Erie counts neared that num- Marcia Kinnard provided the high count of 97,
ber. The most away from the lake were Doug at Four Ponds, Holmes, on 21 Mar. Cory Gratz
Marcum’s 167 at Lake Rockwell, Portage, on 01 came in second with 67 in Kokosing Lake WA,
Mar. (51 counties) Knox, on 05 Mar. (77 counties)
Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon
A few Jun sightings followed this season’s last, The two at Berlin Lake on 24 Apr moved around;
which was Tim Krynak’s solo bird at the Wel- Ben Morrison saw them in the Portage end and
lington Upground Reservoir, Lorain, on 29 May. Bob Lane the Mahoning. Others saw one bird
About 5000 were off Wendy Park on 25 Mar at that lake on later dates. Singles at Barkcamp
(Mary Margaret Ferraro and Nathan Goldberg) SP, Belmont, on 06 Apr (Janice Emrick and
and up to 3100 were there on other dates. The Sandie Myers), at LaDue on 12 Apr (m. obs.),
most elsewhere were the 1425 which Tom Bart- and at Headlands on 30 Apr (Douglas Flagg)
lett counted at Kelleys Island on 20 Mar. The complete the reports.
inland high number of 250 was shared by Amy Common Loon
Downing and Jeff Loughman at the Findlay Res- The four which Gary Cowell saw at Clear Fork
ervoirs on 20 Mar and Mark Shaver at LaDue on on 30 May were the last of the season, and they
12 Apr. (63 counties) hung around into Jun. Brad Goodner saw about
Ruddy Duck 200 at LaDue on 22 Apr and observers count-
Quite a few stayed into Jun. Gustino Lanese ed up to 119 there on other days. The most
found about 900 off Lorain on 31 Mar; Patty elsewhere were Benjamin H. Yoder’s 54 south
McKelvey equaled him there on 11 Apr as did of New Bedford, Coshocton, on 06 Apr. (67
George Novosel at Pipe Creek on 14 Apr. Rick counties)
Asamoto contributed the inland high count of Pied-billed Grebe
640, at Williams Reservoir, Allen, on 16 Apr. Elliot Tramer counted 32 at CPNWR on 13 Apr.
(68 counties) (78 counties)
Northern Bobwhite Horned Grebe
It’s often hard to know if the adults we see or Singles on 22 May at ONWR (m. obs.) and
hear are wild. The season’s first was at a private Lorain (Gregory Bennett) were the last of the
Lucas property near a known release site on 10 season, though there were also a few early Jun
Mar (Kim Warner). Springfield Bog, Summit, reports. Heather Perusini’s 60 at Eastwood MP,
is also a release site, so the high count of sev- Montgomery, on 15 Mar was the high count.
en which Karen and Rich Kassouf found there The second-highest was Jen Brumfield’s 32 off
111