Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife • Vol. 39, No. 1, Fall 2015 Darlene Friedman captured this captivating action shot of a Common Nighthawk on 06 Sep at Maumee Bay.

On the cover: Ben Warner beautifully digiscoped this Swainson’s Hawk on 18 Sep as it searched for grasshoppers in a Holmes field, watched by a crowd of enthusiastic birders who added this western rarity to their state lists. Vol. 39 No. 1

Devoted to the Study and Appreciation of Ohio’s Birdlife

EDITOR OHIO BIRD RECORDS Craig Caldwell COMMITTEE 1270 W. Melrose Dr. Westlake, OH 44145 Paul Gardner 440-356-0494 Secretary [email protected] 295 Acton Road Columbus, OH 43214-3305 [email protected] PHOTO EDITOR Laura Keene PAST PUBLISHERS [email protected] John Herman (1978–1980) Christopher Collins (starting next issue) Edwin C. Pierce (1980–2008) 3560 Alvera Ct. Beavercreek, OH 45432 [email protected] PAST EDITORS John Herman (1978–1980) Edwin C. Pierce (1980–1991) LAYOUT Thomas Kemp (1987–1991) Roger Lau Robert Harlan (1991–1996) [email protected] Victor W. Fazio III (1996–1997) Bill Whan (1997–2008) Andy Jones (2008–2010) CONSULTANTS Jill M. Russell (2010–2012) Tim Colborn Mike Egar Victor Fazio III Rob Harlan Andy Jones Laura Peskin Bill Whan

ISSN 1534-1666 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015

COMMENTS ON THE SEASON

By Craig Caldwell sons. However, observers were able to find all of our regular migrants and added Piping Plover This issue marks the last for Laura Keene as and Ruff as bonus species. Photo Editor. Since her debut in the spring 2002 Elliot also noted lower than normal numbers issue (Vol. 35, No. 3), she has selected for us a se- of migrating warblers during late Aug in his usu- ries of 14 remarkable front covers and other col- al Lucas haunts. Statewide, the first sightings of or shots plus an interesting and informative array only two of the 36 species reported were later of black-and-whites to accompany the species ac- than usual, and four were early, so his experience counts. I and the other volunteers who bring you wasn’t widespread. Three warbler species also the Cardinal will miss her, and we wish her well on departed earlier than usual but a remarkable 22 her current endeavor: a Big Year. were last sighted anywhere from a few days to Christopher Collins is Laura’s successor. He’s several weeks after their usual departure dates. a former photography instructor, currently an IT No doubt the balmy (or hotter-than-balmy) manager, and has been a frequent contributor weather provided insect food much later than in to the Cardinal and to the BirdsEye apps. He’s many previous years. also a founding member of RogueBirders.com, Robert Royse had a banner day in the Deer a website for “die-hard Ohio birders with a focus Creek area on 06 Oct, when he saw House, Win- on education, conservation, and making bird- ter, Sedge, Marsh, and Carolina wrens. ing ‘cool’”. Christopher is already hard at work This issue includes the results of the Fall Cen- choosing the photos for the winter 2015-16 issue. sus conducted in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Ah, the weather. Aug led off this season with Because it is an effort by many teams covering a below-average temperatures and rainfall. What large area, its counts are usually not included as rain did fall, however, was far from evenly dis- the high numbers cited in the Species Accounts; tributed. The southwest received up to eight those are limited to numbers by single individuals inches (double its average), as did a few pockets or parties. elsewhere. Stations in the northeast and central We now have achieved four seasons in a row, east had as little as 10% of their average pre- a full year, in which every county contributed at cipitation. Sep reversed that pattern, with the least one sighting to every issue of the Cardinal. sixth-highest average temperature on record. This fall, three species (Turkey Vulture, Mourn- Though the statewide average rainfall was solid- ing Dove, and American Goldfinch) were report- ly in the middle of the historical range, several ed from all 88 counties and five others were seen areas received up to triple their usual amounts. in 87. Nineteen appeared in 80 to 86 counties. Oct’s temperatures were also above average, Well done! though not as dramatically as Sep’s. Rainfall was This issue contains accounts of 301 species, slightly above the long-term mean, with most of a lower number than the recent average for the state receiving between 50 and 125% of nor- fall. Nine additional accounts are at the family mal. Nov’s average temperature again jumped, or genus level and three hybrids are also noted. to the fifth-hottest of the 121 years with records. Sixteen Review Species, birds whose occurrences Perversely, rainfall was below average, with the (generally speaking) are rare and unpredictable, Cincinnati area being the only part of the state were reported. Sightings of a very encouraging to exceed its norms. And I say rainfall advisedly 12 of them were formally documented for the – snow arrived only late in the month and in very Ohio Bird Records Committee (OBRC). The small amounts. other four were informally documented through Weather data are from the National Weather postings to various internet venues. In addition, Service (http://water.weather.gov/precip/), the some sightings of species for which there are for- NOAA (http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/temp-and- mal reports, but from different locations, were precip/maps.php and http://www.ncdc.noaa. only informally documented. gov/extremes/records/), and the Plain Dealer. The names heading Review Species accounts Elliot Tramer commented on the dearth of are underlined. In a departure from my previ- shorebird habitat in the Lake Erie marshes, and ous practice, some sightings are attributed to the many other usually reliable locations also provid- reporters though the OBRC hasn’t yet voted on ed only ephemeral mudflats. This phenomenon the documentation. The Records Committee is an unfortunate repeat of several recent fall sea- and this editor urge birders to formally report all sightings of Review List species, of Core List spe-

1 Vol. 39 No. 1 cies found at unusual times, of nesting by birds Trail which originates at Magee previously not known to nest in the state, and Chapel Drive = a road off Ohio 83 south of Cum- of course sightings of birds never before found berland in Noble which traverses grasslands in Ohio. Information on how to document rar- Clear Creek = Clear Creek Metro Park; the east- ities is available at http://www.ohiobirds.org/ ern 2/3 is in Hocking, the rest in Fairfield records/documentation.php. Clear Fork = Clear Fork Reservoir (or Lake), Data for the following Species Accounts come partly in Morrow but most of the birding is from reports submitted directly to The Cardinal done in the larger Richland Section. and The Bobolink, the latter courtesy of its pub- CLNP = Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve lisher, Robert Hershberger; eBird (http://ebird. (the former Dike 14), Cuyahoga org/content/ebird); the Ohio-birds listserv CMM = the trio of Jon Cefus, Greg Miller, and (http://birding.aba.org/maillist/OH); rarebird. Ben Morrison org (http://rarebird.org/forum/default.asp); CNC = Cincinnati Nature Center, a non-govern- and the Cincinnati Bird Sightings Log (http:// mental entity whose Long Branch Farm and cincinnatibirds.com/goodbird/sighting.php). Rowe Woods units are in Clermont Taxonomic order and nomenclature follow Conneaut = the mudflats to the west of Con- the Check-List of North American Birds, 7th Edition neaut Harbor, Ashtabula (1998) as updated through the 56th Supple- CP = County Park ment (2015). This document is published by the CPNWR = Cedar Point National Wildlife Ref- North American Classification Committee of the uge, Lucas American Ornithologists’ Union and is available CVNP = Cuyahoga Valley National Park, at http://www.aou.org/checklist/north/print. Cuyahoga and (mostly) Summit php. County names are in bold italics. Loca- Darby Creek = Battelle Darby Creek Metro tions whose counties are of the same name, for Park, Franklin example Ashtabula (city) and Delaware Wildlife Deer Creek = the State Park is in Pickaway, the Area, usually do not have the counties repeated. Wildlife Area is in Fayette, and Deer Creek County names for sites described in Cincinnati, Lake is in both but mostly Pickaway Cleveland, Columbus, and Dayton are also omit- East Fork = , Clermont ted. Shortened names and a few sets of initials East Harbor = , Ottawa are used for locations and organizations which Edgewater = the Edgewater unit of Cleveland occur repeatedly; these abbreviations are listed Lakefront Metroparks, Cuyahoga here. The term “fide” is used in some citations; it Fernald = Fernald Preserve, Butler and means “in trust of ” and is used where the report- Hamilton er was not the observer. Findlay Reservoirs = several contiguous water bodies east of town in Hancock Abbreviations: Funk = Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area, Ashland Alum Creek = Alum Creek Reservoir, Dela- and (mostly) Wayne ware, unless otherwise noted GLSM = Grand Lake St. Marys. The State Armleder Park = a Cincinnati city park on the Park, state fish hatchery, and the eastern 20% , Hamilton of the lake itself are in Auglaize. The rest of Berlin Lake = Berlin Lake (or Reservoir), Ma- the lake is in Mercer. honing and Portage Great Miami WMB = Great Miami Wetlands Big Island = Big Island Wildlife Area, Marion Mitigation Bank, Montgomery Blendon Woods = Blendon Woods Metro Park, Headlands = Headlands Dunes State Nature Franklin Preserve, Headlands Beach State Park, and The Bowl = a limited-access area near the Har- adjoining waters, Lake rison airport Holden = Holden Arboretum, Lake, except for BRAS = Black River Audubon Society its Stebbins Gulch unit in Geauga BSBO = Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Otta- Hoover NP = Hoover Nature Preserve, wa (http://www.bsbo.org) Delaware Buck Creek = , Clark Hoover Reservoir = the northern 80% is in Del- Burke Airport = Cleveland Burke Lakefront Air- aware, the rest and the dam are in Franklin port, Cuyahoga Indian Lake = Indian Lake State Park, Logan Caesar Creek = , Jones Preserve = Jones Preserve at Long Point, on Warren Kelleys Island, Erie CCE = Crane Creek Estuary, Lucas and Otta- Kelleys Island = the island and adjoining waters, wa, viewable from both ONWR and the CCE Erie

2 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Killbuck = Killbuck State Wildlife Area, Holmes Pickerington Ponds = Pickerington Ponds Metro and Wayne Park, Fairfield and Franklin Killdeer = Killdeer Plains State Wildlife Area; a Pipe Creek = Pipe Creek Wildlife Area, in the bit is in Marion but it’s mostly in Wyandot city of Sandusky, Erie LaDue = LaDue Reservoir, Geauga Rocky Fork = Rocky Fork State Park, Highland Lake Erie Bluffs = a Lake Metroparks parcel Sandy Ridge = Sandy Ridge Reservation, whose popularity among birders is blooming. Lorain Lake Hope/Zaleski = and Seneca Lake = most of the lake and the (non- surrounding , Vinton state) Park are in Noble, while the dam is in Lake Loramie = Lake Loramie SP, Shelby Guernsey Lorain = the dredge spoil impoundment east of SF = State Forest downtown in the city and county of the same Shawnee = , Scioto, unless name, unless otherwise noted otherwise noted Lost Bridge = a Great Miami River crossing Shawnee Lookout = Shawnee Lookout County on Lawrenceburg Road near Elizabethtown, Park, Hamilton Hamilton, where a covered bridge was lost Sheldon Marsh = Sheldon Marsh State Nature to fire in 1903 Preserve, Erie m. obs. = multiple observers SNP = State Nature Preserve Magee = the boardwalk and immediate vicinity SP = State Park in Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas, unless Springville Marsh = Springville Marsh State Na- otherwise noted. The northern third of the ture Preserve, Seneca causeway is also in Lucas, the rest in Ottawa. SWA = State Wildlife Area Maumee Bay = , Lucas, TNC = The Nature Conservancy (http://www. unless otherwise noted nature.org) Medusa = Medusa Marsh, Erie, an informally Villa Angela = the Villa Angela unit of Cleve- named and privately owned area between land’s Lakefront Reservation Sandusky and Bay View WA = Wildlife Area Metzger = Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas, Wake Robin = a trail and boardwalk in Mentor not to be confused with Metzger Reservoir, Marsh State Nature Preserve, Lake Allen Wendy Park = a lakeshore Cleveland park, Mill Creek = Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, a Cuyahoga limited-access area in Mahoning Wilderness Road = a road which traverses Funk Mohican = Mohican State Forest and State Park. Bottoms Wildlife Area, Wayne, and adjoining Many trails cross the boundaries so some re- farmland ports include sightings from both without The Wilds = a limited-access big-mammal breed- distinction. ing and research facility in Muskingum, also Mohican SF = Mohican State Forest, Ashland used generically to include the surrounding Mohican SP = , (mostly) reclaimed strip mines Ashland and (slightly) Richland Zaleski = Zaleski State Forest, Vinton Mosquito Lake = Mosquito Creek Lake, also called Mosquito Creek Reservoir, Trumbull. Mosquito (Creek) Wildlife Area adjoins it. MP = Metro Park, MetroPark, or Metropark de- pending on the system NC = Nature Center NF = National Forest NP = Nature Preserve, except as part of CVNP OBBA II = the second Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas OBRC = Ohio Bird Records Committee Old Highland Stone = that company’s wa- ter-filled gravel pits,Highland OOPMP = Oak Openings Preserve MetroPark, Lucas ONWR = Ottawa , Lu- cas and Ottawa Pickerel Creek = Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area, Sandusky

3 Vol. 39 No. 1

SPECIES ACCOUNTS

By Craig Caldwell Flocks of nine and 12 passing Painesville Town- ship Park, Lake, on 14 Nov (Tom Frankel) Greater White-fronted Goose Twelve off Lake Erie Bluffs on 23 Nov (John The first two showed up in Painesville, Lake, on Pogacnik) 03 Oct and remained until 17 Oct (m. obs.). The last of the season were 13 in Brookville, Mont- Cackling Goose gomery, on 21 Nov (Marge and Ron Bicknell). Susie Short found the first two, at Buck Creek on Irina Shulgina contributed the high count of 92, 14 Sep. The high count was four, shared by Rick which flew over her at Killdeer on 01 Nov. The Asamoto at the GLSM hatchery on 14 Nov and second-highest count was John Petruzzi’s 19 over Andy Avram near Fairport Harbor, Lake, on 19 Mill Creek on 25 Oct. Ashtabula and Ottawa Nov. Erie, Franklin, Montgomery, Ottawa, also had sightings. Summit, and Wyandot also provided sightings. Canada Goose Victor Fazio III counted 1980 off Port Clinton, Ottawa, on 03 Nov. He also found 1440 at the Wellington Upground Reservoir, Lorain, on 06 Nov. The highest count well inland was Irina Shulgina’s 1000 at Killdeer on 26 Nov. Every county except Gallia, Guernsey, and Pike pro- duced reports. Cackling/Canada Goose Matthew Bell noted an indeterminate bird at Pickerington Ponds, Franklin, on 16 Oct. Mute Swan Jeffrey Roth found groups of eight at Lake Lo- Jerry Talkington captured a crisp image of this Greater gan SP, Hocking, on 02 Sep and again at Kes- White-fronted Goose on 04 Oct in Painesville, Lake. sler Swamp SNP, also Hocking, on 08 Oct. (27 Snow Goose counties) Kathy Mock noted the first, a blue morph indi- Trumpeter Swan vidual in Sandusky, Erie, on 06 Oct. The only Ed Pierce et al. counted 40 during their 06 Sep double-digit counts were of 16 which flew over ONWR census (fide Douglas Vogus). Dave Chase Eli M. Miller near Charm, Holmes, on 08 Nov, found 30 there on 18 Oct and John Besser tied and 17 which Robert Edelen watched pass him this count in Sandusky on 28 Nov. (19 counties) at East Fork on 25 Nov. (24 counties) Tundra Swan Ross’s Goose The first was a single bird in the Crook Street The sightings, all of single birds, were: wetlands, Lorain, on 19 Oct (Ed Wransky). On a private pond in Stark on 05 and 06 Nov More than a week passed before Paul Sherwood (m. obs.) found the next ones, 18 in East Sandusky Bay At Mohawk High School, Wyandot, from 13 to MP, Erie, on 28 Oct. Robert Hershberger saw 17 Nov (m. obs.) about 300 pass overhead in Holmes starting at At LaDue on 20 Nov (m. obs.) 3:00 pm on 22 Nov. ONWR hosted 660 on 25 On the Great Miami River in Dayton from 23 Nov (Mike Wielgopolski). Nov into Dec (m. obs.) Wood Duck At Old Highland Stone on 24 Nov (Rick Ron Sempier provided the high count of 170, at Asamoto) Killdeer on 18 Aug. (79 counties) Brant Gadwall The reports are: The first of the season showed up at Lorain on Thirty-two passing Conneaut on 08 Nov (Bob 02 Aug (Josh Stapleton), though there had been and Denise Lane) several late Jul sightings. The high number was Three off Sherod Park, Erie, on 14 Nov (Dan 1500, found by Ed Pierce et al. at ONWR on 01 Gesualdo) Nov (fide Douglas Vogus). The second-highest Twenty-seven at Lakefront Park, Lake, on 14 Nov (Bill Boeringer) 4 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 count was 540, by Victor Fazio III at Great Egret Green-winged Teal Marsh, Ottawa, on 03 Nov. The inland high Josh Stapleton found the season’s first, two atLo - was Craig Holt’s 350 at Mosquito Lake on 04 rain on 02 Aug, though they followed a few Jul Nov. (43 counties) sightings. Dave Chase saw about 300 at ONWR American Wigeon on 18 Oct, and Irina Shulgina noted 250 at Kill- Two Jul sightings preceded Josh Stapleton’s find deer on 16 Nov for the inland high count. (46 of two at Lorain on 02 Aug. ONWR provided counties) the only triple-digit counts, 352 on 04 Oct (Ed Canvasback Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus), 250 on 18 Oct Kent Miller saw the first, two at Berlin Lake on (Dave Chase), and 200 on 06 Nov (Jay Wright). 14 Oct. Dan Gesualdo’s 45 in East Sandusky The most elsewhere were the 75 which Jon Cefus Bay MP, Erie, on 13 Nov was the high count; and Ben Morrison found at Mosquito Lake on the second highest was 20 by Julie Karlson and 18 Oct. (30 counties) Doug Overacker at Buck Creek on 29 Nov. (17 American Black Duck counties) Rick Asamoto saw about 200 at Old Highland Redhead Stone on 24 Nov. Blendon Woods hosted the Donna Kuhn saw the first, six at ONWR on 02 second-highest count, 91 by Sarah Lawrence on Aug. The earliest well south of Lake Erie was 19 Nov. (43 counties) Rick Asamoto’s single bird at the GLSM hatch- Mallard ery on 29 Aug. Deer Creek Reservoir hosted 350 The 01 Nov ONWR census produced 1800 (Ed on 29 Nov (Robert Royse). The second-highest Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Victor Fazio III count was 100 at Caesar Creek on 22 Nov (Rich- “reviewed a dozen images of the flock” to count ard Amable). 1830 in the flooded fields along Howard Road, Ring-necked Duck Lucas, on 09 Sep. The highest count south of A BRAS field trip to Sandy Ridge produced the the lakeside counties was Richard Counts’ 566 first, two on 30 Sep. Robert Royse counted 377 in the Hardin Wetlands on 28 Nov. (82 counties) at Deer Creek Reservoir and the nearby waste- [American Black Duck x Mallard] water treatment ponds on 29 Nov. Gregory Ben- Victor Fazio III picked out three in the large nett found 199 at Summit Lake, Summit, on 23 Howard Road, Lucas, Mallard flock on 09 Sep. Nov. (42 counties) Margaret Bowman saw three at Blendon Woods Greater Scaup on 26 Oct. (12 counties) One at Lorain on 06 Aug (Tim Cornish) and two Blue-winged Teal there on 08 Aug (Victor Fazio III) “should be Pickerel Creek hosted 590 on 22 Aug (Victor taken as [exceptionally] early fall dispersal and Fazio III); 200 were still there two days later (Ari not lingering birds” according to Victor. The Rice). The highest inland count was of 150 at next was a single bird at Bresler Reservoir, Al- Big Island on 12 Oct (Alex Eberts and Leslie len, on 17 Oct (Rick Asamoto). The high count Sours). (48 counties) of 10 was by Jen Brumfield off Cahoon Park, Cuyahoga, on 13 Nov. (15 counties) Cinnamon Teal The OBRC has reports from the Delaware/ Lesser Scaup Union Line. The first made it all the way to Indian Lake SP, Northern Shoveler A few Jul sightings preceded this season’s. Carl- ton Schooley provided the high count of 210, at Pine Lake, Mahoning, on 29 Oct. (39 counties) Northern Pintail Though one bird showed up at Conneaut in late Jul, the first of this season were three at ONWR on 06 Sep (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Jen Brumfield counted 130 off Huntington Reservation, Cuyahoga, on 18 Oct. The sec- ond-highest count was 49, at Wendy Park on 25 Oct (m. obs.). The inland high was Irina Shulgi- Kevin McKelvey photographed this transitional plumaged na’s 30 at Pickerington Ponds, Franklin, on 26 Northern Pintail on 24 Oct; it was a welcome visitor to his Oct. (37 counties) backyard lake in Sheffield Village,Lorain .

5 Vol. 39 No. 1 Logan, before Stefan Minnig saw it on 22 Aug. Bufflehead Eli Miller found the next, another single bird, at Victor Fazio III’s visit to Howard Road, Lucas, Sunset Park, Ashtabula, on 12 Sep. The high on 09 Sep produced the first, “a surprising ear- count was 310, at the Findlay Reservoirs on ly occurrence” among the many Mallards there. 14 Nov (m. obs.), but Robert Royse came close The next were four which Louis Hoying found with about 300 at Deer Creek on 29 Nov. (39 at Lake Loramie on 15 Oct. Tom Bartlett et al. counties) counted 654 around Kelleys Island on 20 Nov; Scaup sp. the second-highest number was 320 in two Elliot Tramer estimated that about 85% of the rafts at LaDue on 22 Nov (Irina Shulgina). (48 2700 scaup he saw off CPNWR were Lessers. counties) Matt Kemp saw a mixed flock of about 1400 off Common Goldeneye Toledo on 23 Nov. Jen Brumfield saw the first one, at Edgewater Surf Scoter on 30 Oct. Doug Marcum and Bradley Schultz Eastwood MP, Montgomery, hosted the first found about 70 at Mosquito WA on 29 Nov. Bill seen, on 04 Oct (m. obs.). Lots of folks also saw Grant’s 20 at Sims Park, Cuyahoga, that same the next, one which spent 12 to 18 Oct at the day was the next highest number. (18 counties) GLSM hatchery. Dan Gesualdo found 17 off Hooded Merganser Sherod Park, Erie, on 17 Nov. The second-high- The season’s first sightings of these uncommon est count of six was shared by Jen Brumfield off nesters were not until 06 Aug, when birders Lakewood Park, Cuyahoga, on 30 Oct and a found them at four locations. The high count crowd of birders at Rocky Fork on 07 Nov. (15 was 286; Doug Marcum saw those at Lake Rock- counties all the way south to Scioto) well, Portage, on 29 Nov. (51 counties) White-winged Scoter Common Merganser Gary Cowell and John Herman found the first, Sightings of families continued at Conneaut two at Clear Fork on 16 Oct. Ed Powers saw from summer into Aug. Andrea Anderson also six fly past Metzger on 17 Oct. Wyandot is the saw a family of 13, along Township Road 166, furthest south of the nine counties with sightings. Jefferson, on 13 Aug. The first reported migrant Black Scoter was off Bass Island’s East Point Preserve, Otta- Cory Chiappone saw the first, one at Headlands wa, on 01 Oct (Tom Bartlett). Lake Rockwell, on 30 Sep. Six off Erie on 09 Oct were the next Portage, hosted about 400 on 29 Nov (Doug (m. obs.) followed by three at Bresler Reservoir, Marcum). Paul Sherwood provided the sec- Allen, on 17 Oct (Rick Asamoto). “Flocks” of ond-highest count, 204, from Lake Erie at Saw- four, two, and two passing Huntington Reserva- mill Creek, Erie, on 25 Nov. (19 counties) tion, Cuyahoga, on 18 Oct gave Jen Brumfield Red-breasted Merganser the high count. Delaware was the southern- Jen Moore and Jason Parrish found a single male most county of the nine with sightings. on the , Franklin, on 04 Aug, Scoter sp. and widespread sightings continued almost dai- Jeremy Dominguez counted 27 on 14 Nov too ly from then into winter though numbers did far off Fairport Harbor, Lake, to identify to spe- not enter triple digits until late Oct. Late Nov cies. Other indeterminate reports came from produced estimates of up to 100,000 off Hu- Allen, Cuyahoga, and Lorain. ron harbor, Erie (m. obs.). The most elsewhere were about 8000 to 8500 between Cleveland’s Long-tailed Duck East 55th Street and Gordon Park on 28 Nov (m. The reports are: obs.) Robert Royse contributed the highest in- Two at the Wellington Upground Reservoir, Lo- land count, 220 at Deer Creek on 29 Nov. (30 rain, on 04 Nov (Helen and Ken Ostermiller). counties) One on 08 Nov and two on 28 Nov off North Perry, Lake (John Pogacnik) Ruddy Duck One at Buck Creek on 14 and 15 Nov (m. obs.) Sightings continued from summer through fall Two to three at the Findlay Reservoirs from 21 to into winter, though they were few during the first 29 Nov (m. obs.) half of Aug. Victor Fazio III found about 2200 One flying over Rocky River Park, Cuyahoga, at Ferguson and Metzger Reservoirs, Allen, on on 23 Nov (Robert Hershberger) 06 Nov. (55 counties) Two at Cowan Lake, Clinton, on 30 Nov (Rick Northern Bobwhite Asamoto) Reports gradually decreased through the season until the last two, one bird on 05 Nov by Amy

6 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Muller at her Wood home and 20 at Springfield Leon N. Miller tallied 346 passing overhead near Bog, Summit, on 14 Nov by Paul Moser. (The Millersburg, Holmes. (42 counties) latter location is a release site.) Bill Stanley’s nine Pied-billed Grebe at East Fork was the second-highest count. (11 Ron Sempier found 75 at Big Island on 07 Oct. counties) (68 counties) Ring-necked Pheasant Horned Grebe Irina Shulgina saw 10 at Darby Creek on 17 Oct; Tim Krynak noted the first, at the Wellington the next highest count was five, at three locations. Upground Reservoir, Lorain, on both 12 and (24 counties) 13 Sep. John Pogacnik counted 210 off Lake Ruffed Grouse Erie Bluffs on 09 Nov, and the most inland were The only multiple sighting was by Stefan Gleiss- Ben Morrison’s 57 at Berlin Lake on 30 Nov. (41 berg; he saw two in Strouds Run SP, Athens, on counties) 17 Nov. Other reports came from Belmont, Red-necked Grebe Harrison, Jefferson, Meigs, Noble, and Ross. Robert Hershberger saw the first, one off Sunset Wild Turkey Park, Ashtabula, on 10 Nov. The only sightings Gary Cowell saw 46 along State Route 95, Rich- of two were in a gravel pit at Twin Creek, Mont- land, on 24 Nov, and Tim Kleman saw 34 in gomery, on 22 Nov (John Habig) and at Caesar Providence MP, Lucas, on 24 Oct. Elliot Tram- Creek on 30 Nov (Rick Asamoto). Reports also er wrote, “A flock of 11-13 birds visits my back- came from Cuyahoga, Geauga, Hamilton, yard [in Whitehouse, Lucas] most afternoons, Lake, and Montgomery. eating seed I throw down for sparrows and jun- Eared Grebe cos. What ecological effects will they have? Will The reports are: they become a nuisance? Suspect the juncos al- One to two at Lorain between 17 Sep and 05 ready think so.” (53 counties) Oct and again on 25 Oct (m. obs.) Red-throated Loon One at Bradstreet’s Landing, Cuyahoga, on 04 The first were two at Sunset Park, Lake, on 27 Nov (Jen Brumfield) Oct (Sally Isacco and Jerry Talkington). One or One off North Perry, Lake, on 13 Nov (John two visited various sites along the Lake Erie shore Pogacnik) in Cuyahoga, Erie, and other parts of Lake. One off Sherod Park, Erie, on 17 Nov (Dan Daniel DeLapp discovered the southernmost, at Gesualdo) Caesar Creek on 16 Nov. Other inland sightings One at Deer Creek on 29 Nov (Robert Royse) were in Clark and Holmes. Western Grebe Pacific Loon A tantalizing late Nov report came from Tappan Reports to eBird which provided enough infor- Lake, Harrison, but the viewers are only com- mation to evaluate the birds’ identities are: fortable with calling it a distant, wave-hampered Two off Lakewood Park, Cuyahoga, on 13 Nov “good candidate”. (Jen Brumfield) and one there on 24 Nov (Eliz- abeth McQuaid) One at Cowan Lake, Clinton, on 20 Nov (Rick Asamoto) One (possibly the second Lakewood Park bird) off Rocky River Park, Cuyahoga, on 25 and 26 Nov (m. obs.) One at Huron harbor, Erie, on 29 and 30 Irina Shulgina discovered this Pacific Loon in the choppy waters Nov (Irina Shulgina and Paul Sherwood of Huron, Erie, on 29 Nov, and successfully documented the respectively) diagnostic chin strap. Additional reports without details came from some of those sites and others in Erie and Double-crested Cormorant Lake. Tom Bartlett provided a “conservative count Common Loon over 1.5 hour period starting shortly after 7:00 Roger L. Horn saw the first probable arrival from AM” at the Jones Preserve on 01 Nov; he tal- the north, at CLNP on 14 Aug; of course a few lied 42,975 passing by. The most elsewhere summered in the state. Alvin E. Miller counted were about 12,000 off Magee on 06 Nov (Mark 596 southbound near Walnut Creek, Holmes, Shieldcastle). Eli M. Miller counted 1072 in during the morning of 21 Nov. The next day, many large and small flocks passing near Charm, Holmes, on 22 Nov. (74 counties) 7 Vol. 39 No. 1 Anhinga sighting. ONWR also provided the high count, Another tantalizing, but second-hand, report 23 on 10 Sep for Dan Gesualdo. The most else- came of one near Wadsworth, Medina, in late where were eight seen well offshore of Lucas Aug. The OBRC has the little information during a 28 Sep pelagic trip (m. obs.). Erie, Lu- available. cas, and Ottawa provided all of the reports. American White Pelican Little Blue Heron The first of the season were eight at East Harbor One spent from 02 Aug to 25 Oct at ONWR (m. (Elizabeth McQuaid) and one at ONWR (Ed obs.). Singles at Englewood MP, Montgomery Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus), all on 02 Aug. on 04 Aug (Afton Kern) and at Sandy Ridge on The group of eight was also the second-highest 15 Sep (m. obs.) complete the list. count, but was eclipsed by the 37 which flew by Maumee Bay on 12 Sep (Drew Pickert). All of the sightings were in Erie, Lucas, and Ottawa.

An immature Little Blue Heron stayed in Ottawa NWR for this shot by Su Snyder on 22 Aug. Su Snyder recorded this American White Pelican with Great Egrets during her auto tour of ONWR on 27 Sep. Cattle Egret American Bittern The reports are: Zachary Allen accidently flushed what turned One at Metzger on 07 Aug (Kim Warner) out to be the season’s last of these Ohio nesters at One in the Sulphur Brook estuary, Erie, on 28 Darby Creek on 06 Nov. The second-last sight- Aug (Victor Fazio III) and on 06 Sep (Robert ing, of one at Beaver Creek WA, Greene, was on Batterson) 29 Oct (Amanda Wolski). Eight other counties Six at the Shelby Street, Sandusky, Erie, boat also provided single sightings. ramp, on 09 Sep (Paul Sherwood) Least Bittern Two at ONWR on 10 Sep (Amy and Kevin These leave much earlier than their larger cous- O’Neil) and again on 18 Oct (Dave Chase, ins; Julie Karlson and Doug Overacker saw the Mark Willis) last in Mallard Club Marsh WA, Lucas, on 15 Up to 22 apparently moving among several sites Sep. Cory Gratz saw the second-last to depart, along the Great Miami River, Montgomery, at Ackerman NP, Knox, on 06 Sep. The rest of on 21 Oct (m. obs.) the reports were also of solo birds (11 counties) Green Heron Great Blue Heron An injured bird was often seen in the Ira Road Ed Pierce’s census team found 128 at ONWR on marsh of CVNP from 30 Oct well into Dec (m. 04 Oct (fide Douglas Vogus) and Big Island host- obs.). Another, apparently healthy bird, stayed ed 100 for Ron Sempier on 08 Aug. (82 counties) into Dec at the Deer Creek WA wetlands (Robert Royse). The second-last healthy bird was John Great Egret Habig’s at the Great Miami WMB on 17 Oct, Josh Haughawout and Tyler McClain state that a typical departure date. Jeff Harvey provided they made an actual count of 900 leaving a roost the high count of 32, at Mill Creek on 15 Aug. near Fremont, Sandusky, on 22 Aug. The sec- Charles Bombaci found half that many at the ond-highest number, also an actual count, was north end of Hoover Reservoir on 09 Aug. (68 231 during the 06 Sep ONWR census (Ed Pierce counties) et al., fide Douglas Vogus). (56 counties) Black-crowned Night-Heron Snowy Egret Edward Tiede found 31 at ONWR on 19 Sep. David Gesicki and Mark Rozmarynowycz found The next most were 12 which Josh Haughawout one straggler at ONWR on 29 Oct. Perhaps it and Tyler McClain saw along County Road 259, was the same one which Mike Wielgopolski saw Sandusky, on 22 Aug. (25 counties) there on 14 Oct, a more typical date for a last

8 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 White Ibis cas, Richland, in 90 minutes of watching on 13 The OBRC has a report of two flying over an Oct. The second-highest count was four, which observer in Holmes in mid-Aug. five sites produced. (65 counties) Plegadis sp. Ibis Broad-winged Hawk The reports are: The last big push was on 21 Sep, when Louis Two which flew past Magee on 02 Sep (Edward Hoying counted 43 passing Lake Loramie. Ju- Pullen) lie Karlson and Doug Overacker had seen 30 at One in a Lucas field on 18 Sep (Kim Warner) Buck Creek the day before. After those dates, all Five at Maumee Bay on 29 Sep (Matt Kemp) of the sightings were of one or two birds, with One at Mosquito Lake from 15 to 22 Oct (m. the last being a bit late to pass CVNP on 23 Oct obs.) (Ken Andrews) Black Vulture Swainson’s Hawk David Kurz saw 50 at The Ridges, Athens, on One spent from 17 to 21 Sep catching grasshop- 26 Nov but Daniel DeLapp had already beaten pers and rodents near Millersburg, Holmes. his count with 80 at Caesar Creek on 09 Nov. (41 The OBRC will acknowledge all who provided counties as far north as Medina) formal reports. Turkey Vulture Red-tailed Hawk John Habig counted 475 in photos he took at Gary Cowell’s yard watch in Richland on 13 Caesar Creek on 16 Oct. Robert Royse noted at Oct produced 16. Eli Miller’s 12 near Charm, least 400 at a roost at Deer Creek on the night of Holmes, on 10 Oct was the second-highest 01 to 02 Nov. (All 88 counties) count. Albert and Sarah Troyer saw a dark Osprey morph bird in Richland and noted that this Kelly Kozlowski saw the last one, in the Burton was the seventh year in a row that this possible Wetlands, Geauga, on 16 Nov. The high count “Harlan’s” had arrived. Corinna Honscheid saw was 18; Charles Bombaci saw families totaling another very dark individual in Delaware on 14 10 adults and eight immatures at Hoover Res- Nov. Only Putnam did not have a sighting. ervoir’s north end on 09 Aug. The second-most Rough-legged Hawk were Ken Fuller’s seven at Alum Creek, another Eli M. Miller saw the first one, on 10 Oct near nesting area, on 16 Aug. (65 counties) Charm, Holmes, and a couple more were seen Bald Eagle elsewhere later that month. Scott Pendleton pro- Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III counted 25 at vided the high count of eight, from the Second Kelleys Island on 20 Sep. Jeff Harvey saw 23 at Reclaim Unit, Harrison, on 26 Nov. The sec- always-reliable Conneaut on 02 Aug. The most ond-highest number was three; Wes Hatch saw seen inland were 10 at Charles Mill Lake, Rich- them along Hayes Road, Geauga, on 09 Nov. land, on 11 Oct (Gary Cowell). (70 counties) (16 counties) Northern Harrier Golden Eagle A moderate number of Aug sightings opened The sightings of these now-annual winter visitors the season. The high count was 11, near Cadiz, are: Harrison, on 10 Oct, when Scott Pendleton saw One at Kiser Lake SP, Champaign, on 08 Nov two adult males, two adult females, and seven im- (Eric Elvert and Skylar Frary) matures. (53 counties) One south of Becks Mills, Holmes, on 14 Nov (Aaron Nisley) Sharp-shinned Hawk One south of Charm, Holmes, on 22 Nov (Eli Tom Bartlett noted four migrants at Springville M. Miller) Marsh on both 04 and 10 Oct. Singles, doubles, Two near Coshocton in that county on 30 Nov and triples make up the rest of the sightings. (53 (Eli Hershberger) counties) King Rail Cooper’s Hawk Members of a BSBO field trip heard one calling Cynthia Norris and Elizabeth Snedecker saw from Decoy Marsh, Sandusky, on 16 Aug, and the most, five birds along the Hoover Park Con- Paul Sherwood heard it again on 21 Aug. nector Trail, Stark, on 30 Sep. Other observers found up to four. (70 counties) Virginia Rail Sean Williams found the last of the season, in Red-shouldered Hawk Delaware SP on 01 Nov. Ronnie Clark saw the Gary Cowell counted nine from his yard in Lu- second-last, two at Darby Creek on 21 Oct. The

9 Vol. 39 No. 1 high count was Roger L. Horn’s four at Killbuck Delaware, on 30 Oct; the second-last was Phil on 14 Aug and there were several duos reported. Swan’s solo bird at Buckeye Lake, Perry, on 23 (14 counties) Oct. (22 counties) Sora American Golden-Plover Eric Elvert saw the last; it was swimming in one Brandon Gabler saw the first of the season, in of the Barrett Paving gravel pits, Clermont, on ONWR on 09 Aug, though there had been Jul 09 Nov. This date is two to three weeks later than reports. Regina Schieltz found 36 in the Woods expected, but Doug Marcum had heard anoth- Road wetlands, Hancock, on 11 Oct for the high er straggler calling from the CVNP Coliseum count. Douglas Bohanan saw 26 there on the Grasslands on 05 Nov. Elliot Tramer provided next day and they were the last reported. (21 the high count; on 26 Aug he wrote that “at counties) least 58 answered rocks thrown into CPNWR Semipalmated Plover marshes August 26. How many were really out These, too, started arriving in Jul. The last there? A thousand? Who knows?”. The sec- seen was a single bird at the Shreve Fish Pond, ond most were 15 at Metzger on 29 Sep (Peter Wayne, on 01 Nov (m. obs.). Victor Fazio III Keefe) and the most away from Lake Erie were contributed the high count of 36, from Wil- eight in Delaware WA on 26 Aug (Steve Landes). derness Road on 23 Aug. The second-highest (33 counties) number was the 20 which Kelly Kozlowski and Common Gallinule Matthew Valencic found in Headwaters Park, Victor Fazio III found an extremely late juvenile Geauga, on 22 Aug. (38 counties) bird at East Harbor on 18 Nov. Donna Kuhn Piping Plover saw one at Big Island on 18 Oct, about their ex- One spent from 12 to 25 Aug at Conneaut; the pected last date. The high count was 40, which OBRC will acknowledge all who provided for- Ron Sempier achieved at Big Island on both 08 mal reports. and 27 Aug. (14 counties) American Coot Old Highland Stone held about 4000 on 24 Nov (Rick Asamoto). Estimates of 1500 came from Rocky Fork on 15 Nov (Rick Asamoto), Mosqui- to Lake on 16 Nov (Dennis Mersky), and Medusa on 18 Nov (Victor Fazio III). (47 counties) Sandhill Crane Dan Enders counted 161 at Huffman Prairie, Greene, on 20 Nov. Micki Dunakin saw about 140 fly over her Paulding home that same day. (32 counties) American Avocet Alex Eberts found this engaging Piping Plover a noteworthy sub- The first of this season were seen on 08 Aug. ject at Conneaut on 15 Aug. Daniel DeLapp and Maria Losey separately not- ed one at Alum Creek and Paul Hurtado another Killdeer near the Hoover dam. Chris Pierce saw the last Robert Royse spent considerable time making a two; they were actually floating in Lake Erie near careful count at Deer Creek on 05 Nov; he came Lorain on 01 Nov. The second-last date was 23 up with 483. The Berlin Lake mudflats hosted Sep, shared by Marcia Bremer with four birds at up to 400; Kent Miller provided that number on Deer Creek and Jen Brumfield with two at Edge- 08 Sep. Only Coshocton, Gallia, and Law- water. The high count was five, at the Findlay rence did not produce reports. Reservoirs on 24 Aug (m. obs.) (16 counties) Spotted Sandpiper Black-bellied Plover Ben Warner and Anna Wittmer counted the high There were no Jul reports, so Kim Warner’s two of 27, at Wilderness Road on 10 Aug. The last, birds at Maumee Bay on 08 Aug were the first. rather late, date was 11 Nov. On that day Mat- Erik Bruder saw the next, at ONWR on 16 Aug. thew Valencic saw an apparently injured bird at Karen Bonnell and Scott Myers saw 13 on the LaDue and Jerry Strosnider an apparently healthy Maumee Bay beach on 22 Sep for the high count. one at Marysville Reservoir, Union. (59 counties) Corinna Honscheid and Beth Lenoble saw the Solitary Sandpiper last, two at the Columbus Upground Reservoir, Jul sightings preceded the many of 01 Aug. Scott

10 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Huge made the two highest counts, in Auburn Victor Fazio III as he drove in Ottawa on 04 Marsh WA, Geauga. He found 61 there on 02 Sep; Victor was able to stop and see their un- Aug and 30 three days later. The most elsewhere derwing pattern. The second-highest count was were 27 at Mill Creek on 15 Aug (Jeff Harvey). three, discovered by a BRAS field trip to Lorain The second-last was a little late; Ed Wransky saw on 03 Oct, and the rest of the sightings were of it in the Crook Street wetlands, Lorain, on 12 solos. The last was one which spent the first six Oct. Gary Cowell saw the last, at Carpenter NP, days of Nov in the Crane Creek Estuary, Lucas Richland, on the very late date of 25 Oct. (54 (m. obs.). All of the reports came from Lorain, counties) Lucas, Ottawa, and Wayne. Greater Yellowlegs Marbled Godwit The last was a single bird which spent from 15 The reports are: to 29 Nov at LaDue (m. obs.), though there was One near Meinke Marina, Lucas, from 06 to 08 a single late Dec sighting elsewhere. The high Sep (m. obs.) count of 35 was shared four ways: at ONWR on One at ONWR from 11 to 22 Sep (m. obs.) 22 Aug (Jen Brumfield), along Wilderness Road One, a flyover, at Metzger on 19 Sep (Andy on 12 Sep (Cynthia Norris) and 19 Sep (Donna Jones). It’s likely that these first three locations Kuhn), and at Killdeer’s Pond 27 on 14 Sep (Ben hosted the same bird. Warner and Anna Wittmer). (45 counties) Three at Lorain on 03 Oct (Donna Kuhn) Willet The 02 August ONWR census team found the season’s first (Ed Pierceet al., fide Douglas Vogus). ONWR also hosted the last, which Peter Keefe saw on 29 Sep. Marty Calabrese found two at Sheldon Marsh on 09 Aug, as did Ver n Troyer along Wilderness Road the same day. Ashtabu- la and Geauga also produced sightings. Lesser Yellowlegs Paul Sherwood saw the last, at Mohawk High School, Wyandot, on 17 Nov. The Hardin wet- lands held 89 for Richard Counts on 11 Oct. (48 counties) This Marbled Godwit struck a pose for Darlene Friedman on 07 Sep near Meinke Marina, Lucas. Upland Sandpiper The reports are: Godwit sp. Four at The Bowl on 09 Aug and one there on 15 Shane Myers saw one fly over the Findlay Reser- Aug (Scott Pendleton) voirs on 15 Sep. One calling as it flew over Clinton NP, Seneca, also on 09 Aug (Victor Fazio III) Ruddy Turnstone Another caller over a Hancock grassland on 23 A few Jul reports preceded this season’s first, Aug (Shane Myers and Robert Sams) which was from Wilderness Road on 03 Aug One at Hoover Dam Park, Franklin, on 06 Sep (Gabe Hostetler and Paul Sherwood, separate- (Shane Coulter) ly). Edward Tiede saw the last, at Maumee Bay One at Burke Airport on 13 Sep (Marty on 04 Oct. The high count was the eight which Calabrese) a crowd saw fly past Conneaut on 28 Aug. (15 counties) Whimbrel Jul sightings segued into Aug’s. The last was Ruff Ed Wransky’s single bird at ONWR on 17 Sep. One spent from 25 Sep to 02 Oct at the north The only multiple sighting was of a duo which end of Hoover Reservoir. The OBRC will credit flew over Walnut Beach Park, Ashtabula, on 11 those who provided reports. Sep (Chris Swan). Other sightings came from Stilt Sandpiper Cuyahoga, Lorain, Sandusky, and Wayne. The season’s first spent from 31 Jul to 08 Aug at Hudsonian Godwit Wilderness Road (m. obs.). Wilderness Road also ONWR hosted the first on 21 Aug (John Po- hosted the most, 32, which Su Snyder saw there gacnik) and it was still there on 23 Aug (Dave on 05 Sep. Locations in Hamilton, Marion, Chase). The second sighting, and highest count, and Wayne each held one on 12 Oct (m. obs.), was a remarkable flock of 110 which flew over but the last was a straggler at Walborn Reservoir, Portage, on 22 Oct (Kent Miller). (18 counties) 11 Vol. 39 No. 1 Sanderling Purple Sandpiper Paul Sherwood saw the season’s first, three at Participants in a BSBO pelagic trip on 21 Nov Wilderness Road on 03 Aug. The high count saw one on the Cleveland harbor breakwall. was 21; Edward Tiede saw them at Maumee Bay John Pogacnik saw another at Walnut Beach on 04 Oct. Conneaut hosted the second-highest Park, Ashtabula, on 25 Nov. count, 12, on 27 Aug for Dave Chase and on 12 Baird’s Sandpiper Sep for Eli M. Miller. Ben Hawes saw the last, Gabe Hostetler and Paul Sherwood separately also at Conneaut, on 05 Nov. (20 counties) reported two birds at Wilderness Road on 03 Red Knot Aug. Others saw one or two there into Sep. Jack The reports, all by multiple observers, are: Stenger’s seven in the Martin-Marietta gravel Two at Conneaut on 15 Aug pits, Hamilton, on 03 Sep was the high count. One at and near Wendy Park from 20 to 22 Aug The three which Richard Counts saw in the Har- One at Conneaut between 23 and 30 Aug and din Wetlands on 11 Oct were followed only by a (presumably) another from 07 to 13 Sep single bird along the CCE Trail on 06 Nov (Ira One by Meinke Marina, Lucas, on 07 and 08 Sanders). (24 counties) Sep One at Killdeer from 12 to 15 Sep

This Baird’s Sandpiper paused for this quality shot by Darlene Friedman at Maumee Bay on 05 Sep.

Least Sandpiper Photographer Darlene Friedman perfectly timed this Red Knot Many Jul sightings led into this season, and image on 07 Sep by Meinke Marina, Lucas sightings continued at one location into Dec as well. Margaret Bowman and Leroy E. Yoder Dunlin saw 150 at Wilderness Road on 12 Aug. The Anthony Popiel saw the first, a single bird at San- second-highest count was 120, by John Petruzzi dy Ridge on 10 Aug. The next were two which at Mill Creek on 21 Aug. (47 counties) Elizabeth McQuaid found at Wendy Park on 22 White-rumped Sandpiper Aug, and regular sightings did not start until mid- One Jul report preceded this season’s first of a Sep. The trio of Jon Cefus, Kent Miller, and Ben single bird at Wilderness Road on 06 Aug (Ben Morrison (hereafter CMM) saw about 400 from Morrison). Anna Wittmer reported 150 at the the CCE Trail on 06 Nov. The second-highest Shreve Fish Pond, Wayne, on 06 Oct and Jere- number was the ONWR census team’s 246 on my Dominguez counted 68 at the GLSM hatch- 01 Nov (Ed Pierce, et al., fide Douglas Vogus). ery on 10 Oct. One at the Shreve Fish Pond Sightings continued into Dec. (41 counties) on 01 Nov was about on time to be the last (Jon Cefus and Ben Morrison), but Martha Burrows saw a straggler at Funk on 10 Nov. (30 counties) Pectoral Sandpiper Scott Huge saw the last, two at Headwaters Park, Geauga, on 07 Nov; often they’re seen for an- other couple of weeks. Su Snyder counted 56 at the Shreve Fish Pond, Wayne, on 04 Oct; Leslie Sours had the same number there two days later. The most elsewhere were 38 at Wilderness Road This immature Ruff, a rare ABA Code 3 bird, was the star on 04 Sep (Jon Cefus and Ben Morrison). (40 attraction at Hoover Reservoir where Ron Sempier obtained this counties) image on 26 Sep.

12 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Buff-breasted Sandpiper of the CCE Trail on 06 Nov. The most inland Brian and Gale Wulker saw one at Lost Bridge were Aaron Miller’s 14 at Funk on 10 Oct. Hel- on 07 Aug. Leslie Feree found the second, at en and Ken Ostermiller saw the season’s latest Linwood Park, Erie, on 26 Aug. Sightings con- one on 27 Nov, at Wellington Reservation, Lo- tinued intermittently at Lost Bridge from late rain, but that bird remained almost until Christ- Aug until the season’s last, which was by Daniel mas. (17 counties) DeLapp on 12 Oct. The high count of 25 was Wilson’s Snipe shared by Cristy J. Miller on 31 Aug and Aaron Su Snyder found 32 at the Shreve Fish Pond, Miller on 01 Sep, both at Wilderness Road. The Wayne, on 17 Oct, and there were two counts most elsewhere were 10 which flew past Hun- of 30. (42 counties) tington Reservation, Cuyahoga, on 30 Aug (Jen Brumfield). (13 counties) American Woodcock Birders found these throughout the season, but sightings were thin in Nov. Dan Donaldson saw the most, 17 in Cleveland’s Erie Street Ceme- tery on 24 Oct. The trio of CMM (see Dunlin) flushed 10 along Chapel Drive around dawn of 31 Oct. (26 counties). Wilson’s Phalarope Regina Schieltz saw the earliest, one in Hillgrove, Darke, on 13 Aug, though they have occasional- ly nested in Ohio. The next was a single bird at Kevin McKelvey snapped this image of a Buff-breasted Sandpip- Wilderness Road on 22 Aug (Patty McKelvey), er on 07 Sep at Wilderness Road. and sightings continued there until 10 Sep. The Semipalmated Sandpiper high count of five (the only count exceeding one) Karen Bonnell and Julie Heitz saw the last, a duo was there on 26 Aug (Carlton Schooley). Sight- at Maumee Bay on 20 Oct, a little later than usu- ings were fairly regular to the last, which was at al. BSBO staffers found 80 at Pickerel Creek on Big Island on 04 Oct (m. obs.), so several individ- 16 Aug. (44 counties) uals were still in the state after their usual depar- ture date of about 23 Sep. Lucas, Medina, and Western Sandpiper Ottawa also contributed sightings. Ben Morrison saw the first southbound bird, at Wilderness Road on 06 Aug. Ronnie Clark saw Red-necked Phalarope the next one, in the Hall Road flats, Franklin, Lots of folks saw two at Lost Bridge on 21 and 22 on 18 Aug. Robert Hershberger contributed the Aug. Rick Asamoto found the last, at Ferguson high count of 12, from the Shreve Fish Pond, and Metzger Reservoirs, Allen, on the slightly Wayne, on 13 Nov. The next highest number late date of 10 Oct. The high count was five, by was three, at ONWR on 04 Oct (Lee Adams) the ONWR census crew in a closed section of and at the GLSM hatchery on 09 Oct (Ethan the refuge on 06 Sep (Ed Pierce et al., fide Doug- Rising). (12 counties) las Vogus). Geauga, Lorain, and Wayne also hosted single birds. Short-billed Dowitcher Like most of “our” shorebird migrants, the first of these arrived in Jul. The last were three which Bill Grant saw at ONWR on 30 Sep, a week or so before the typical last sighting. Paul Sherwood found 17 at Pickerel Creek on 23 Sep. The in- land high count was 10; Jeremy Dominguez and Sara Lucas saw them at Wilderness Road on 26 Aug. (22 counties) This Red-necked Phalarope was photographed on 26 Sep by Long-billed Dowitcher Darlene Friedman at Maumee Bay. These arrive later, and stay later, than their Short-billed cousins. There was only one Jul Red Phalarope sighting and the first of fall wasn’t noted until The reports are: 29 Aug, when m. obs. saw it at ONWR. It or One at East Harbor on 06 Oct (m. obs.) another there on 05 Sep (Donna Kuhn) and one One at Sherod Park, Erie, on 12 Nov (Dan at Wilderness Road the same day (Sandie Myers) Gesualdo) were the next. Ira Sanders found 70 at the end

13 Vol. 39 No. 1 One at Fairport Beach, Lake, also on 12 Nov Black-headed Gull (John Pogacnik) One was reportedly photographed in Lucas in One, a flyby, at Huron, Erie, on 22 Nov (Robert Sep, an unusually early though not unprecedent- Hershberger) ed date. The OBRC will evaluate the report. Phalarope sp. Little Gull Hancock, Lucas, and Marion hosted birds There were about 15 reports, rather more than which couldn’t be identified to species. usual. The first came from John Pogacnik at Pomarine Jaeger North Perry, Lake, on 11 Oct; he also saw one The reports, all of single birds, are: there on 03 Nov and two on 10 Nov. Those two At the Jones Preserve on 25 Oct (Matt Kappler) and two at Conneaut on 09 Nov (Victor Fazio At Huron, Erie, on 14 Nov (John Pogacnik) and III) were the only multiples. Most of the oth- on 20 and 22 Nov (m. obs.) er sightings came from Cuyahoga and might At Nickel Plate Beach, Erie, on 19 Nov (Victor have been of the same bird roaming the shore. Fazio III) Ashtabula and Lorain also contributed reports. Parasitic Jaeger Multiple internet reports came from Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, and Lake. The OBRC will evaluate those which have descriptions or photos. Long-tailed Jaeger One internet report came from Lake with enough detail for OBRC evaluation. Jaeger sp. Cuyahoga, Erie, and Lucas generated reports of unspeciated jaegers. Alex Eberts sharply focused his lens on this Little Gull in flight Black-legged Kittiwake at Conneaut on 14 Nov. John Pogacnik saw two off North Perry,Lake , on Laughing Gull 13 Nov and Jerry Talkington saw one of them or The first was Kim Warner’s find at Metzger on another at Fairport Harbor, Lake, on the same 25 Aug, and the next spent from 11 Sep to 22 day. Nov along the Cleveland lakefront (m. obs.). Ring-billed Gull Other single birds were seen at two sites in Erie Victor Fazio III estimated 25,500 were at Huron, and at one location in each of Ashtabula, Lake, Erie, on 19 Nov; he and others saw about 10,000 and Hancock. there on other dates. The most elsewhere were about 7400 at Wolf Creek Park, Sandusky, on 18 Nov (Victor Fazio III), and the inland high was also tallied by Victor, 3400 by Chapman Road, Seneca, on 19 Nov. (70 counties) Sabine’s Gull Participants on a pelagic trip with Jen Brumfield saw one 17 miles off the city of Lorain on 23 Sep. John Pogacnik saw one at Lake Erie Bluffs on 07 Oct and another off North Perry, Lake, on 08 Nov.

This Laughing Gull posed for Alex Eberts at Cleveland’s East 55th Street Marina on 04 Oct.

Bonaparte’s Gull Dan Gesualdo and Jacob Roalef estimated 3700 were at Conneaut on 11 Nov. The inland high number was Ned Keller’s 1200 at Clear Fork on Su Snyder captured this lovely image of a Bonaparte’s Gull with 07 Nov. (57 counties) a fish at Avon Lake,Lorain , on 31 Oct.

14 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Franklin’s Gull Great Black-backed Gull Gary Cowell saw the first, at Pleasant Hill Lake, Wendy Park and Pipe Creek each hosted one Portage, on 02 Sep. The Findlay Reservoirs on 09 Aug (Elizabeth McQuaid and Ed Vigezzi hosted 54 on 15 Nov (m. obs.). John Herman respectively). A BSBO pelagic garnered 15 in contributed the second-highest count, 31 at Cleveland harbor on 21 Nov. The next highest Clear Fork on 12 Nov. (32 counties) number was the two which Shane Myers found at the Findlay Reservoirs on 26 Nov. Every county on Lake Erie, the afore-referenced Han- cock, and Seneca had sightings. Caspian Tern Paul Sherwood saw one at East Harbor on 27 Oct; it was the last. The Maumee Bay beach produced the largest count, 188 by Ada and John Habig on 15 Aug. Alex Eberts found the sec- ond-highest number, 47 at Alum Creek on 17 Aug. (38 counties) Black Tern Ohio sighting reports were brimming with Franklin’s Gull ob- Eric Elvert saw the last, at Eastwood MP, Mont- servations this fall as a result of strong storm systems. This gomery, on 04 Oct. The Findlay Reservoirs excellent image was obtained on 27 Sep by Darlene Friedman held one on 03 Oct (Robert Sams), but the last at Maumee Bay. except for these were two off Lorain on 23 Sep (Jen Brumfield et al.). The high count was 20, [Black-headed x Ring-billed Gull] made by Alex Eberts and Leslie Sours at Killdeer Jen Brumfield and Dan Gesualdo described an on 20 Aug. (15 counties to the Ohio River) “apparent” product of this coupling at Huron, Erie, on 26 Nov. Common Tern Greg Pasek saw the last two of the season, at Herring Gull Edgewater on 27 Nov, but a single early Dec Daniel DeLapp found about 2000 along the sighting followed. Matt Kemp estimated 1300 lower Huron River, Erie, on 21 Nov. The sec- were at Maumee Bay on 29 Sep and 150 to 630 ond-most were Shane Myers’ 1800 at the Findlay were seen there on other dates. The most else- Reservoirs on 26 Nov. (48 counties) where were 140 offLorain on 16 Sep (Jen Brum- Thayer’s Gull fieldet al.). The high count away from Lake Erie John Pogacnik saw one off North Perry,Lake , on was a shared nine. Jeremy Dominguez and Sara 18 Oct. Shane Myers found one at the Findlay Lucas saw that many at the Findlay Reservoirs Reservoirs on 14 Nov; it stayed until 27 Nov for on 24 Aug, as did Julie Karlson and Doug Over- lots of viewers. acker at Buck Creek on 10 Sep. (26 counties) Iceland Gull Forster’s Tern The Findlay Reservoirs hosted one on 26 and 27 Hallie Mason and Scott Pendleton saw one Nov. Shane Myers saw it the first day and Amy at Edgewater on 28 Nov; it was the last. Matt Downing and Jeff Loughman the second. Kemp’s 300 mixed with Common Terns at Mau- Lesser Black-backed Gull mee Bay on 29 Sep was the high count. Tom One spent 09 and 10 Aug at East Fork (m. obs.). Kemp saw the highest number away from Lake The Findlay Reservoirs held 23 on 26 Nov Erie, 17 on the in Henry on 19 (Shane Myers); the most elsewhere were 15 along Oct. (24 counties) the Ottawa River Interpretive Trail, Lucas, on Rock Pigeon 23 Nov (Matt Kemp). (17 counties) John Habig found 650 in Dayton’s Veterans Park Glaucous Gull on 23 Oct. (80 counties) The reports are: Eurasian Collared-Dove One at the Findlay Reservoirs from 14 to 29 Nov Christopher Collins counted five along the South (Amy Downing and Jeff Loughman; m. obs.) Charleston Bike Trail, Clark, on 15 Aug. Oth- Two in Lakewood, Cuyahoga, on 15 Nov (Cath- er sightings came from Ashland, Mercer, and erine Schiellelin) Wayne. One at Lake Erie Bluffs on 23 Nov (John Mourning Dove Pogacnik) Bill Stanley estimated that 200 were at Old High- land Stone on 15 Aug. (All 88 counties)

15 Vol. 39 No. 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo of five on a Butler property on 02 Nov. (47 John Pogacnik saw the last, at Lake Erie Bluffs on counties) 27 Oct. The second-last date was 11 Oct, when Snowy Owl singles were seen in Cuyahoga, Hamilton, and The reports are: Medina. The high count of four was also shared. One near Whitehouse, Lucas, between 25 and Kent Miller and Ben Morrison saw that many 28 Nov (m. obs.) along Chapel Drive on 04 Aug, Brian and Gale One at Ashtabula (city) harbor on 25 Nov (John Wulker tied them at Shawnee Lookout on 04 Sep, Pogacnik) and Tim Johnson saw his in Beaver Creek SP, Co- One at Wendy Park on 29 Nov and one (the same lumbiana, on 07 Sep. (61 counties) bird?) at Edgewater on 29 and 30 Nov (both m. obs.) Barred Owl Triples were reported from Clermont, Hardin, Knox, Summit, and Warren. (49 counties) Long-eared Owl Dan Gesualdo found one at East Sandusky Bay MP, Erie, on 13 Nov, and one visited Micki Dunakin’s property in Paulding on 25 Nov. Short-eared Owl Many birders saw the first, at Darby Creek on 17 Oct, and it was seen intermittently through the end of the season. Lots of folks also saw the high count of eight, at Huffman Prairie, Greene, be- tween 22 and 24 Nov; fewer were seen there after that date. Reports also came from Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Hardin, Harrison, Marion, Photographer Mark Hsu found this Yellow-billed Cuckoo a coop- Wood, and Wyandot. erative subject on 02 Aug at East Fork.

Black-billed Cuckoo The last, and only sightings that month, were sin- gles on 04 Oct near Mt. Hope, Holmes (Michael Hershberger), on 08 Oct in Marion Township, Hancock (Jeff Loughman), and on 09 Oct at Creek Bend Farm, Sandusky (Josh Haughawout). Nolan Miller saw three at Letha House Park, Medina, on 15 Aug, as did Thomas Slemmer in Calhoun, Del- aware, on 29 Aug. (33 counties) Allan Claybon beautifully captured this Short-eared Owl in Barn Owl flight on 29 Nov at Huffman Prairie,Greene . The reports are: One on a Wayne farm on 08 Aug (Dave Chase) One at Big Island on 22 Aug (Christopher Col- lins and Stefan Minnig) and one there on 27 Aug and 01 Oct (Ron Sempier). One near Brandon, Knox, on 17 Sep (Benjamin Miller) Two in Kidron, Wayne, on 05 Nov (Kent Miller) A pair with immatures at a previously unknown nest site in Wayne in mid-Nov (Andy R. Troyer) Eastern Screech-Owl The high count was Tom Bartlett’s six on Kelleys Island on 21 Aug. (42 counties) Great Horned Owl Jerry Talkington recorded this image of an alert young Eastern Screech-Owl perched on his garage in Lake on 21 Aug. Jessica McQuigg noted a probable family group

16 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Northern Saw-whet Owl 23 Oct. Tom Bartlett et al. banded five of the Matt Kappler saw the first, at the Jones Preserve 50 they encountered at Springville Marsh on 06 on 24 Oct. Other single sightings came from Sep. Miranda DeBoard found 31 at Woodman Hamilton, Lake, Portage, and Stark. Band- Fen, Montgomery, on 10 Sep and wrote, “Or- ing stations in Butler (David Russell), Craw- ange jewelweed is in full bloom and the hum- ford (Robert Placier), and Vinton (also Robert mingbirds were all over it.” (77 counties) Placier) came up empty. Kelly Williams caught Rufous Hummingbird one female bird at Old Woman’s Creek, Erie, on I here paraphrase Allen Chartier’s detailed 08 Nov. Rebecca Palmer banded five at Caesar reports: Creek, each on a different night, and recaptured One hatch-year female banded on 05 Dec south one of them two days after banding. Tom Bart- of Shreve, Holmes. First observed by the lett’s station on Kelleys Island was much more homeowner on 28 Nov and last observed on successful. In Oct he banded 12 and caught an- 11 Dec. This individual was confirmed to other which had been banded elsewhere, and in be the same individual present in Mansfield, Nov banded another 16. Nevertheless, his count Richland, from 14 to 27 Nov (not banded of owls per net-hour was only about 2/3 of his there) based on an identical gorget and molt historical average. patterns. Common Nighthawk One after-hatch year female banded on 15 Nov Bill Whan saw two very late stragglers in Co- in Slickrock Township, Clermont. First ob- lumbus on 05 Nov and commented that they served by the homeowner on about 08 Nov were “both late and lucky” because tempera- and last observed on 09 Jan 2016. tures were still in the 50s. The only Oct reports were of singles in Miami River CP, Butler, on 04 Oct (Daniel DeLapp) and in Sharon Woods CP, Hamilton, on 07 Oct (Harris Abramson). Henry Trimpe saw about 150 over Lane Avenue, Columbus, on 30 Aug. (55 counties) Eastern Whip-poor-will The reports are: One at East Fork on 13 Aug (Bill Stanley) Two heard near Mount Peace Cemetery, Sum- The first Rufous Hummingbird of the fall appeared at Michael mit, on 17, 18, and 19 Aug (Ned De Lamatre Zook’s feeder in Richland; this image was provided by Alex et al.) Eberts on 23 Nov. One heard in his Athens yard on both 25 and 29 Aug (Sam Romeo) Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbird One seen and another heard in Lake Hope/Za- Marlin Miller saw one at home in Holmes on leski on 27 Aug (Bruce Simpson) 28 Nov. One at Hoover Dam Park on 06 Sep (Shane Belted Kingfisher Coulter) Charles Bombaci found 11 at Hoover on 09 Aug One heard on his Scioto farm, also on 06 Sep and Ed Pierce et al. (fide Douglas Vogus) counted (Zachary Allen) nine at ONWR on 06 Sep. (76 counties) Chimney Swift Red-headed Woodpecker An Ohio Young Birders field trip found two at Charles Bombaci provided another high Wendy Park on 07 Nov, the latest date. Ann and count from the north end of Hoover; he saw Dwight Chasar saw about 2000 entering a Bed- 30 Read-headeds there on 09 Aug. The sec- ford Heights, Cuyahoga, chimney on 09 Sep. ond-highest count was Irina Shulgina’s 17 at The second-highest number was 1100, at Dub- Killdeer on 07 Aug. (64 counties) lin’s John Sells Middle School, Franklin, tallied by Corinna Honscheid and Beth Lenoble. (77 Red-bellied Woodpecker counties) Englewood MP, Montgomery, hosted 21 on 25 Oct (Amanda Lawson). Only Gallia didn’t yield Ruby-throated Hummingbird a sighting. A feeder in Hancock hosted one from 11 to 25 Nov, almost a month later than any usually Yellow-bellied Sapsucker stay (Robert Sams). Harris Abramson saw the The only Aug sightings were of migrants. They last before that one in Wyoming, Hamilton, on were of one bird at Springville Marsh on 01 Aug (Tom Bartlett) and two seen and heard

17 Vol. 39 No. 1 well at Madison Lake SP, Madison, on 18 Aug grants usually arrive (Jason Parrish). Lori Brum- (Bill Christman). The high count was the eight baugh and Lou Gardella saw four in Cleveland’s at Woodlawn Cemetery, Lucas, on 30 Oct (m. Calvary Cemetery on 16 Nov and there were five obs.). (59 counties) reports of doubles elsewhere. (41 counties) Downy Woodpecker Peregrine Falcon The 06 Sep ONWR census crew found 28 (Ed The most were Peter Keefe’s three at Headlands Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Tom Bartlett on 10 Sep, and as was the case for Merlins, there and Victor Fazio III saw 26 at Kelleys Island on were many duos reported. (33 counties) 20 Sep and up to 19 there on other dates. Gallia Prairie Falcon and Jackson alone had no sightings. One late Nov report came from Franklin; be- Hairy Woodpecker cause it was only a quick from-the-car sighting, The high count of seven was shared by Douglas the viewer reported it as “probable because of Vogus et al. in CVNP on 07 Nov and Josh King the nature of the observation, which leaves much in Deer Haven Preserve, Delaware, on 29 Nov. to be desired.” Reports came from every county but Fayette, Olive-sided Flycatcher Gallia, Guernsey, and Jackson. The first were singles on 12 Aug at Bur Oak Res- Northern Flicker ervation, Lorain (BRAS) and at Meadowbrook Cleveland’s Erie Street Cemetery must have been Marsh, Ottawa (R. Lee Reed). Ed Pierce et al. a noisy place on 30 Sep when Gustino Lanese found the last, at ONWR on 04 Oct (fide Doug- found 60 flickers there. Jack Stenger almost tied las Vogus). The high count was Carl Winstead’s him with 55 in Burnet Woods, Hamilton, on the three at Darby Creek on 22 Aug. (22 counties) same day. Fayette, Gallia, Jackson, and Ross Eastern Wood-Pewee did not have sightings. Miranda DeBoard saw one in Woodman Fen, Montgomery, on 25 Oct, a week or so after they usually are gone. Roger L. Horn found 12 at Darby Creek on 12 Aug as did Robert Royse in the Deer Creek area on 15 Sep. (77 counties) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Tom Bartlett et al. banded the first southbound bird, at Springville Marsh on 01 Aug. The next weren’t seen until 18 Aug, when Wes Hatch found one at LaDue and Ron Sempier another at Killdeer. The last date, 04 Oct, was also shared, by Sarah Fowler and Alex Hughes at Blendon Woods and Andy R. Troyer in Wayne. Magee hosted the most, four on 09 Sep for Victor Fazio III. (26 counties)

Photographer Mark Hsu found this Northern Flicker well posed for a crisp shot at Fernald on 15 Nov.

Pileated Woodpecker Tom Hissong saw five at Aullwood Audubon Farm and Center, Montgomery, on 22 Oct and there were many reports of four elsewhere. (62 counties) American Kestrel Joseph Ford counted eight at Killdeer on 09 Aug. (78 counties) Merlin The first of the season was in Union Cemetery, Calvary Cemetery, Cuyahoga, hosted four Merlins on 16 Nov, treat- ing Lori Brumbaugh to aerial combat along with this perched image. Franklin, on 03 Aug, a little earlier than mi-

18 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Acadian Flycatcher five scattered around the rest of the WA for the Rob Thorn found a calling juvenile in Portman second-highest number. (70 counties) Park, Franklin, on 24 Oct, which he said was Northern Shrike “about as late as I’ve ever seen one”. The sec- The first were two which John Pogacnik saw ond-last were two at Lake Loramie on 27 Sep at Lake Erie Bluffs on 27 Oct. Another duo at (Louis Hoying) and there were four reports on Conneaut on 29 Oct was the only other multi- 26 Sep. Ron Bicknell noted five at Twin Creek ple sighting (Bob and Denise Lane). Cuyahoga, MP, Montgomery, on 02 Aug. Adam Zorn also Hancock, Lorain, Lucas, Paulding, Wayne, tallied five, at Huston Brumbaugh NC,Stark , on and Wyandot also contributed reports. 06 Aug, and noted that all were calling to confirm their identities. (44 counties) White-eyed Vireo The last was Anthony Fry’s bird at Bog Loop, Alder Flycatcher Muskingum, on 13 Oct. Phil Swan counted 12 Mary Anne Romito et al. found the last, on a tow- along 10 miles of Dutch Ridge Road in Wayne path walk starting at Ira Road in CVNP on 10 NF, Perry, on both 17 and 20 Sep. (49 counties) Aug. Matt Kemp heard two countersinging in Lucas on 04 Aug. Lake and Stark also contrib- Yellow-throated Vireo uted reports. The last date of 07 Oct was shared by three bird- ers. Joe Brehm saw one at Trimble High School, Willow Flycatcher Athens, J.W. Rettig another at Armleder Park, Magee hosted the last, on 24 Sep (Dennis Mer- and Katie Sellers found two at her grandmother’s sky). Andy Jones and Caleb Putnam counted 15 house in Preble. Wes Hatch saw the high count in CLNP on 23 Aug; the second-most were 10 at of four at Eldon Russell Park, Geauga, on 01 Springville Marsh on 01 Aug (Tom Bartlett et al.). Sep. (50 counties) (39 counties) Blue-headed Vireo Alder/Willow (“Traill’s”) Flycatcher The first migrant showed up on 02 Aug, at The last indeterminate bird was at Darby Creek ONWR (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Eric on 28 Sep (Ronnie Clark). Nolan Miller and Liebold found the second more than a month lat- Nola Miller-Brasure found 10 at the Wolf Creek er, in Fremont’s Walsh Park, Sandusky, on 04 Environmental Center, Medina, on 01 Aug. Sep. Dick and Jean Hoffman found the last, at Christine McAnlis equaled them in Letha House Villa Angela on 15 Nov. Brian Wulker saw five in Park, Medina, on 07 Sep. (21 counties) Spring Grove Cemetery, Hamilton, on 02 Oct, Least Flycatcher and Andy R. Troyer tied him near Apple Creek, Dick Hoffman et al. saw the last, in CLNP on Wayne, on 04 Oct. (45 counties) 07 Oct, about right for their departure from the Warbling Vireo state but late for the north coast. Louis Hoying’s Matt Orebaugh’s find by Maize Road, Frank- five at Lake Loramie were the most. (35 counties) lin, on 15 Oct was the last. The high count was Eastern Phoebe 55, achieved by Ed Pierce’s ONWR census crew The latest date for a sighting this season was 25 on 06 Sep (fide Douglas Vogus). Magee hosted Nov, though several phoebes were still here in the second-highest number, 18, on 04 Sep (Sue Dec. Joe Brehm saw that last autumn bird at Riffe). (57 counties) Fox Lake WA, Athens. Scott Huge counted 14 Philadelphia Vireo along the upper in Geauga on Matt Anderson saw the first, at OOPMP on 22 05 Oct. (78 counties) Aug. Michael Crouse found the last, one at Clear Great Crested Flycatcher Creek and two at Lake Hope SP, Vinton, all on David Wisecup found three along McClellan 09 Oct. The most were four at locations in each Road, Greene, on 10 Oct; they were the last. of Franklin, Lake, Montgomery, Stark, and Charles Bombaci saw the most, six at the north Wayne in mid-Sep. (38 counties) end of Hoover on 09 Aug. (42 counties) Red-eyed Vireo Eastern Kingbird Nancy Anderson scoured Villa Angela on 16 Oct Jeff Harvey’s single bird at Mill Creek on 11 Oct and saw the last there. Scott Albaugh contribut- was the last. Tom Bartlett saw and heard the sec- ed the high count of 16, from the Brown Family ond-last, at Springville Marsh on 04 Oct. The Environmental Center, Knox, on 28 Aug. (66 ONWR census team counted 40 on 02 Aug (Ed counties) Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus). Irina Shulgina Blue Jay found 20 in one section of Killdeer and another Jen Brumfield saw 80 in and over CLNP on 10 Oct. Only Jackson did not produce a sighting. 19 Vol. 39 No. 1 American Crow Purple Martin Margaret Bowman estimated that a roost near The last were two in a martin house along the the Dillon Reservoir dam, Muskingum, held Hockhocking-Adena Bikeway, Athens, on 22 about 2000 on 13 Nov. Rhonda Berry saw about Sep (Sam Romeo). The most were about 5000, 1000 near the Mansfield Board of Education at Nimisila Reservoir, Summit, on 03 Aug building, Richland, on 19 Nov. Paulding alone (Francie Flower) and also at Lost Bridge on 12 did not have a sighting. Aug (Brian Wulker). Up to 2000 were at both lo- Fish Crow cations on other dates. The most elsewhere were Multiple reports from Cuyahoga added up to about 550 at Kelleys Island on 21 Aug (Tom Bartlett). 18 birds. Other reports came from Meigs and (57 counties) Summit. The OBRC will sift through the evidence. Tree Swallow Dan Gesualdo and Jacob Roalef saw the last one, at Conneaut on 11 Nov. Jaden and Josh King noted about 1000 at the GLSM hatchery on 10 Oct as did Robert Royse at Deer Creek on 19 Oct. (65 counties) Northern Rough-winged Swallow The last were 12 at Sandy Ridge, which Martha Burrows found on 22 Oct. Brian Wulker’s 300 at Fernald on 17 Sep were the most, and up to 250 were seen there on other dates. Kyle Jones saw the most elsewhere, about 180 along Canal Road, Pickaway, on 22 Aug. (51 counties) Bank Swallow Margaret Bowman saw the latest, one at Sandy Lori Brumbaugh photographed this Fish Crow, one of three she Ridge on 26 Sep. Victor Fazio III provided the found perched on a wire in Garfield Heights, Cuyahoga, on 08 Sep. two highest counts, 470 at Meadowbrook Marsh, Ottawa, on 16 Aug and 700 at Pickerel Creek on 08 Aug. (43 counties) Common Raven The reports are: Cliff Swallow One in Strouds Run SP, Athens, on 07 Sep. The last date was 04 Oct. Patty McKelvey saw One along Busby Road, Harrison, on 28 Sep one at Lorain on that date, as did Jeff Bouton at (m. obs.) Scioto Audubon MP, Franklin. Ron Sempier Two along Dawson Road, Jefferson, on 11 Oct counted 45 along Hoke Road, Marion, on 01 (Andrew Anderson) Aug. (35 counties) One in Jockey Hollow WA, Harrison, on 21 Oct Cave Swallow (Scott Pendleton) There were eBird entries from Cuyahoga, Erie, One heard on 16 and 17 Nov and two seen on Geauga, and Richland and reports to other 19 Nov near New Athens, Harrison (Dan venues from Lake. The OBRC will evaluate Kramer) those which included enough information. Horned Lark Gary Cowell saw a single flock of 44 inAshland on 30 Aug. (63 counties)

A perfect combination of weather systems provided a rare flood of Cave Swallows into northern Ohio in Nov. Alex Eberts aced this flight shot on 20 Nov inErie .

Barn Swallow The Troyers (Albert and Sarah) and Gary Cow- Mark Hsu obtained a stellar view of these “horns”, the little tufts of ell separately noted the last, at Clear Fork on 31 feathers on a Horned Lark’s head, at VOA Park, Butler, on 27 Nov. 20 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Oct. The second-last were three on 21 Oct at heard at Darby Creek on 06 Nov, about two each of Big Island (Carl Winstead) and Mercer weeks later than usual. Andrew Cannizzaro saw WA (Josh King). Tom Bartlett counted 351 at the second to last, at the Ellis Lake wetlands, Kelleys Island on 21 Aug. (79 counties) Butler, on the typical date of 25 Oct. Robert Royse heard about 12 singing in the Deer Creek Carolina Chickadee WA wetlands on 16 Aug and saw a female with Englewood MP, Montgomery, held 36 when dependent young there on 05 Oct. The second Marge and Ron Bicknell visited on 01 Nov. (63 most were seven at the Great Miami WMB on 16 counties) Aug (m. obs.). (21 counties) Black-capped Chickadee Marsh Wren Tom Bartlett et al. counted 84 at Kelleys Island The last were two which Ethan Ellis saw at Pick- on 20 Nov and up to 72 there on other dates. erington Ponds, Franklin, on 27 Nov. ONWR The most elsewhere were 33 on 19 Sep along the hosted 13 on 02 Aug (Ed Pierce et al., fide Doug- CVNP Towpath Trail starting at Ira Road (m. las Vogus) and two locations each held nine. (32 obs.). (28 counties) counties) Chickadee sp. Observers were unwilling or unable to put a species name to sightings in 21 counties in the overlap zone. Tufted Titmouse Alan Green found 25 in Blacklick Woods MP, Fairfield, on 30 Nov. Gallia, Jackson, and Van Wert did not have sightings. Photographer Mark Hsu captured this lovely image of a Marsh Red-breasted Nuthatch Wren at Fernald on 03 Nov. A few were seen during Aug in the areas where they nest, but the first definite migrant appeared on 29 Aug, at ONWR (Tyler McClain). Alex Carolina Wren Eberts provided the high count of eight, at Aaron Gabbe produced the high count of 14, at Strouds Run SP, Athens, on 27 Nov. (27 counties) Woodman Fen, Montgomery, on 11 Sep. (81 counties) White-breasted Nuthatch Shane Myers found 22 in the Riverbend Recre- ation Area, Hancock, on 14 Sep. Every county except Fayette, Gallia, and Jackson produced sightings. Brown Creeper The first of the season was Gayle McKay’s at Darby Creek on 03 Aug. The next were two at Pat Love’s feeder in Trumbull on 18 Aug. Wen- dy Park hosted 11 on 04 Oct (Edward Enold). (63 counties) House Wren This Carolina Wren paused long enough for Mark Hsu to cap- Paul Dornbusch saw the last of the season, in his ture this shot on 08 Nov at East Fork. Ottawa yard on 05 Nov, though a straggler was reported in early Dec. Tom Bartlett et al. count- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ed 25 at Springville Marsh on 15 Aug and Inga Nancy Anderson saw the last, at Villa Angela Schmidt found 12 along Road, on 17 Oct. Julie Karlson and Doug Overacker Geauga, on 01 Aug. (64 counties) found 12 at Buck Creek on 27 Aug. (58 counties) Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet The first was one at Headlands on 11 Sep (Peter Several birders saw the first migrant, at CLNP on Keefe). Jen Brumfield counted 11 at Wendy Park 14 Sep. The most were Jen Brumfield’s 55, also on 01 Oct and there were two reports of eight. at CLNP, on 10 Oct. (69 counties) (49 counties) Ruby-crowned Kinglet Sedge Wren Amanda DeBoard and Amanda Lawson noted The last was Zachary Allen’s, which he saw and the earliest, two birds at Woodman Fen, Mont-

21 Vol. 39 No. 1 gomery, on 31 Aug. The ONWR census team it might have nested there. Tom Bartlett et al. counted 111 on 04 Oct (Ed Pierce et al., fide banded 13 and saw another 37 in the Jones Pre- Douglas Vogus). The second-highest number serve on 22 Oct and his crew’s numbers were 10 was Tim Haney’s 48 in Woodlawn Cemetery, banded and 25 seen at Springville Marsh on 10 Lucas, on 05 Oct. (76 counties) Oct. The most elsewhere were counts of 10 at Eastern Bluebird four locations. (45 counties) Douglas Vogus et al. counted 56 during their 07 Wood Thrush Nov Towpath Trail census in CVNP. Matthew The last sighting was Anthony Fry’s, in his Valencic saw about 50 in Frohring Meadows, Muskingum yard on 09 Oct. Adam Zorn saw a Geauga, on 23 Oct, as did Stan Plante at Holden mix of adults and immatures totaling 12 at Hus- Arboretum on 15 Nov. Clinton, Gallia, Pike, ton Brumbaugh NC, Stark, on 06 Aug. Sam Ro- Putnam, and Van Wert did not have sightings. meo saw four adults and two immatures at The Townsend’s Solitaire Ridges, Athens, on 10 Sep. (54 counties) In mid-Nov one was reported as arriving across American Robin Lake Erie to Lake only to be killed by a Herring Inga Schmidt saw about 1700 going to a roost on Gull. No other details are available. Chagrin River Road, Geauga, on 21 Oct. She Veery had seen about 1500 arriving there, mostly from Dan Gesualdo saw the last, in his Volunteer Bay the north, on 30 Aug. The trio of CMM also saw yard, Erie, on 11 Oct. Victor Fazio III found six about 1500, at Chapel Drive on 31 Oct. Only at Magee on 09 Sep and five there plus eight at Guernsey, Jackson, and Lawrence didn’t pro- the bend of the causeway on 23 Sep. The most duce a sighting. elsewhere were four which Cristy J. Miller heard Gray Catbird over her Holmes home in the predawn of 10 Sightings continued into Dec but were scarce af- Sep. (24 counties) ter mid-Nov. Tom Bartlett et al. saw about 100 Gray-cheeked Thrush at Springville Marsh on 06 Sep; they banded 38 The first showed up in Horn Hills Park,Licking , and recaptured three which they had banded in on 01 Sep (Margaret Bowman). The next sight- earlier years. ONWR hosted 61 on 06 Sep for ing was almost a week later, at Hoover Dam Park Ed Pierce’s census team (fide Douglas Vogus). on 06 Sep (Shane Coulter). The last two were Reports came from every county except Gallia, also separated by several days, at OOPMP on 16 Guernsey, Jackson, Lawrence, and Van Wert. Oct (Carrie and Mark Ruane) and in the Rocky Brown Thrasher River Reservation, Cuyahoga, on 22 Oct (Paul Emery A. Yoder saw the last of the season at his Sherwood). Andy R. Troyer counted 54 over his Dundee, Tuscarawas, home, on 30 Nov, though home near Apple Creek, Wayne, before dawn there were a few Dec sightings in the far south- of 20 Sep. The second-most were 20 which Tom west. Dick and Jean Hoffman’s Cuyahoga yard Bartlett et al. found at Springville Marsh on 27 hosted the second-last, on 05 Nov. A Cincinnati Sep. (36 counties) Bird Club outing tallied 20 in the Mt. Airy For- Swainson’s Thrush est Arboretum, Hamilton, on 05 Sep, and Scott Victor Fazio III saw the first, at Walnut Beach Albaugh saw 14 at the Brown Family Environ- Park, Ashtabula, on 17 Aug. Amy and Kev- mental Center, Knox, on 01 Sep. (53 counties) in O’Neil saw the next, at Kiwanis Riverway Northern Mockingbird Park, Franklin, on 23 Aug. The last two were Kirk Westendorf saw the most, 10, at Armleder Matt Orebaugh’s in Thaddeus Kosciuszko Park, Park on 05 Aug. (55 counties) Franklin, on 26 Oct, and Sarah Lawrence’s at European Starling Blendon Woods the next day. Cristy J. Miller CMM were at Seneca Lake, Noble, on 25 Sep, stopped counting at 350 over her Holmes home and wrote about “groups coming in to roost from after 35 predawn minutes on 20 Sep. The high- the north and east mostly. Best estimates from est visual count was 50 at Bass Island’s Scheeff swirling masses that were never all countable at Point NP, Ottawa, on 17 Sep (Tom Bartlett et al.). once.” Their number was 50,000. The next (53 counties) highest was Irina Shulgina’s 10,000 at Darby Hermit Thrush Creek on 08 Oct. Only Pike had no sightings. Julie Karlson and Doug Overacker well de- American Pipit scribed an early migrant at Buck Creek on 01 Mill Creek hosted the first, four early birds on 13 Aug. The only other sighting that month was Aug (Bob and Denise Lane, fide William L. Jones). Daniel DeLapp’s in SP on 03 Aug;

22 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Dave Chase saw the next, along Wilderness Road at Blendon Woods on 01 Sep (Bruce Simpson) on 28, 30, and 31 Aug. Another two weeks passed One at Clear Creek on 05 Sep (Maria Losey) before Edward Ingold saw the third group, nine at One at Darby Creek on 11 Sep (Ronnie Clark) the Findlay Reservoirs on 13 Sep. The high count Two along Dutch Ridge Road in Wayne NF, was by Julie Karlson and Doug Overacker, who Perry, on 16 Sep and one there the next day found about 100 in Putnam on 05 Nov. They (Phil Swan) also found about 80 along the South Charleston One in the Edge of Appalachia Preserve, Adams, Bike Trail, Clark, on 16 Nov. (44 counties) on 26 Sep (Jeff Bilsky) Cedar Waxwing Louisiana Waterthrush Andy Avram saw about 300 at Lake Erie Bluffs The last was in George Rogers Clark Park, on 29 Nov. Every county except Fayette, Gal- Clark, on 26 Aug (Julie Karlson and Doug Over- lia, Guernsey, Jackson, Lawrence, and Meigs acker). The only multiple sighting was of two in produced a report. Holden Arboretum’s Stebbins Gulch on 01 Aug Lapland Longspur (Haans Petruschke and Mike Watson). Ashland, The first was a single bird in Wayne on 10 Oct Athens, Erie, Licking, Summit, and Vinton (Aaron Miller), and sightings were fairly steady also had sightings. thereafter. The most were 35 at Burke Airport on Northern Waterthrush 19 Nov (Jen Brumfield), and Leipsic Upground Matt Anderson saw the first arrival, in White- Reservoir, Putnam, hosted 20 on 05 Nov (Julie house, Lucas, on 02 Aug. Luis Munoz heard an- Karlson and Doug Overacker). (18 counties) other calling at Magee the next day. The season’s Snow Bunting third sighting had to wait until 18 Aug, when Bill Inga Schmidt’s two at LaDue on 24 Oct were the Stanley’s Clermont yard hosted one. The high first. Jen Brumfield saw about 130 at Burke Air- count was six, by Tom Bartlett et al. at Springville port on 19 Nov, Victor Fazio III counted 128 at Marsh on both 06 and 12 Sep. James Mueller Conneaut on 09 Nov, and there were two other saw the last, at Kiwanis Riverway Park, Frank- triple-digit reports. (22 counties) lin, on 09 Nov. (25 counties) Golden-winged Warbler Alexander Clark and Jane Shrike wrote that they were “completely stunned” to see one in Meade Park, Hamilton, on 23 Aug, the season’s first. Jack Stenger saw the last, on 28 and again on 30 Sep in Burnet Woods, Hamilton. Robert Edelen also saw one on 28 Sep, in Crooked Run NP, Clermont. Cuyahoga, Franklin, other Hamilton sites, Lu- cas, Union, and Wayne also hosted singles. Blue-winged Warbler The last was a bit late for the latitude, one bird near Mark Hsu snapped this close-up of a Snow Bunting feeding Mt. Hope, Holmes, on 04 Oct (Michael Hersh- along the beach at East Fork on 14 Nov. berger). The second to last was one at Lake Lora- mie on 27 and 28 Sep (Louis Hoying). Nola Mill- Ovenbird er-Brasure saw three at Sandy Ridge on 13 Sep and Nancy Anderson saw the last, at Villa Angela on there were several reports of duos. (26 counties) 24 Oct. That’s a typical last date, but it’s late [Golden-winged x Blue-winged Warbler] for the north coast. The second-last was also in The quartet of Amy Downing, Jeff Loughman, Cuyahoga, at the Shaker Lakes NC on 12 Oct Shane Myers, and Robert Sams saw one in Oak- (Laura Gooch and Ken Vinciquerra). Tom Bart- woods NP, Hancock, on 13 Sep, and noted it was lett et al. counted 12 at Springville Marsh on both a “Brewster’s -type hybrid, though not typical.” 06 and 27 Sep and six there on 02 Sep. Cristy J. Miller also found six, at home in Holmes on 06 Black-and-white Warbler Sep. (46 counties) Hope Orr saw the last, near the Boston Store in CVNP on 08 Oct, a bit late for so far north. Worm-eating Warbler Bruce Simpson counted 10 in Blendon Woods on The reports are: 10 Sep. (53 counties) One in Trimble Township Community Forest, Athens, on 14 Aug (Joe Brehm) Prothonotary Warbler One each at Lake Hope/Zaleski on 27 Aug and Lisa Phelps found one at Magee on 27 Sep, al-

23 Vol. 39 No. 1 most a month after they’re usually gone from the Connecticut Warbler state. Karen Bonnell and Scott Myers had seen Laura Gooch’s bird in CLNP and Samuel Viera’s what was probably the same bird there on 22 Sep. in CVNP on 28 Aug shared first-sighting honors. Also on 22 Sep, Louis Hoying saw two along the The last was a straggler which Regina Schieltz et Blackberry Island Trail, Shelby. Charles Bom- al. saw at her farm in Darke on 11 Oct. Ronnie baci’s six in the nesting area at the north end of Clark had seen another at Darby Creek on 06 Hoover on 09 Aug was the high count, and there Oct. Three duos were seen, at different locations were three triples. (14 counties) in mid- to late Sep. (17 counties) Tennessee Warbler Mourning Warbler Tom Bartlett banded an “adult female in heavy Chris Swan saw the first, in Penitentiary Glen, molt” at Springville Marsh on 01 Aug, a good Lake, on 20 Aug. Scott Albaugh found the last, two weeks before they’re expected. The next at the Brown Family Environmental Center, seen were several on 21 Aug: two at Kelleys Is- Knox, on 04 Oct. Four locations each hosted land (Tom Bartlett), two in Gahanna, Franklin two between late Aug and mid-Sep. (20 counties) (Rob Thorn), and one in Hamilton (Brian Wulk- Kentucky Warbler er). The last was also in Hamilton, on 27 Oct Terry Bronson’s find at Magee on 22 Sep was late at Kathleen Niesen’s home. The high count was for the state, let alone for the Lake Erie shore. The 25, by Brian Wulker during a “fallout-like event” second-last, at Blendon Woods on 11 Sep, was also at Fernald on 30 Sep. Robert Royse saw 20 in the a straggler (Amy and Kevin O’Neil). Other sin- Deer Creek area on 20 Sep. (55 counties) gles were seen in Athens, Clermont, Harrison, Orange-crowned Warbler Lawrence, Montgomery, and Wayne. The first were singles on 14 Sep in Delaware Common Yellowthroat SP (Bruce Simpson) and Riverbend Recreation Louis Hoying saw one at Lake Loramie on 11 Area, Hancock (Shane Myers). The highest Nov and two there on 16 Nov; these were the last number was Erik Bruder’s six at Huntington Res- two dates of the season though there were a few ervation, Cuyahoga, on 25 Sep. Robert Edelen winter sightings as well. John Pogacnik also saw saw three at his Clermont home on 02 Oct; Paul one on 11 Nov, at Lake Erie Bluffs. Jack Stenger Jacyk and Matt Kemp each equaled him in Bay found three large loose flocks totaling about 65 View Park, Lucas, on 18 and 23 Oct respectively. birds in Burnet Woods, Hamilton, on 30 Sep. Ronnie Clark saw the last, at Darby Creek on 01 The second-highest count was 30, by Brian Nov, while Christopher Dyer and Cynthia Norris Wulker in the Miami Whitewater Forest wet- found one in CLNP on 31 Oct. (28 counties) lands, Hamilton, on 25 Sep. (71 counties) Hooded Warbler Rob Thorn found a seriously late immature male calling in Wyman Woods Park, Franklin, on 13 Nov. The second-last was itself late, on 16 Oct in the Orweiler Road marsh, Richland (Gary Cowell). The third-last, Marcia Brehmer’s find in Blendon Woods on 04 Oct, was on a more typical last date. Adam Zorn provided the high count of 10 from the Huston Brumbaugh NC, Stark, on 06 Aug. (32 counties)

Lori Brumbaugh photographed this Orange-crowned Warbler feasting on dried goldenrod seed heads in her back yard in Garfield Heights, Cuyahoga, on 16 Oct.

Nashville Warbler Tom Bartlett’s crew banded one at Springville Marsh on 15 Aug. Brian Wulker’s fallout at Fer- nald on 30 Sep included 15 Nashvilles. Laura Gooch saw 10 at Shaker Lakes NC, Cuyahoga, on 21 Sep. Sally Isacco noted the second-last, at Headlands on 27 Oct, and Cory Chiappone Though they’re typically shy, this Hooded Warbler struck a lovely saw a straggler in his Lake yard on 08 Nov. (49 pose for photographer Mike Horn in the Franklin section of counties) Blacklick Woods MP on 03 Oct.

24 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 American Redstart Bay-breasted Warbler Irina Shulgina noted one at OSU’s Mirror Lake This first date, too, was shared. On 23 Aug, on each of 22 and 28 Oct though they’re usu- Gustino Lanese saw one in Geauga and Mic- ally gone by the middle of the month. Jordan ki Dunakin two at home in Paulding. Fifteen Satler and Megan Smith saw the second-last, at miles of travel along Chapel Drive yielded 14 Blendon Woods on 11 Oct. Oakwoods NP, Han- for CMM on 25 Sep. The last free bird was at cock, boasted the high count of 27 on 12 Sep Buck Creek on 14 Oct (Julie Karlson and Doug (Shane Myers). The most elsewhere were 15 at Overacker). However, one spent from 29 Sep to each of Blendon Woods on 10 Sep (Bruce Simp- 20 Nov catching flies in the Ohio Department of son) and Deer Creek from 13 to 15 Sep (Robert Transportation aircraft hangar in Columbus; Ja- Royse). (53 counties) son Estep saw it there almost daily. (53 counties) Cape May Warbler Blackburnian Warbler One arrived a week or so early, on 11 Aug, at Sites in Geauga, Lucas, Montgomery, and Micki Dunakin’s Paulding home. The second Tuscarawas each hosted one on 16 Aug, a bit was at Gary Cowell’s home in Richland on 21 earlier than expected for the first migrants to ar- Aug. Robert Royse found about 15 in the Deer rive. Bruce Simpson’s eight at Blendon Woods Creek area on 15 and 21 Sep. The last was a bit on 10 Sep was the high count. Peter Hellman late for the state, and more so for the north, when saw the last, in CLNP on 15 Oct. (50 counties) Scott Huge saw it in Eldon Russell Park, Geau- Yellow Warbler ga, on 18 Oct. More typical for a last date was One straggler spent from 07 to 11 Nov at Lake 11 Oct, when Julie Karlson and Doug Overacker Erie Bluffs; John Pogacnik was the last person to found one at Buck Creek. (42 counties) report it. Matt Courtman saw the second-last, on Cerulean Warbler the “normal” date of 06 Oct, along the Hoover The last two sightings were of single birds at Park Connector Trail, Stark. The ONWR Shawnee Lookout on 20 Sep (Helen Wright- census of 02 Aug yielded 50 for Ed Pierce et North) and Taylorsville MP, Montgomery, on al. (fide Douglas Vogus). The second-most were 27 Sep (Amanda Lawson). Two were singing Tom Frankel’s 18 at Headlands on 01 Aug. (46 almost daily at Isaac Troyer’s Holmes property counties) until 18 Aug, and Ben Waner saw two at Head- Chestnut-sided Warbler lands on 19 Sep. Other single sightings came Though these nest in a few scattered areas, the from Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Summit. first of the season wasn’t seen until 06 Aug, in On a personal note, as I write this in late Jan I’m Carroll (Bruce Dudek). The next was in Cha- just back from Colombia, where I saw several Ce- grin River Park, Lake, on 22 Aug (Jeanne Hren- ruleans in shade coffee plantations below RNA ko). Blendon Woods hosted 12 on 10 Sep (Bruce Reinita Cielo Azul, a ProAves preserve named for Simpson). The last date of 04 Oct was shared by them, but ironically none in the preserve itself. single birds at two Franklin and three Hamil- Northern Parula ton locations. (47 counties) Michael Horn found the last, one bird in Scio- Blackpoll Warbler to Audubon MP, Franklin, on 13 Oct. Three Patty McKelvey saw the first, in downtown Cleve- locations each held one on the second-last date land on 26 Aug. The last was a lingering bird of 07 Oct. The high count of six was shared by in CVNP on 07 Nov; Douglas Vogus noted that Bruce Simpson at Blendon Woods on 10 Sep and it was the first Nov record for his long-running Alvaro Jaramillo at Scioto Audubon on 04 Oct. monthly censuses there. The second-last was a (38 counties) bird seen by many in Woodlawn Cemetery, Lu- Magnolia Warbler cas, on 30 Oct. Victor Fazio III benefited from The first date of 22 Aug was shared. Nancy An- a “weather-related fallout” to count 48 at Magee derson saw one in the Euclid Creek Reservation, on 09 Sep; presumably the birds benefitted less. Cuyahoga, and Jeanne Hrenko found two in Victor and Tom Bartlett found 37 around Kelleys Chagrin River Park, Lake, that day. The high Island on 20 Sep. (52 counties) number was an estimated 30 or more, by Aar- Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler on Miller in Wayne on 29 Sep. Robert Royse “Baypolls” were reported in Athens, Butler, found 25 in and around Deer Creek SP on 20 Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton. The Sep. Louis Hoying saw the last, at Lake Loramie latest was in Blendon Woods on 31 Oct (Ed on 16 Oct. (63 counties) Folex), which is later than the last “free range” Bay-breasted was seen.

25 Vol. 39 No. 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler ed. The next was surely a migrant at Swan Creek Elliot Tramer saw the first, in CPNWR on 26 Preserve MP, Lucas, on 19 Aug (m. obs.). Ken Aug. The last stayed a couple of weeks past the Vinciquerra saw the last, which was a bit tardy species’ usual departure date; Mike Wielgopol- in CLNP on 27 Oct. The high count was 11; ski saw it in Westmoreland, Lucas, on 27 Oct. Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III saw that many The second-last, in Garbry’s Big Woods, Miami, at Kelleys Island on 20 Sep, and CMM tied them on 22 Oct (Michael Brush) was also a laggard. along Chapel Drive on 25 Sep. (57 counties) Bruce Simpson found the most, eight in Blendon Canada Warbler Woods on 10 Sep. (45 counties) Isaac Troyer found the first, at his Holmes Palm Warbler farm on 16 Aug. Charles Bombaci saw the last, The first of these were seen later than usual, de- by Old Sunbury Road, Delaware, on 27 Sep. fying the pattern set by several of their cousins. Jen Brumfield and Tim Jasinski each saw three On 03 Sep, Nancy Anderson saw one at Villa in Wendy Park on 28 Aug and there were many Angela and Peggy Blair another at Magee. As duos reported. (31 counties) if to make up for the late arrival, the last was a Wilson’s Warbler straggler at Medusa on 14 Nov (John Pogacnik). The first and last were in CLNP, seen on 21 Aug Individuals were seen on a typical last date of 25 by Laura Gooch and on 21 Oct by Dick Hoff- Oct in Delaware, Hamilton, and Montgom- man, respectively. The second-last were singles ery. Gustino Lanese reported from Cleveland’s in Blendon Woods (m. obs.) and Spring Grove Erie Street Cemetery on 30 Sep that “the ground Cemetery, Hamilton (Helen Wright-North) on was swarming” with 50 of them. (51 counties) 04 Oct. Gautam Apte found seven at the Shaker Pine Warbler Lakes NC, Cuyahoga, on 23 Sep. (37 counties) The first of the season could have nested where Yellow-breasted Chat Sandie Myers saw it in Belmont on 04 Aug. The Scott Pendleton saw the last, at his Harrison second sighting was of two migrants; Matthew home on 18 Oct. The second-last was Ronnie Gallantine found them in Stark on 17 Aug. Clark’s at Prairie Oaks MP, Franklin, on 18 Sep. Doug Marcum saw and heard the last, which was Bill Stanley’s three at East Fork on 07 Aug were straggling in CVNP’s Horseshoe Lake area on the most. (17 counties) 04 Nov. Triples were seen in six locations. (35 counties) Eastern Towhee Scott Albaugh counted 17 at the Brown Family Yellow-rumped Warbler Environmental Center, Knox, on 04 Oct. (71 Mark Shieldcastle saw the first, at Decoy Marsh, counties) Sandusky, on 16 Aug. The next was Gary Smith’s at Magee on 29 Aug. French Creek American Tree Sparrow Reservation, Lorain, hosted about 150 during a Jen Brumfield and Marcia Brehmer saw the first, BRAS field trip on 10 Oct. (80 counties) singles at Wendy Park and Blendon Woods, re- spectively, on 04 Oct. Robert Royse noted “triple Yellow-throated Warbler digit tallies” in the Deer Creek area from mid- John Pogacnik found the last, a straggler in Ma- Nov into Dec. Killdeer hosted about 80 on 29 son’s Landing Park, Lake, on 04 Nov. The two Nov (m. obs.). (57 counties) sightings which preceded it were in Hoover NP on 16 Oct (Corinna Honscheid) and Burnet Chipping Sparrow Woods on 07 Oct (Jack Stenger). Sarah Lucas Brian Wulker found 60 in Spring Grove Ceme- counted four in Beaver Creek WA, Greene, on tery, Hamilton, on 16 Oct, but Albert and Sarah 09 Aug. (27 counties) Troyer saw at least 120 in their Richland neigh- borhood, also in mid-Oct. (74 counties) Prairie Warbler There was a smattering of Aug sightings of this Clay-colored Sparrow locally common nester. Cory Chiappone and The reports, all of single birds, are: Jerry Talkington saw one at Headlands on 17 In Carroll Township, Ottawa, on 23 Sep (Kenn Nov; they’re usually gone from the state before Kaufman) Oct. Even the one which Maria Losey saw at At Wendy Park on 25 and 30 Sep (Jen Brumfield her Delaware home on 04 Oct was late for the et al.) latitude. Three sites each held two. (11 counties) Near Sugar Creek, Tuscarawas, on 26 Sep (Le- roy Schlabach) Black-throated Green Warbler In Graytown, Ottawa, on 14 Oct (Lester Peyton) Joe Brehm saw the season’s first, on 15 Aug at In CVNP’s Horseshoe Lake area on 03 Nov (Ken Big Springs, Hocking, where it could have nest- Andrews)

26 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Field Sparrow Le Conte’s Sparrow The high count of 45 was shared by Scott Pend- The first date was 16 Oct; on that day Carl Win- leton at The Bowl on 15 Aug and Jon Cefus and stead saw one bird at Darby Creek and Kim Ben Morrison along Chapel Drive on 17 Oct. Warner another at Metzger. Dave Chase found (69 counties) the last of several at Wake Robin, and second-last Vesper Sparrow overall, on 04 Nov. The last was at Old Highland Scott Pendleton saw the most (six on 13 Sep) Stone on 07 Nov (m. obs.). Butler, Hancock, and the last (one on 08 Nov) at The Bowl. (23 Lorain, Lucas, and Pickaway also contributed counties) sightings of solo birds. Lark Sparrow Stefan Minnig saw three in Oakes Quarry Park, Greene, on 04 Aug and one there on both 25 Aug and 02 Sep. Julie Karlson and Doug Over- acker saw another along the South Charleston Bike Trail, Clark, on 05 Aug. Savannah Sparrow The New Reclaim Unit, Harrison, held 50 on 04 Oct (Scott Pendleton). The next-highest count was 40, in the Ellis Lake wetlands, Butler, on 20 Oct (Jeremy Dominguez). (46 counties) A Le Conte’s Sparrow was the highlight for Jerry Talkington by Grasshopper Sparrow the Wake Robin boardwalk on 24 Oct. Ken Vinciquerra saw the last, in CLNP on 19 Oct. Singles at Fernald (m. obs.) and Cadiz, Harrison (Scott Pendleton) on 10 Oct preceded Nelson’s Sparrow it. Scott also tallied the most, 25 in their nest- Wake Robin hosted the first, two individuals on ing area at The Bowl on 09 Aug. He found only 29 Sep (Dave Chase). It also held the most, six eight there on 15 Aug, which number Bruce on 05 Oct (Jeremy Dominguez and Sarah Lucas) Dudek tied for the second-highest count along and 06 Oct (Leslie Sours). Single birds at Darby Fargo Road, Carroll, on 06 Aug. (17 counties) Creek on 05 and 09 Nov (Irina Shulgina and Carl Winstead, respectively) were the only sightings that month. (14 counties)

A cooperative Grasshopper Sparrow gave Jerry Talkington this excellent view by Fairport Nursery Road, Lake, on 31 Aug.

Henslow’s Sparrow Jerry Talkington monitored Wake Robin for sparrow activity The last were Irina Shulgina’s four at Darby and was rewarded with this Nelson’s Sparrow image on 01 Oct. Creek on 22 Oct, which were probably reluctant to leave their nesting area. Irina also found the Fox Sparrow second-last, at Glacier Ridge MP, Union, on Members of a BRAS field trip saw the first, in 18 Oct. Chambers North, Harrison, held 20 French Creek Reservation, Lorain, on 05 Oct. nesters on 11 Aug for Scott Pendleton. The sec- Maria Losey contributed the high count of ond-most were a pair of eights, at ONWR on 02 15 from her Delaware home on 04 Nov. (46 Aug (Ed Pierce et al., fide Douglas Vogus) and at counties) Darby Creek on 08 Aug (Paul Hurtado and Les- Song Sparrow lie Sours). (20 counties) A field at the corner of Township Roads 207

27 Vol. 39 No. 1 and 244 in Hancock produced 82 on 26 Sep (m. Jon Cefus noted that nine which he saw in Jockey obs.). Only Fulton, Gallia, and Jackson did Hollow WA, Harrison, on 07 Nov could have not have sightings. been of the Cassiar race of our familiar Dark- Lincoln’s Sparrow eyed Junco. He also photographed an “Oregon” Cory Chiappone saw the first, at Wake Robin on Junco at Clendening Lake, Harrison, on the 08 Sep. Wendy Park hosted 22 on 26 Sep for Jen same day. One Delaware and two Franklin Brumfield; the second-highest count was Kurt birds were tentatively identified as “Oregon” Grenig’s 16 in CLNP on 25 Sep. Carl Winstead Juncos. saw the last, a straggler at Hoover NP on 18 Nov. Summer Tanager The second-last was Margaret Bowman’s solo These are usually gone by the end of Sep, but bird along the Licking Trail, Licking, on 08 Nov. Gale Wulker found a seriously late one in Wal- (51 counties) ton Hills, Cuyahoga, on 21 Nov. Jack Schultz Swamp Sparrow saw the latest but for it, at Burr Oak SP, Morgan, Jason Sullivan and Chris Zacharias teamed to on 02 Oct. Carl Winstead found three at Darby discover 75 in the Great Miami WMB on 14 Oct. Creek on 01 Sep. (22 counties) (54 counties) Scarlet Tanager White-throated Sparrow These usually stay only a couple of weeks longer A very unusual 10 Jul bird at Headlands perhaps than Summers, but again the north coast held hung around to be this season’s first, which Tom on to one past the expected date. Andy Avram Frankel saw there on both 01 and 09 Aug. The saw it at Penitentiary Glen, Lake, on 19 Nov next were seen at the usual time, 13 Sep, two at and again, with Tom Frankel, on 20 Nov; Jerry Darby Creek (Ronnie Clark) and one at Maumee Talkington waved it goodbye on 21 Nov. Stefan Bay (Joanne and Mark Hubinger). George No- Gleissberg saw one at his Athens home on both vosel found at least 250 in CLNP on 04 Oct. (79 13 and 24 Oct. The most were Brian Wulker’s counties) five at Shawnee Lookout on 13 Sep. (52 counties) Harris’s Sparrow Northern Cardinal One was photographed in Ottawa in Oct; the Tom Bartlett and Victor Fazio III counted 47 at OBRC will credit the reporters. Kelleys Island on 20 Sep. Douglas Vogus et al. found 38 during their 08 Aug CVNP census, and White-crowned Sparrow Daniel DeLapp tied them at Caesar Creek on 10 Jim McConnor saw the first, at Lake Erie Bluffs Nov. (all 88 counties) on 20 Sep. Jen Brumfield saw the most, 90 in CLNP on 24 Oct, and birders saw up to 45 there Rose-breasted Grosbeak on other days. The most elsewhere were 40 at For a change, the last sighting was much earli- Sandy Ridge on 21 Oct (BRAS). (56 counties) er than usual, on 21 Oct at Huston Brumbaugh NC, Stark (Adam Zorn). The second-last was Dark-eyed Junco more than a week earlier, on 13 Oct at Gilmore The many Aug sightings in Geauga and Lake MP, Butler (Richard Amable). The Hoover Park were in or near known nesting areas. The first Connector Trail, Stark, yielded 10 on 25 Sep sure migrant sighting was Nancy Anderson’s, at (Matt Courtman). (45 counties) Villa Angela on 20 Sep. The two highest counts were by Tim Haney in Woodlawn Cemetery, Lu- Blue Grosbeak cas, 180 on 20 Nov and 220 on 16 Nov. The The last three sightings were more than a month most elsewhere were 150 in the Jones Preserve on later than usual. On 11 Oct Jack Stenger and 23 Oct (Tom Bartlett et al.). (80 counties) Lindsey Walters saw two at Fernald, and Ron Bicknell and Chris Zacharias another at the Great Miami WMB. Daniel DeLapp’s single at Miami River CP, Butler, on 14 Oct was the last. Robert Royse counted 11 pairs in Deer Creek WA, most of them in the Fayette section, on 08 Aug. The second-most were the nine individuals which Josh King found in Kenning-Dicke Nat- ural Area, Auglaize, on 19 Aug. (23 counties) Indigo Bunting Kirk Westendorf saw the last, in Armleder Park on Ron Sempier focused his lens on this Fox Sparrow on 17 Nov 24 Oct. Robert Hershberger noted two flocks total- along the Tallgrass Trail, Marion. ing 52 birds near Mt. Hope, Holmes, on 27 Sep.

28 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Brian Wulker contributed the second-highest count, Brewer’s Blackbird 25 at Shawnee Lookout on 26 Sep. (71 counties) Jon Cefus and Ben Morrison saw one in Mosqui- Dickcissel to WA on 18 Oct and Robert Sams another at The reports are: Camp Berry, Hancock, on 26 Nov. Up to eight at Fernald throughout Aug (m. obs.) Common Grackle One along Fargo Road, Carroll, on 06 Aug The huge Red-winged Blackbird flock at The (Bruce Dudek) Water Hole which Victor Fazio III discovered on One in the Rehoboth Reclaim Area, Perry, on 18 Nov was overshadowed by 73,000 grackles. 08 Aug (Phil Swan) Tom Bartlett found about 31,000 at Springville One in the Hardin Wetlands on 09 Aug (Richard Marsh on 04 Oct. (71 counties) Counts) Brown-headed Cowbird “Several” adults and juveniles in Deer Creek WA The 18 Nov Watering Hole flock also included on 09 Aug (Robert Royse) about 9000 cowbirds (Victor Fazio III). The One seen on 05 Nov, 23 Nov, and 12 Dec at next-highest number was a comparatively small home in Erie (Janet Hughes) 800 near Alliance, Stark, on 26 Oct (Adam One seen intermittently from 08 Nov into Dec Zorn). (57 counties) near Mt. Hope, Holmes (Robert Hershberger) Orchard Oriole Bobolink These often stay into Sep, but the last sighting Mike Busam and Charlie Saunders found the last, was Andy Jones’ and Caleb Putnam’s trio at in the Ellis Lake wetlands, Butler, on 11 Oct. CLNP on 23 Aug. Scott Pendleton found eight at Richard Counts noted 625 “staging for migration” The Bowl on 15 Aug and Kathleen Horn count- in the Hardin Wetlands on 07 Sep. Victor Fazio ed four at Prairie Oaks MP, Franklin, the day III reported 208 at Pickerel Creek on 22 Aug in before. (24 counties) a “careful count of flight overhead; typically in waves of 3-7 birds (max. of 22)”. (37 counties) Baltimore Oriole These are somewhat hardier than Orchards, Red-winged Blackbird typically staying until mid-Sep. At least three Victor Fazio III estimated an astounding 42,000 lingered beyond that: one in the East Point Pre- were gathered at The Water Hole, Sandusky, serve on Bass Island, Ottawa, on 30 Sep (Tom on 18 Nov (but see Common Grackle below). Bartlett), one at a home in Coshocton on 24 Oct The second-highest number was the 10,000 not- (fide Margaret Bowman), and one at an Athens ed by Kyle Jones near Circleville, Pickaway, on home on 27 Oct (Stefan Gleissberg). Tom Bart- 22 Aug. (81 counties) lett noted “many family groups” among the 82 Eastern Meadowlark birds he counted at Kelleys Island on 21 Aug. He The Chapel Drive grasslands hosted 59 for and his banding crew also contributed the sec- CMM on 25 Sep. Scott Pendleton found 45 in ond-highest number, 24 at Springville Marsh on Cadiz, Harrison, on 10 Oct. (57 counties) 01 Aug. (59 counties) Rusty Blackbird House Finch Shane Myers saw the first, a duo in Oakwoods Victor Fazio III counted 68 in an “extensive NP, Hancock, on 11 Sep. About 1000 were with weedy field” at Great Egret Marsh, Ottawa, on the Red-wingeds at The Water Hole, Sandusky, 18 Aug. (69 counties) on 18 Nov (Victor Fazio III) and half that many Purple Finch were in Mosquito WA on 18 Oct (Jon Cefus and The high count was a shared seven. Inga Ben Morrison). (50 counties) Schmidt saw hers at West Geauga Commons on 15 Oct and Bill Anastasia his at home in Butler on 01 Nov. (31 counties)

Leslie Sours obtained this sharp image of a Rusty Blackbird at A female Purple Finch was photographed by Su Snyder at The Kiwanis Riverway Park, Franklin, on 30 Sep. Wilderness Center, Stark, on Oct 17.

29 Vol. 39 No. 1 Common Redpoll Linda Gilbert’s Geauga feeders hosted the first, one bird on 18 Oct. The second sighting, and second-highest count, was of two flocks totaling 15 birds at Edgewater on 31 Oct (Jen Brumfield). Dan Gesualdo managed to count 23 which brief- ly paused in a pine tree at Volunteer Bay, Erie, on 17 Nov. Other reports came from Hancock, Lake, and Wyandot. Pine Siskin Laura McLellan photographed one at her feeder in Leroy Township, Lake, on 03 Aug. That’s a good two months before they typically arrive, so it might have nested nearby. The next showed up at the Shaker Lakes NC, Cuyahoga, on 14 Sep (Gautam Apte) and one got to Worthington, Franklin, on 18 Sep (Bernie Master). Brian Wulker saw about 150 in Spring Grove Ceme- tery, Hamilton, on 27 Nov and wrote, “Most [were] in one large flock feeding in a clump of hemlocks…”. Matt Anderson counted 95 in Whitehouse Cemetery, Lucas, on 27 Nov. (42 counties) American Goldfinch Nate Swick noted about 350 in Scioto Audubon MP, Franklin, on both 01 and 02 Oct. A Cincin- nati Bird Club outing found the most elsewhere, 150 in Miami Whitewater Forest, Hamilton, on 11 Oct. (all 88 counties) House Sparrow Gary Cowell took the trouble to count 130 along Logan Road, Mansfield, Richland, on 13 Aug. (81 counties)

Erratum In the summer issue, the 18 Hooded Mergansers noted along the CVNP Wetmore Trails were Hooded Warblers.

Addendum – Harlequin Duck Su Snyder came across a photograph taken by her brother-in-law, Jim Snyder, in Nov 2014 which included a Harlequin Duck among its many Buffleheads. The site was Cinnamon Lake, Ashland, for a rare inland sighting that might be the first for that county.

30 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015

CONTRIBUTORS

The Species Accounts could not be written without the data provided by these contributors either directly to the Editors or by posting to an on-line venue. We thank you. Harris Abramson Martha Burrows Bob Finkelstein Michael Horn Lee Adams Mike Busam Tom Fishburn Roger L. Horn Scott Albaugh Marty Calabrese Francie Flower Gabe Hostetler Zachary Allen Andrew Cannizzaro Ed Folex Louis Hoying Richard Amable Jon Cefus Joseph Ford Jeanne Hrenko Bill Anastasia Allen Chartier Sarah Fowler Mark Hsu Andrea Anderson Ann Chasar Tom Frankel Joanne Hubinger Andrew Anderson Dwight Chasar Skylar Frary Mark Hubinger Matt Anderson Dave Chase Darlene Friedman Scott Huge Nancy Anderson Cory Chiappone Anthony Fry Alex Hughes Ken Andrews Bill Christman Ken Fuller Janet Hughes Gautam Apte Cincinnati Bird Club Aaron Gabbe Paul Hurtado Rick Asamoto Alexander Clark Brendon Gabler Edward Ingold Andy Avram Ronnie Clark Matthew Gallantine Sally Isacco Carole Babyak Christopher Collins Lou Gardella Paul Jacyk Tom Bartlett Tim Cornish David Gesicki Alvaro Jaramillo Robert Batterson Shane Coulter Dan Gesualdo Tim Jasinski Daniel Beechy Richard Counts Linda Gilbert Tim Johnson Matthew Bell Matt Courtman Stefan Gleissberg Andy Jones Gregory Bennett Gary Cowell Laura Gooch Kyle Jones Rhonda Berry Michael Crouse Carolyn Gooding William L. Jones John Besser Doug Dawes Bill Grant Matt Kappler Marge Bicknell Ned De Lamatre Cory Gratz Julie Karlson Ron Bicknell Miranda DeBoard Allen Green Kenn Kaufman Jeff Bilsky Daniel DeLapp Kurt Grenig Peter Keefe Black River Audubon Jeremy Dominguez Ada Habig Ned Keller Society (BRAS) Dan Donaldson John Habig Matt Kemp Black Swamp Bird Paul Dornbusch Tim Haney Tom Kemp Observatory Amy Downing Jeff Harvey Afton Kern (BSBO) Bruce Dudek Wes Hatch Jaden King Peggy Blair Micki Dunakin Josh Haugawout Josh King Bill Boeringer Christopher Dyer Ben Hawes Tim Kleman Douglas Bohanan Alex Eberts Julie Heitz Kelly Kozlowski Charles Bombaci Robert Edelen Peter Hellman Bob Krajeski Karen Bonnell Mike Edgington John Herman Dan Kramer Jeff Bouton Ethan Ellis Eli Hershberger Tim Krynak Margaret Bowman Eric Elvert Michael Hershberger Donna Kuhn Joe Brehm Dan Enders Robert Hershberger David Kurz Marcia Bremer Edward Enold Tom Hissong Steve Landes Terry Bronson David L. Erb Dick Hoffman Bob Lane Erik Bruder Reuben S. Erb Jean Hoffman Denise Lane Lori Brumbaugh Jason Estep Craig Holt Gustino Lanese Jen Brumfield Victor Fazio III Corinna Honscheid Sarah Lawrence Michael Brush Leslie Feree Kathleen Horn Amanda Lawson

31 Vol. 39 No. 1 Beth Lenoble Matt Orebaugh Katie Sellers Mike Wielgopolski Eric Liebold Hope Orr Ron Sempier Kelly Williams Maria Losey Helen Ostermiller Rachel Shamey Sean Williams Jeff Loughman Ken Ostermiller Paul Sherwood Mark Willis Pat Love Doug Overacker Mark Shieldcastle Carl Winstead Sara Lucas Rebecca Palmer Susie Short David Wisecup Doug Marcum Jason Parrish Jane Shrike Anna Wittmer Hallie Mason Greg Pasek Irina Shulgina Amanda Wolski Bernie Master Scott Pendleton Melanie Shuter Ed Wransky Christine McAnlis Haans Petruschke Bruce Simpson Jay Wright Tyler McClain John Petruzzi Thomas Slemmer Helen Wright-North Jim McConnor Lester Peyton Gary Smith Brian Wulker Jim McCormac Lisa Phelps Megan Smith Gale Wulker Gayle McKay Ed Pierce Elizabeth Snedecker Adam Yoder Kevin McKelvey Drew Pickert Jim Snyder Emery A. Yoder Laura McLellan Chris Pierce Su Snyder Marvin Yoder Elizabeth McQuaid Robert Placier Leslie Sours Chris Zacharias Jessica McQuigg Stan Plante Bill Stanley Adam Zorn Dennis Mersky John Pogacnik Josh Stapleton Aaron Miller Anthony Popiel Jack Stenger Alvin E. Miller Ed Powers Jeff Stone Benjamin Miller Edward Pullen Jerry Strosnider Cristy J. Miller Caleb Putnam Jason Sullivan Eli Miller R. Lee Reed Phil Swan Eli M. Miller J.W. Rettig Nate Swick Jeffrey Miller Ari Rice Jerry Talkington Kent Miller Sue Riffe Rob Thorn Leon N. Miller Ethan Rising Edward Tiede Marlin Miller Jacob Roalef Elliot Tramer Nolan Miller Sam Romeo Henry Trimpe Nola Miller-Brasure Mary Anne Romito Albert Troyer Stefan Minnig Jeffrey Roth Andy R. Troyer Kathy Mock Robert Royse Isaac Troyer Jen Moore Mark Rozmarynowycz Melvin Troyer Ben Morrison Carrie Ruane Sarah Troyer Paul Moser Mark Ruane Vern Troyer James Mueller David Russell Matthew Valencic Amy Muller Robert Sams Samuel Viera Luis Munoz Dan Sanders Ed Vigezzi Sandie Myers Ira Sanders Ken Vinciquerra Scott Myers Jordan Satler Douglas Vogus Shane Myers Charlie Saunders Lindsey Walters Kathleen Niesen Catherine Schiellelin Ben Waner Aaron Nisley Regina Schieltz Ben Warner Cynthia Norris Leroy Schlabach Kim Warner George Novosel Inga Schmidt Mike Watson Ohio Young Birders Carlton Schooley David Weaver Amy O’Neil Bradley Schultz Kirk Westendorf Kevin O’Neil Jack Schultz Bill Whan

32 Canada Goose 185

Wood Duck 58

Mallard 44

Blue-winged Teal 8

Wild Turkey 1

Double-crested Cormorant 2

The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Great Blue Heron 24 CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK FALL CENSUSGreen Heron 11 By Dwight Chasar and Craig Caldwell son, several were seen for the first time in almost a decade.Turkey TheVulture total number of individual32 birds The 2015 Fall Census in Cuyahoga Valley Na- seen was above average; individual counts of sev- tional Park was held on 19 Sep. Though the tem- en species set record highs and three others set perature was mild, the overcast turned to drizzle record lows. Osprey 1 in some areas. Sixty-eight observers in 23 teams The fall census started in 1983 but from then beat last year’s record turnout. Their 113 species through 1997 the teams counted only species. In was the second-highest number for the fall cen- 1998, the census crews started counting individu- sus – only 2006 exceeded it, with 115. Though als asBald well. Eagle Dwight began coordinating1 the census the observers found no species new to this sea- in 1992.

Northern Harrier 1 1 Species Number Notes Species Number Notes

Canada Goose 185 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3

Wood Duck 58 Cooper's Hawk 8

Mallard 44 Red-shouldered Hawk 4

Blue-winged Teal 8 Red-tailed Hawk 4

Wild Turkey 1 Sora 1

Double-crested Cormorant 2 Killdeer 10

Great Blue Heron 24 Spotted Sandpiper 1

Green Heron 11 Ring-billed Gull 1

Turkey Vulture 32 Rock Pigeon 2

Osprey 1 Mourning Dove 134

Bald Eagle 1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 7 2

Northern Harrier 1 1 Great Horned Owl 1

33 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 Barred Owl 3

Cooper's Hawk 8 Chimney Swift 767 3

Red-shouldered Hawk 4 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5

Red-tailed Hawk 4 Belted Kingfisher 13

Sora 1 Red-headed woodpecker 20

Killdeer 10 Red-bellied Woodpecker 129

Spotted Sandpiper 1 Downy Woodpecker 111

Ring-billed Gull 1 Hairy Woodpecker 22

Rock Pigeon 2 Northern Flicker 87

Pileated Woodpecker 24

Peregrine Falcon 1

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1

Eastern Wood-Pewee 27

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 5 4

Acadian Flycatcher 5

Least Flycatcher 3

Eastern Phoebe 43

White-eyed Vireo 1 Mourning Dove 134

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 7 2

Great Horned Owl 1

Barred Owl 3

Chimney Swift 767 3

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5

Belted Kingfisher 13

Red-headed woodpecker 20

Red-bellied Woodpecker 129

Downy Woodpecker 111

Hairy Woodpecker 22

Northern Flicker 87

Pileated Woodpecker 24

Peregrine Falcon 1

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1

Eastern Wood-Pewee 27

Mourning Dove 134 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 5 4

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 7 2 Acadian Flycatcher 5

Vol. 39 No. 1

Great Horned Owl 1 Least Flycatcher 3 Species Number Notes Species Number Notes

Barred Owl 3 Eastern Phoebe 43

Chimney Swift 767 3 White-eyed Vireo 1

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5 Yellow-throated Vireo 6

Belted Kingfisher 13 Warbling Vireo 13

Red-headed woodpecker 20 Philadelphia Vireo 3

Red-bellied Woodpecker 129 Red-eyed Vireo 11

Downy Woodpecker 111 Blue Jay 432

Hairy Woodpecker 22 American Crow 292

Northern Flicker 87 Tree Swallow 5

Pileated Woodpecker 24 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 126 5

Peregrine Falcon 1 Barn Swallow 2

Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 Black-capped Chickadee 312

Eastern Wood-Pewee 27 Tufted Titmouse 124

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 5 4 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1

Acadian Flycatcher 5 White-breasted Nuthatch 156

Least Flycatcher 3 Brown Creeper 1

Eastern Phoebe 43 House Wren 8 34

White-eyed Vireo 1 Marsh Wren 3

Carolina Wren 23

Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 6

Eastern Bluebird 99

Veery 3

Swainson's Thrush 27 7 Yellow-throated Vireo 6

Warbling Vireo 13

Philadelphia Vireo 3

Red-eyed Vireo 11

Blue Jay 432

American Crow 292 Hermit Thrush 4

Tree Swallow 5 Wood Thrush 5

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 126 5 American Robin 387

Barn Swallow 2 Gray Catbird 197 8

Black-capped Chickadee 312 Brown Thrasher 4

Tufted Titmouse 124 European Starling 618

Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Cedar Waxwing 161 9

White-breasted Nuthatch 156 Ovenbird 2

The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Brown Creeper 1 Northern Waterthrush 1 10 Species Number Notes Species Number Notes

House Wren 8 Blue-winged Warbler 1

Marsh Wren 3 Black-and-white Warbler 1

Carolina Wren 23 Tennessee Warbler 12

Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 6 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 11

Eastern Bluebird 99 Nashville Warbler 8

Veery 3 Connecticut Warbler 1 12

Swainson's Thrush 27 7 Common Yellowthroat 38

Hermit Thrush 4 Hooded Warbler 21

Wood Thrush 5 American Redstart 14 13

American Robin 387 Cape May Warbler 2

Gray Catbird 197 8 Northern Parula 1

Brown Thrasher 4 Magnolia Warbler 23

European Starling 618 Bay-breasted Warbler 14

Cedar Waxwing 161 9 Blackburnian Warbler 3

Ovenbird 2 Yellow Warbler 2

Northern Waterthrush 1 10 Chestnut-sided Warbler 3

Blue-winged Warbler 1 Blackpoll Warbler 5 35

Black-and-white Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 2

Tennessee Warbler 12 Palm Warbler 7

Orange-crowned Warbler 1 11 Pine Warbler 4

Nashville Warbler 8 Yellow-rumped Warbler 2

Connecticut Warbler 1 12 Black-throated Green Warbler 12

Common Yellowthroat 38 Wilson's Warbler 3

Hooded Warbler 21 Eastern Towhee 15

American Redstart 14 13 Chipping Sparrow 2 14

Cape May Warbler 2 Field Sparrow 16

Northern Parula 1 Song Sparrow 66

Magnolia Warbler 23 Lincoln's Sparrow 1

Swamp Sparrow 10

Scarlet Tanager 6

Northern Cardinal 159

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 15

Indigo Bunting 10 Bay-breasted Warbler 14

Blackburnian Warbler 3

Yellow Warbler 2

Chestnut-sided Warbler 3

Blackpoll Warbler 5

Black-throated Blue Warbler 2

Palm Warbler 7

Pine Warbler 4

Yellow-rumped Warbler 2

Black-throated Green Warbler 12

Wilson's Warbler 3

Eastern Towhee 15

Chipping Sparrow 2 14

Field Sparrow 16

Song Sparrow 66

Lincoln's Sparrow 1

Bay-breasted Warbler 14 Swamp Sparrow 10

Blackburnian Warbler 3 Scarlet Tanager 6

Yellow Warbler 2 Northern Cardinal 159

Vol. 39 No. 1

Chestnut-sided Warbler 3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 15 Species Number Notes Species Number Notes

Blackpoll Warbler 5 Indigo Bunting 10

Black-throated Blue Warbler 2 Red-winged Blackbird 834 15

Palm Warbler 7 Eastern Meadowlark 3

Pine Warbler 4 Common Grackle 319

Yellow-rumped Warbler 2 Brown-headed Cowbird 9

Black-throated Green Warbler 12 Baltimore Oriole 1

Wilson's Warbler 3 House Finch 14 16

Eastern Towhee 15 American Goldfinch 360

Chipping Sparrow 2 14 House Sparrow 54

Field Sparrow 16 6913

Notes Song Sparrow 66 1. First since 2008 2. Highest ever (had good spring count too) 3. Highest ever (2014 = 727) Lincoln's Sparrow 1 4. Highest ever (pocket of them) 5. Highest ever (2004 = 59)

Swamp Sparrow 10 6. First since 2006 7. Highest ever (2010 = 17) 8. Highest ever (2010 = 186) Scarlet Tanager 6 9. On the very low side 10. First since 2005 11. First since 2002 Northern Cardinal 159 12. First since 2009 13. Highest by two

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 15 14. Low number 15. Second highest (2006 = 1618) 16. Low number Indigo Bunting 10 36 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015

SOME OHIO OBSERVATIONS by W. F. Henninger

By Bill Whan formation published in the Wilson Bulletin, but with many additional details. Readers of this [Editor’s note: The Henninger manuscript from which newly-discovered document will gain therefore a Bill Whan excerpted the several species accounts in this clearer notion of some of the birds involved, and article was acquired by Carolyn Gooding, of Tampa, FL, well as a better sense of the author’s experience at an estate sale. She contacted OOS, who passed her in- and opinions. One might speculate that some of quiry on to Bill, who wrote this piece. We are indebted to this material was regarded by the Bulletin’s editor the Goodings for their interest and to Bill for his continuing as less than scientific and merely anecdotal, and research into Ohio’s ornithological history.] was thus not published. Along with a better sense of the temperament of the author, however, Walther Frederick Henninger (1873-1929) much was lost of the work’s flavor and personal was an important figure in Ohio ornithology. character, as well as the contexts in which discov- His contributions to the study of our insects and eries were made. mammals are significant as well. Born in Mis- The manuscript we have is incomplete, and souri, he was trained in Europe by the Moravian its treatments of eighty-five of the species are Brethren and came to Ohio in 1894 to serve as a missing. Many of the rest of the 216 remaining missionary for that church, as pastor and teacher accounts are not significantly different from the in southeastern and northwestern Ohio commu- published version, but quite a few have enlight- nities and later in 1921 in South America. He ening details well worth reading, and are repro- collected a great many biological specimens in duced below. all these places, and hundreds of his bird skins The version published in the Wilson Bulle- are now housed at the Ohio State University tin can be read on the internet at https://sora. Museum. unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/ During his early ministry in southeastern v014n03/p0077-p0093.pdf and includes the Ohio in 1894, he began contributing ornitholog- author’s introduction. The accounts which fol- ical articles – eventually 77 in all – describing the low are presented verbatim from Henninger’s birdlife he studied. Henninger’s work with birds original hand-written manuscript (but for our eventually led him to serve as president and trea- italicizing the then-current scientific names and surer of the Wilson Ornithological Society. More the publications), and add much interest to the missionary and ornithological work in Seneca routine presentations that ended up in the jour- and Auglaize was followed by a stint in south- nal article. ern Brazil. In all of these locations he ardently * * * * * * studied and collected birds; his more than 600 specimens from Brazil, for example, now sleep in 87. Ceophloeus pileatus. Pileated Woodpecker the OSU Museum. var. abieticola. A fairly common resident in the An early work, “A Preliminary List of the heavily wooded parts of Pike and Scioto coun- Birds of Middle Southern Ohio,” covered the ties. June 7 1897 observed the first time. In some birdlife he studied during his first assignment in forests as high as 7-8 specimens were seen, but Ohio, and was published in 1902 in the Wilson were exceedingly shy. Bulletin (Vol IX, No. 3:77-93). This text treats 216 Some times a person could see several, at oth- species, each described routinely in a dozen or er times none whatever at their regular place of two words, including times of arrival and depar- habitation. The cutting down of heavy timber for ture but with few other details. a factory of spokes at Waverly is slowly but surely This publication has played a deservedly mi- driving this pride of our woods away. It is indeed nor role in the history of Ohio ornithology. How- a wonder that this bird is still to be found. (Bul- ever, parts of the manuscript of the original work letin Mich. Ornith. Club Vol. II, 3-4, page 39). recently came to light thanks to an unknown 89. Melanerpes carolinus. Red-bellied Wood- woman from Marysville, who preserved original pecker. A common resident everywhere. On drafts, and the Goodings, who recognized their Sept. 14, 1898, I met a great number of this spe- value (and provided some helpful proofreading cies, storing up acorns in a forest where all the as well). Some of the more interesting previously undergrowth was missing. I did not observe any unpublished material is presented here. particularly new actions, they being similar to The handwritten manuscript presents the in- those of other species, which have the same hab-

37 Vol. 39 No. 1 itat. I find this species to be a great lover of ap- 9 1896 I saw it picking the eggs of a Chipping ples. In July whole families can be seen working Sparrow into little pieces, and tearing the nest on apples, soon after the young have left the nest. into tiny morsels in the garden of parsonage at South Webster, Scioto Co. It did not suck the 90. Colaptes auritus luteus. Northern Flicker. A eggs however; it only seemed to delight in the de- common and greatly increasing resident, espe- struction of nest and eggs. cially in Pike Co., where he is almost unmolested, while in Scioto County it is often shot as a game 106. Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. Common bird. On Sept. 26 1894 I shot a specimen which spring migrant for about one week, generally the had in his bill and in his throat four acorns in first week in May…Sept 8 and 9th flocks of 200- each, and 5 in his stomach and entrails. I shot 300 migrating over Waverly in the early morning one, which had 6 dogwood berries in his intes- hours. tines, and one undigested with 5 fairly digested 113. Quiscalus quiscula aeneus. Bronzed Grackle. ones in his stomach. This bird is also a lover of Very common summer resident. Arrival: April Pokeberries, one shot on Nov 2 1900 (male) had 8, 1895; March 24 1896; March 8, 1897; March the whole abdominal region on the in and out- 8, 1898; March 4, 1899, March 5, 1900, Nov. 2, side colored with them, while the stomach was 1900…Two Grackle roosts were observed by me full of them. In 1892 during the locust plague in during the summer months of 1900; principally spring I found this bird to be a great destroyer was my attention turned to the one in the midst of this noxious insect. I have often watched the of the town of Waverly in the Water Street Park peculiar “flirting” habits of this species, soac- at the Canal. The Grackle roost was just across curately described by Maj. Bendire in his great from 3 hotels, but the birds were seldom molest- work, and also those described in the Osprey Vol ed by the people. This roosting place first came 1, no. 7 pag. 94-95. under my observation on July 8th. The first birds, 94. Trochilus colubris. Ruby-throated Hum- that would come in every evening were solitary mingbird. Common summer resident. Arrival ones; they began to come in at 4 p.m. when the April 17, 1896; April 24, 1897; May 10, 1898; days became shorter, from 15 to 20 minutes ear- May 1, 1899; May 7, 1900… On July 30, 1900, lier. The rest would come in bunches of 3, some- I met about 30 hummingbirds, mostly young times 4, flocks of 50 to 200 in short intervals. males, on the side of a levee which was thickly Sometimes they were disturbed and many would covered with wild flowers; while a number were circle around for a long time before settling. In flying and whirring around the flowers, some the morning the last ones would leave at 5 a.m.— were sitting on the blades of corn resting, others this grackle roost was of great interest to any bird again chasing one another with shrill chirping, lover. During the year 1900 it has become the sounding like “dsickdsicksicksicksick,” uttered custom of many wealthy young people in Chilli- just about as rapidly as their wings were vibrat- cothe to shoot the “black birds” when they go to ing. Taken altogether it was a very interesting roost of an evening, as they are considered “fine spectacle. eating.” As laws in this country are written for all, but never used against the wealthy, they go 95. Tyrranus tyrranus. Kingbird…I want to state unpunished; who would want a wealthy man for that the Kingbird does pursue crows at least out- an enemy for the sake of a “blackbird” or such a side of the time in which he is engaged with rais- trifle as shooting inside of the city limits! ing his family, having observed this in July and August 1900. 117. Poocetes gramineus. Vesper Sparrow. Com- mon migrant, fairly common summer resi- 103. Otocorys alpestris praticola. Prairie Horned dent…I have heard this bird sing, when the cold Lark. After having looked faithfully for Horned would make a person shiver and long for the Larks for years, I accidentally ran across a flock fireside. of 10-12 on a gravelly field, close to the Scioto River in Pike Co., killing one, which proved to 120. Chondestes grammacus. Lark Sparrow. This be this species. They stayed till Dec. 9, March finest songster of the N. A. Sparrows is rather 21st and reappeared in the spring from March rare, but constantly on the increase in the hills of 5 till March 21st…As often is the case, I found Scioto County. Not observed in Pike Co. Sum- them common, where I knew just where to look mer resident. for them. 127. Peucaea aestivalis bachmanii. Bachmann’s 104. Cyanocitta cristata. Blue Jay. Common resi- Sparrow…See enclosed note as published in dent, but very local in its distribution. On May the Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club

38 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015 Vol II, no 1, Jan. 1898, pag. 7-8. Since then Mr. may be found everywhere. Only once I saw a H. C. Oberholser has written me, that though Bay-breasted Warbler in the lower branches of my record is the first published one of Bach- a tree, Sept. 24 1898 at Piketon. Have shot them mann’s Sparrow in Ohio, there is a still earlier, out of trees 80 to 100 feet high. but yet published record for the State. [A clipping 169. Dendroica striata. Blackpoll Warbler. The from the Michigan Ornithological Club, “Bach- most abundant migrant of all the Warblers. mann’s Sparrow in Southern Ohio” is pinned to Found everywhere. this page. It describes the discovery of a singing Bachman’s in the hills near South Webster on 23 173. Dendroica vigorsii. Pine Warbler. Rare mi- April 1897. Henninger shot the bird, but while it grant and I also have the pleasure of recording could not be prepared as a specimen, he was able it as a rare breeder for the first time in the State to compare it closely with a specimen. He had of Ohio. On Aug 5 1898, while out on a short heard another at the same location on 06 May stroll with the Prof. of the Waverly High School, 1896. He was to learn that his was Ohio’s first we met on a little hillock in tall timber without record of this species, until the belated publica- any undergrowth close to the Canal a company tion in Jones’s The Birds of Ohio (1903, p. 103) of 5-6 warblers. One of them was giving a few of a specimen collected in Columbus on 18 Aug little notes, reminding a person of the Chipping 1890.] Sparrows. My companion shot one of them, which I embalmed, it being too much torn for 128. Melospiza fasciata. Song Sparrow. Very a skin; At home I identified it as a Pine Warbler common, strongly increasing resident. I have and Mr. H. C. Oberholser was so kind as to ver- noticed and ascertained by actual measurement ify this determination. The bird was a male still that those Song Sparrows that come in from partially in first plumage, which showed that it the north, in December principally, are some- would not have traveled far from its home at that what larger, especially wing and tail, and darker age. Pine trees can be found in the northeastern than the resident Song Sparrows. The difference part of Pike Co. in the western tract of Jackson though is too slight to warrant any subspecifical Co. and along the Ohio River in Scioto Co. Yet recognition or as the late Dr. Coues would have close to Waverly there are no pine trees, except said, “there was probably not the sufficient expo- those used as ornamental shrubbery—observed sure to the sunlight” to call for a subspecies. Oct 8, 1894. 145. Lanius borealis. Northern Shrike. Rather 182. Icteria virens. Yellow-breasted Chat. Ex- rare winter visitor. Oct 8 1895, Oct 6 1899, Dec ceedingly common summer resident… On Jul 24 1899, Jan 23 1900. 26, 1900 I witnessed a peculiar performance of 154. Mniotilta varia. Black & White Warbler. this bird. I heard a noise, sounding almost like the Fairly common summer resident. Arrival April notes of a magpie in a cornfield. To my surprise 23 1897; April 28 1898; shot one July 26, 1900. there was a bird hopping on the damp ground, On May 6 1899 observed one bathing in a small spreading its tail and swaying from side to side, spring, an interesting spectacle; at times the bird much like the Redstart does in the tree tops. I would almost disappear in the water, throwing up shot the bird, a female now in my collection. I a continuous spray with its wings and tail, both have never read anything concerning such an ac- about half opened and spread out fanlike. tion of this species. The Chat is also a fine sing- er at night; often have I listened in Ohio to the 161. Dendroica tigrina. Cape May Warbler. Chat’s vocal powers, where only the moon and Found it a common migrant in upland beech the stars gave light, where only the murmuring woods…I believe this bird is generally more brook and the lay of the [illegible] accompanied common than it is thought, but during migra- it and it led my thoughts back to those nights tions confines itself to certain places just like the when I heard the nightingale’s sweet song in the Philadelphia Vireo. bushes, or when the Treelark poured its melody 168. Dendroica castanea. Bay-breasted Warbler. over the sterile sand and wild heath of Silesia, A very common fall migrant. Mr. H. C. Ober- enjoyable to the tired hunter and the roe of the holser’s remark under this species in his “Birds forest. of Wayne Co, Ohio,” referring to Dr. Wheaton’s 188. Mimus polyglottos. Mockingbird. Very rare statement can be easily explained. Had Mr. Ober- summer resident. But once observed by myself. holser read Dr. Wheaton’s remarks thoroughly he would have noticed that this species loves the tops 194. Troglodytes hyemalis. Winter Wren. Com- of the tallest trees, while the Blackpoll Warbler mon winter resident in very cold winters. Nov.

39 Vol. 39 No. 1 11, 1894. All winter 1898-99 from Oct 27 1898 till Mar 1 1899. One shot on Oct 27 1898 in the collection of Prof. W. M. Clayton. 195. Cistothorus stellaris. Short-billed Marsh Wren. Accidental. One shot Oct 17, 1894 by Mr. Wm. Leive at South Webster, Scioto Coun- ty in a deep cut in an upland cornfield. Having been killed with a load intended for a rabbit, it was too mutilated to stuff it, but still allowed identification.

Hypothetical List Carpodacus purpureus. [Purple Finch]. I believe to have seen this species in Nov 1898, but had not a gun with me to secure specimen. Falco columbarius. [Merlin]. I believe I have seen this hawk here at Waverly, but my shot missed the bird. Grus canadensis. [Sandhill Crane]. This bird is very likely a migrant through this part of the State. Charadrius dominicus [American Golden-Plo- ver]. Probably observed in Sept 1899.

40 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015

YEARS AGO

By Craig Caldwell

10 years ago, the Fall 2005 Ohio Cardinal, Vol. 29 No. 1 (Bill Whan, Editor) contained these items: The cover photo was of Ohio’s first documented Green Violetear, at aHolmes feeder. A “hot wet Aug and Sep [were] followed by an average Oct”. The state’s first Anna’s Hummingbird and Cave Swallows were documented. Eighty-five Hudsonian Godwits and at least 20 Marbled Godwits were part of a “better show than usual” shorebird season. Hurricane Katrina apparently pushed about 150 Black Terns northward into Ohio. The six Rufous and eight unspeciated Selasphorus Hummingbirds reported might also have been aided by Katrina. No Le Conte’s Sparrows were reported, but 20 Nelson’s were.

25 years ago, the Fall 1990 Ohio Cardinal, Vol. 14 No. 1 (Ed Pierce and Tom Kemp, Co-Editors), was the first digest-size issue, and contained these items: Ohio’s first documented Black Guillemot was seen on 08 Nov but regrettably was found dead three days later. An article discussed the decline and disappearance of Bewick’s Wrens. Reports came from 48 counties. The 279 species included two Brown Pelicans, a Mississippi Kite, and two California Gulls. Several no doubt escaped exotics were also included: Egyptian Goose, Graylag Goose, Monk Parakeet, Ringed Turtle-Dove, and Eurasian Goldfinch.

35 years ago, the Fall 1980 Ohio Cardinal, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Ed Pierce, Editor) included these items: Two Common Eiders and one King Eider visited. Double-crested Cormorants staged a “very good migration” – about 100 individuals were seen. At least five and possibly as many as eight Yellow-crowned Night-Herons were seen, in Belmont, Cuyahoga, and Hocking. Sixty-seven Ospreys were reported. Ohio’s first photographic record of an Atlantic Puffin was presented; the bird was moribund when found and soon died. There were 29 reports of Little Gulls. Our third Groove-billed Ani visited. House Finch “numbers…are growing at a very fast rate”.

50 years ago, The Cleveland Bird Calendar of Summer 1965, Vol. 61, No. 3 (Aug) and Fall 1965, Vol. 61, No. 4 (Sep-Nov), (Donald Newman, Editor) included these items: On 21 Nov, Lorain harbor hosted 10,000 Bonaparte’s Gulls, 20,000 Ring-billed Gulls, and 5000 Herring Gulls. On 06 Sep, 6000 Common Terns passed Lakewood Park, Cuyahoga. On 18 Sep, an estimated 3400 Black Terns were fishing off Perkins Beach,Cuyahoga . On 03 Sep, a flock of about 400 Common Nighthawks was seen in Lake. Three flocks of Pine Grosbeaks totaled 19 individuals, and Evening Grosbeaks were reported in 14 loca- tions within 30 miles of Cleveland’s Public Square. Single Loggerhead Shrikes were seen in Cuyahoga and Lorain.

100 years ago, The Cleveland Bird Calendar did not publish a Fall 1915 issue.

41 Vol. 39 No. 1

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42 The Ohio Cardinal, Fall 2015

LAKE LUCAS FULTON ASHTABULA OTTAWA WILLIAMS GEAUGA CUYAHOGA DEFIANCE ERIE WOOD SANDUSKY LORAIN TRUMBULL HENRY PORTAGE SENECA HURON PAULDING MEDINA HANCOCK PUTNAM S U M I T MAHONING

VAN WERT WYANDOT WAYNE STARK ALLEN COLUMBIANA CRAWFORD A S H L N D HARDIN

MARION R I C H L A N D S CARROLL AUGLAIZE HOLMES A

MERCER W A

MORROW R

LOGAN A KNOX C SHELBY COSHOCTON S UNION DELAWARE U T

HARRISON J E F R S O N DARKE MIAMI CHAMPAIGN LICKING GUERNSEY BELMONT FRANKLIN CLARK

Y MUSKINGUM R E M M A D I S O N O NOBLE G MONROE PREBLE T FAIRFIELD N O GREENE PERRY M FAYETTE MORGAN PICKAWAY BUTLER HOCKING WASHINGTON CLINTON WARREN ROSS ATHENS VINTON

HAMILTON HIGHLAND PIKE MEIGS JACKSON

C L E R M O N T BROWN ADAMS SCIOTO GALLIA

LAWRENCE

The Counties of Ohio

43 This fall record late Scarlet Tanager presented a lovely profile for Jerry Talkington who recorded this image on 21 Nov at Penitentiary Glen, Lake.

Instructions for Contributors The Ohio Cardinal would not exist without contributions from Ohio birders. We solicit sightings, notes on unusual observations, in-depth scientific articles, historical accounts, book reviews, essays, artwork, and photographs related to Ohio and its birdlife. Please refer to our website (www.ohiobirds.org/publications/cardinal/aboutcardinal.php) for general guidelines on style and formatting. Reports of bird sightings for each seasion are requested and should be submitted directly, by email or postal mail to: Craig Caldwell, 1270 W. Melrose Dr., Westlake, OH 44145 [email protected] Send digital photo files or links to Laura Keene: [email protected]

Deadlines are as follows: Winter (Dec, Jan, Feb) - 21 March Spring (Mar, Apr, May) - 21 June Summer (Jun, Jul) - 21 August Fall (Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov) - 21 December

Back cover: This Whimbrel swooped in for a landing at a perfect angle for photographer Alex Eberts to record this life bird on 10 Sep at Conneaut. The Ohio Ornithological Society PO Box 2432 Westerville, OH 43086

Contents

Comments on the Season By Craig Caldwell...... 1 Species Accounts By Craig Caldwell...... 4 Contributors ...... 31 Cuyahoga Valley National Park Fall Census By Dwight Chasar and Craig Caldwell...... 33 Some Ohio Observations By W. F. Henninger...... 37 Years Ago By Craig Caldwell...... 41