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Ohio Statewide Rare Bird Report, January 29, 2009

- RBA
* Ohio
* Statewide
* January 29, 2009
* OHST0901.29

- Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species)

Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Wood Duck
White-winged Scoter
American White Pelican
Merlin
Virginia Rail
Killdeer
Thayer's Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Northern Shrike
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Pipit
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Dickcissel
White-winged Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin

- Transcript

This is the Ohio Rare Bird Report for January 29, 2009.
Compiler: John Habig. Email: ahabig@cinci.rr.com

Species in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE REVIEW LIST SPECIES. Details of these sightings are desired by the Ohio Bird Records Committee. Careful observation, not ornithological expertise, is the only qualification for submitting your data. For details and pointers see: http://www.ohiobirds.org/records/documentation.php

This week's highlight is the continuing winter finch irruption headlined by the White-winged Crossbills which began in earnest in November 2008.

Greater White-fronted Geese: Alicia Elmer reported that seven were at the Norwalk Reservoir on the 24th. Rick Asamoto found ten at the Hess Rd Borrow Pit on the south side of Rte 32 and west of Bodman Rd in Brown County on the 24th. Bill Doss found one there on the 26th. Rick Asamoto found 14 at a frozen pond in Mt. Orab in near Rtes 32 and 68 on the 24th.

Snow Goose: 34 were at Melvin Quarry off of Rte 22 near Wilmington on the 23rd. Rick Asamoto found four at the Hess Rd Borrow Pit on the 24th. Bill Doss had five there on the 26th. Rick Asamoto found four at a frozen pond in Mt. Orab near Rtes 32 and 68 on the 24th. Heather Raymond located ten at Melvin Quarry on the 28th.

Ross's Goose: Ben Warner found one at the Melvin Quarry near Wilmington on the 23rd.

Cackling Goose: Six were seen by Rick Asamoto on a frozen pond in Mt Orab near the intersection of Rtes 32 and 68 on the 24th. John Pogacnik observed one flying north just east of the intersection of Rte 20 and Antioch Rd in Lake County on the 25th. Bill Doss had three at the Hess Rd Borrow Pit on the 26th.

Wood Duck: Bob Foppe and Bill Doss found three at a pond on Old SR 73 in Clermont County on the 23rd. Paul Gesauldo saw three in the river from Bath Rd on the 24th. Bob Royse reported two were still on the Scioto River in Columbus on the 28th between 5th Ave and the Rivers Edge complex where the bike path ends, but on the W side of the river. To get there park in a lot on Lake Shore Drive and walk down to the riverbed and walk south along the river.

White-winged Scoter: Gabe Leidy reported that one was at Eastlake power plant on the 24th. Frank Frick found an adult female at East Fork SP on the 26th.

American White Pelican: Two continued at Grand Lake-St. Marys through the 23rd.

Merlin: Gary Cowell saw one on the 23rd along the Richland County B&O north from Home Rd one-half mile. Gabe Leidy reported one was at Station Rd in the Cuyahoga Valley NP on the 23rd. One was reported at the south end of the Norwalk Reservoir on the 24th. Cindy Beckman reported one was on Centerville Rd about 1.5 miles west of Rte 42 on the 24th. Steve Jones took photos of one at Greenlawn Cemetery on the 24th. Bob Conlon found one perched on a Sycamore Tree at Greenlawn Cemetery on the 26th. Heather Raymond reported one was in a tree at the Deer Creek SP beach on the 28th. Eddie Ehrman reported one at the back of the Spring Grove Cemetery on the 29th. Kani Fenstermaker found one at North Lawn Cemetery between Canton and North Canton on the 29th.

Virginia Rail: Jay Lehman located the Spring Valley rail along the path leading to the boardwalk on the 24th.

Killdeer: Rita Schneider located one on the east side of Charles Mill Lake off Rte 603 in Ashland County on the 24th.

Thayer's Gull: John Pogacnik reported one first-cycle at E. 72nd St on the 24th.

Iceland Gull: Gabe Leidy reported that three first-cycles were at Eastlake power plant on the 24th. Chris Knoll reported one adult was also at Eastlake power plant on the 24th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull: Paula Lozano reported a third-cycle bird at E. 72nd St on the 24th.

Glaucous Gull: Scott Van Valkenburg reported one was at E. 72nd St on the 24th.

Northern Saw-whet Owl: John Pogacnik reported one was calling consistently at 10:30 AM on private property in Perry Township, Lake County, on the 27th.

Northern Shrike: A shrike, most likely a Northern, was found at the corner of Rte 146 and Zion Ridge Rd at the Wilds on the 23rd. John Pogacnik reported one on private property in Perry Township, Lake County, on the 27th.

Red-breasted Nuthatch: One was at Oak Hill in the Cuyahoga Valley NP on the 24th. Steve Jones reports that one continued at Greenlawn Cemetery on the 24th and Dave Slager refound it at the feeders on the 27th. Kirk Westendorf saw one at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati on the 24th. Scott Albaugh had two in his Rayland, Jefferson County, yard on the 25th.

Winter Wren: Paul McSweeny found one on the boardwalk at Dublin Kiwanis Park along the Scioto River on the 23rd.

Gray Catbird: Don Plant reported one was behind the joint vocational school near Ashland on the 24th. Mike Sandy had two calling to each other under the Brookpark Bridge on Valley Parkway on the 25th.

Northern Mockingbird: One was present at a small pond on Tealtown Rd south of the Cincinnati Nature Center on the 24th. Craig Fritz saw one at the corner of E 49th and Lakeside Ave in downtown Cleveland on the 26th. Jill Bowers had one visit her yard in western Auglaize County on the 28th.

American Pipit: Bob Foppe saw 23 at Camp Dennison on the 25th.

Pine Warbler: A pair was present at the Windy Hills AEP building on the 23rd. The Bobolink Hotline (330-763-5119) reported one was still visiting 54920 TR 82 in Baltic.

Chipping Sparrow: Scott Albaugh reported three were at Richmond Union Cemetery just west of Wintersville in Jefferson County on the 24th. Mark Gilsdorf reported one at the old Newtown Golf Course in Cincinnati on the 25th.

Lark Sparrow: Accidental in winter with only a handful of winter records Tom Bartlett reported that one originally found by Josh Muchow on January 14, 2009 in Bucyrus was still present on the 26th.

Savannah Sparrow: Charlie Bombaci found one at Big Island WA on the 24th. Rick Asamoto found two in Mt Orab at a pond just west of Rte 68 and south of Rte 32 on the 24th. Dave Slager reported one was at the Greenlawn feeders on the 27th.

Fox Sparrow: One was at Woodlawn cemetery in Toledo on the 24th. Christine Hawley had one at her feeder in Butler Township just north of Dayton on the 28th.

Lapland Longspur: Kirk Westendorf located three at Miami Whitewater Wetlands on the 25th. Jonathon Fridge reported about 20 were at Lunken Airport near a faded red hangar in Cincinnati on the 27th.

Snow Bunting: Charlie Bombaci reported a few were found at Killdeer Plains WA on the 24th. Charlie also found a flock at Big Island WA that same day. Tim Taylor mentioned some were along Darby Creek Drive. Jo Ann Kubicki saw a flock of 10-15 at the City View Shopping Center in Garfield Heights on the 24th. Andrew Morrison reported two flocks northeast of Middlefield and northwest of Mesopotamia on the 26th. Jonathon Fridge reported about 50 were at Lunken Airport near a faded red hangar in Cincinnati on the 27th. Dave Hess reported one female was at his feeder just south of Chillicothe on the 28th. Heather Raymond reported some were on Rte 22 between the Melvin Quarry and Deer Creek SP on the 28th. Approximately 15 were on a barn roof near Wellington on the 29th.

Dickcissel: The Blendon Woods bird was still present as of the 23rd.

White-winged Crossbill: Jim Glover reported one was at Greenlawn Cemetery on the 23rd. Bob Conlon found about 25 there on the 26th in Section P. Dave Slager reported 100 were at the cemetery on the 27th. Rick Counts reported five were at Oak Hill Cemetery near Upper Sandusky on the 23rd. On the 24th he found up to 30 there and ten on the 26th. Ryan Steiner reported approximately 200 were at Mohican SP, mainly at the Gorge Overlook, on the 23rd. Inga Schmidt reported that after weeks of checking Evergreen Hill Cemetery for crossbills she found two on the 23rd. This cemetery is on Franklin Rd just outside Chagrin Falls. Two were at Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent on the 23rd. Jen Brumfield reported the flock of up to 20 was still frequenting Rose Hill Burial Park on the 23rd. Laura Keene reported the flock was still present on the 27th. Seiberling NatureRealm hosted up to 30 on the 23rd. Terri Norris reported ten were at Oak Dale Cemetery in Urbana on the 23rd. Nick Boutis found two at Oak Dale Cemetery on the 24th. Jill Bowers found 30 there on the 27th. Gabe Leidy reported 22 were at Cuyahoga Valley NP on the 23rd. Scott Van Valkenburg reported ten were at the Lakeview Cemetery near the Garfield Monument on the 24th. Twenty were found there later that day. Jim Heflich located up to 20 at this cemetery on the 26th. Jim said he had seen them there for three consecutive days. Some were seen at Woodland Cemetery in Dayton on the 24th. Seven were at Woodlawn Cemetery near the Norwalk Reservoir on the 24th. Forty were at Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo on the 24th. Greg Links reported up to 15 were at the Ottawa Park Golf Course on the 24th. Reports also came in from Swan Creek Cemetery on the 24th. Scott Albaugh found 54 at the Richmond Union Cemetery just west of Wintersville in Jefferson County on the 24th. Jim Nolan reported ten were at the East Palestine Cemetery in Columbiana County on the 26th. Greg Bennett reported eight were at St. Michael's Cemetery near the junction of Randolph and Sunnybrook Rds on the 26th. Terry and Barb Sponseller located 16 at North Lawn Cemetery on the 26th. This cemetery is located at 4927 Cleveland Ave NW between Canton and North Canton. Kani Fenstermaker found two there on the 29th. Gabe Leidy reported 20 were at Holden Arboretum on the 24th. Marilyn Rohr reported they were still present on the 26th. Rick Counts located 18 at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery on Rte 103 between Sycamore and Rte 53N in Upper Sandusky on the 27th. Eddie Ehrman found 20-30 at Spring Grove Cemetery on the 29th. Gary Cowell saw one on the 23rd along the Richland County B&O north from Home Rd one-half mile. Sherry Plessner reported six were in front of the Manor House at Wildwood on the 24th. Nancy Howell reported 20-25 were near the Berea High School on the 25th. John Pogacnik had a group of 26 visit his yard in Perry on the 25th. Rick counts found ten at a private residence on 7th St in Upper Sandusky on the 27th. Gerry Brevoort reported a flock of 40-50 in the 200 block of Northridge Blvd in Clintonville on the 27th. Jim Heflich reported 12 were just outside his office window in South Euclid on the 27th. Jim Mollenkopf reported two adults and several juveniles were at his home near Bancroft St and Reynolds Rd in Toledo on the 27th. A dozen were in Sylvania on the 27th. Ethan Kistler reported six flew over his house in Newton Falls on the 28th. Bob Hinkle reported that 10-15 were at Garfield Park Nature Center on the 28th. Su Snyder found 38 in her Wayne County neighborhood near the College of Wooster on the 29th.

Common Redpoll: Rick Counts reports that one was at Oak Hill Cemetery on the 24th. Good numbers were reported at Woodlawn cemetery in Toledo on the 24th. Scott Albaugh reported three were at Richmond Union Cemetery on the 24th. Nancy Howell reported one was at her feeder in Middleburg Heights on the 25th. Terry and Barb Sponseller had a single bird at their feeders for three days in a row as of the 26th. Michele Skolmutch had one at the feeder in Holmes County on the 26th. Bob Conlon found one at the feeders in Greenlawn Cemetery on the 26th. John Price and Heather Raymond found one at the Greenlawn Cemetery feeders on the 28th. Jim Dolan had one at his East Palestine feeder on the 29th.

Pine Siskin: Ten were present at Seiberling NatureRealm on the 24th. One was at Oak Dale Cemetery on the 24th. Liz Clingman had 30 coming to her Brook Park feeder on the 24th. Seven were seen at the Cincinnati Nature Center feeders on the 24th. Good numbers were reported at Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo on the 24th. Bob Krajeski had 15 at his feeder in Ashtabula County on the 24th. A west Toledo resident had ten at their feeder on the 25th. Scott Albaugh reported two were at a friend's feeder near Pipe Creek in Belmont County on the 25th. Marilyn Rohr reported 30-plus were visiting her feeder in Chardon on the 26th. Pete Whan had 15-20 at his feeder in Adams County on the 27th. Jim Heflich had a few at his South Euclid home on the 27th. Eight were at Chris McAnlis' feeder in Guilford Township, Medina County, on the 28th. Lisa Brohl reported two were at her feeder on South Bass Island on the 29th.

- End Transcript

John Habig
Carlisle, OH

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