Out in Massachusetts this weekend

Let's see what I can find. Don't think I've been in MA during late September before. As I mentioned in a previous post, I won't have much time for anything but incidental birding, but who knows what might happen?

There's a Green-breasted Mango in Beloit, Wisconsin right now, after all: http://bwfov.typepad.com/birders_world_field_of_vi/

Blah day for birding

I went out yesterday morning to Hoover and Blendon Woods. I seem to have bad luck just going out by myself. Whereas other people go to the same places and get numerous shorebirds, peregrine falcons, merlins, and loads of warblers, I go and get almost zilch.

I went to Hoover first to try and get a couple more shorebird species on my year list, specifically Sanderling and White-rumped Sandpiper. No such luck. Hoover was practically devoid of shorebirds, and not counting Killdeer, I maybe saw 15 individual shorebirds, the best species being Semipalmated Plover. I did have a nice look at a soaring Bald Eagle, and there were hundreds of swallows flying all over. But still, the lack of shorebirds was disappointing. One spot that had Sanderling and WRSA a couple days ago did not have a single bird.

I then went to Blendon Woods, hoping to pick up some warblers near the Nature Center (the common warbler I am missing from the year list is Tennessee, so that was my goal) but didn't have a single warbler. The screaming children on the nature trail probably had something to do with that.

Days like that can be really discouraging. Perhaps I'll see something cool when I am in Massachusetts this weekend, but that would have to be something practically falling in my lap, as there will be no time for birding.

Avids trip, Sept 8 2007 - Godwits and more

I spent all day Saturday with the folks in my birding group, the Columbus Audubon Avid Birders. We birded most of the day up in the Sandusky region, concentrating on Sheldon Marsh for the confusing fall warblers (which I did find confusing, due mainly to the poor light and/or the inferiority of my binoculars to deal with poor lighting). I did get some good shots of the common Ohio herons there, as you can see below.

Juvenile Great Blue Heron

Green Heron

Great Egret

Next stop was the causeway to Cedar Point, or "Chausee" as it is known among birders (I think that's French for "causeway"). Here we had great luck with shorebirds, finding a group of 8 Hudsonian Godwits, a Red Knot, several Short-billed Dowitchers, Stilt Sandpipers, an amazing 25 Western Sandpipers, a Baird's Sandpiper, both yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, and Pectoral Sandpiper. We also had an Eared Grebe, which was very early, but perhaps part of a grebe movement, as four Eared Grebes were found at Buck Creek State Park near Springfield that day as well. I also finally got Bank Swallow for my year list, which is now at 249 for the year, 239 for Ohio.

Hudsonian Godwits

Short-billed Dowitchers and Stilt Sandpipers

Finally, we ended the day at Hoover Reservoir, where we failed to relocate the Red Phalarope but did see a flock of 9 Buff-Breasted Sandpipers. We ended the day with 97 species.

#364: Red Phalarope

Yesterday, I bagged another life bird, a molting Red Phalarope at Hoover Reservoir. It was feeding near some Short-billed Dowitchers and a Stilt Sandpiper. At first I thought it was a Red-necked Phalarope, but after getting home and scrutinizing some pictures of juvenile phalaropes, I decided that the bird I saw had different plumage patterns than Red-necked Phalarope, such as the white stripe in the grayish head cap more typical of Red Phalarope. Of course, it also helps that other, more experienced birders also saw the same bird later in the same location and ID'd it as a Red Phalarope!

I have an Avids bird trip this weekend I am really looking forward to. It's been pretty exciting the last week or so in Ohio birding, with the confirmation of breeding Mississippi Kites and interesting shorebirds and waders showing up, including a juvenile White Ibis and Reeve at locations in the state.

Hoover Reservoir mudflats

Immature Little Blue Heron, Aug 14, 2007

Great Blue Heron and Little Blue Heron

Immature Great Blue Heron


Lesser Yellowlegs

Little Blue Heron

I went and saw the immature Little Blue Heron that's hanging around Hoover Reservoir yesterday. Not much else in terms of shorebirds, but I didn't hang around long enough to really try and pick out anything different. I did see some Semipalmated Sandpipers, which assured me that I wasn't totally rusty and just missed them completely on Sunday, when I went and dipped on the heron.

I am missing my next Avids trip, which is sort of frustrating in that they are going to Conneaut, where I have never been, and which is a birding hotspot for shorebirds. I am going to a party in Dayton instead. I plan on birding Hoover again that morning to sort of make up for it.

I need to contact some folks in the UP birding community next month to start planning the Winter Birding in the Eastern UP trip I'm leading for the Avids this January. As I think I have mentioned previously, I've never actually birded the eastern UP, so I'll need some advice.

Picks from Hoover yesterday might be up later.

Slow birding lately

I haven't been able to really get out much lately, what with family visiting and household duties. I did manage to get out yesterday morning and look at some shorebirds, but didn't see anything I hadn't seen already this year. I guess I just missed the Little Blue Heron at Hoover Reservoir.

I'm missing my monthly Avids trip next Saturday as we are going to my cousin's "Murder Mystery Dinner Party" and although it's in the evening, the Avids' destination is too far away for me to make it back to Columbus and then to Dayton in time. Oh well.

I may try and make it out one of these afternoons, but one of the things I am finding about being married is that I have to take into account the needs of my wife when planning these things, since we are a one-car family. I can't just hop into the car and spend a couple hours birding after work like I used to. Hence, my birding blog may go through periods of inactivity as I may not have as much time to bird as I used to.