Recent Actions of the Ohio Bird Records Committee

March 2010—April 2011

Between March 2010 and April 2011, we resolved 46 records, including 42 accepted records of 26 species; 4 additional records were not accepted. No new species were added to the Ohio list this year.

The documentation details of several records contain the notation (internet). That notation indicates that we did not receive documentation directly, but that we were able to find sufficient information on the internet to provide reliable substantiation of those records. A simple report that a bird has been seen—even by many people—isn't enough. The records reviewed here included details of appearance, or photographs, sufficient to rule out all other species.

Many other sightings reported on the internet, which otherwise would constitute important records, are not reported here, because we could not track down enough information to confirm them. When you see a very rare bird, please consider submitting documentation to the committee. Instructions on how to do that, and a documentation form, are available on the OOS website. But that form is optional—a simple copy of field notes is often good enough.

I would like to thank Rob Harlan and Craig Caldwell for their service the past three years, and also to welcome our new committee members, Mike Busam, Gabe Leidy, Ed Pierce and Bill Whan.

42 Records Accepted:

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Erie County; 13 August 2010, documentation by Larry D. Richardson, Terry Talkington, and Craig Caldwell; 14 August 2010, documentation (internet) by John Pogacnik; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Allen County; 26 October 2010, documentation by Linda Houshower; 27 October 2010, documentation by Paul Gardner and Bill Whan; 24 November 2010, documentation by Dave Slager; present from about 10 October 2010 through 6 December 2010; vote 7-0.

Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica): one individual, Lorain County; 23 February 2011, documentation by Jen Brumfield and Dan Gesualdo; vote 7-0.

Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Warren County; 2 May 2010, documentation by Rick Asamoto; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Warren County; 31 October 2010, documentation by Rick Asamoto; 7 November 2010, documentation by Dave Slager; continued through 9 November; vote 7-0.

White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Ottawa County; 28 April 2008, documentation by Dave Slager; vote 7-0. We did not consider whether this is the same bird previously accepted from Ottawa N.W.R. on 10 May 2008 (see Ohio Cardinal vol. 31 no.4 page 51); we are not aware of any intervening reports.

b) one individual, Marion County; 7 May 2010, documentation by Gary Smidutz; continued through 14 May; vote 7-0.

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Franklin County; 16 June to 17 June 2009, documentation by Bernard Master (internet); vote 7-0.

b) four individuals (two adults and two juveniles), Hocking County; 19 August 2010, documentation (internet) by Jim McCormac; 21 August 2010, documentation by Craig Caldwell; vote 7-0. Accepted as nesting record.

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica): four records accepted:

a) one individual, Lorain County; 2 May 2010, documentation by Linda Paull (present through 16 May); vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Ottawa County; 5 May 2010, documentation (internet) by Kim Kaufman; vote 7-0. This was an injured bird which was subsequently released.

c) one individual, Greene County; 9 May 2010, documentation by Stanley Lessig; vote 7-0.

d) eight individuals (two adults and six juveniles), Richland County; 7 May 2010 through 15 July 2010, documentation by Su Snyder and Dave Slager; vote 7-0. Accepted as nesting record.

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Hamilton County; 3 May through 5 May 2010, documentation by Gary Stegner; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Ottawa County; 25 May 2010, documentation by Dan Sanders and Su Snyder; vote 7-0.

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax): one individual, Marion County; 25 April 2010, documentation (internet) by Laura Keene; continued through 1 May 2010; vote 7-0.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus): one individual, Lorain County; 27 November through 4 December 2010; documentation (internet) by Jen Brumfield and John Pogacnik; vote 7-0.

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea): one individual, Lucas County; 11 August 2010, documentation by Kenn Kaufman (internet); vote 7-0.

Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Wood County; 29 March 2010, documentation by Tom Kemp; vote 7-0.

b) two individuals (adults on nest), Logan County; 23 May 2010, documentation by Troy Shively; vote 7-0. Accepted as nesting record.

c) three individuals, Mercer County; 20 November 2010, documentation by Dave Slager; vote 7-0.

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica): three records accepted:

a) one individual, Hamilton County; 1 June through 3 June 2010, documentation by Virginia Russell; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Franklin County; 12 June 2010, documentation by Dave Slager; vote 7-0.

c) one individual, Hancock County; 17 June 2010, documentation by Erin Cashion; vote 7-0.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus): one individual, Hamilton County; 17 May through 20 May 2010, documentation by Virginia Wilson; vote 7-0.

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus): one individual, Ottawa County; 18 May 2008, documentation by Dave Slager; vote 7-0.

Common Raven (Corvus corax): two records accepted:

a) one individual, Hocking County; 6 January 2011, documentation by Jen Sauter; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Knox County; 13 February 2011, documentation (internet) by Jen Brumfield; 16 February 2011, documentation by Craig Caldwell; 6 March 2011, documentation by Tom Bartlett; vote 7-0. This bird has apparently been present since October 2010, and continued to be reported (but not documented) through this writing (7 April 2011).

Purple Martin (Progne subis): one individual, Wayne County; 17 December 2009 through 10 January 2010, documentation by Ben Morrison; vote 7-0. This record was reviewed because it was an extraordinary winter record for this species.

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva): three records accepted:

a) three individuals, Lorain County; 30 October 2010, documentation by Gabe Leidy (internet); one continued through 2 November 2010; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Holmes County; 31 October 2010, documentation by James E. Yoder; vote 7-0.

c) two individuals, Ottawa County; 25 November 2010, documentation (internet) by John Pogacnik; vote 6-1.

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius): two records:

a) one individual, Wyandot County; 13 January to 14 January 2010, documentation by Robert and Judy Gucker, Tom Bartlet; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Cuyahoga County; 27 February 2010, documentation by Martin Raffay; vote 7-0.

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus): one individual, Erie County; 19 December through 20 December 2010, documentation by H. Thomas Bartlett; vote 7-0.

Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus): thirteen individuals, Wyandot County; 26 April 2010, documentation by Jen Brumfield; two continued through 28 April; vote 7-0.

Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii): four records accepted:

a) one individual, Lucas County; 21 May 2009, documentation by Ben Morrison; vote 7-0.

b) one individual, Lucas County; 19 September 2010, documentation by Rick Nirschl; vote 7-0.

c) one individual, Lucas County; 14 May 2010, documentation (internet) by Christopher Taylor; vote 7-0.

d) one individual, Lucas County, 21 May 2010, documentation (internet) by George Sydlowski, Sherrie Duris and Rick Nirschl; vote 7-0. Photos established that this was a different individual than the 14 May bird.

Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus): one individual, Holmes County; 24 February 2010 through 8 March 2010, documentation by Su Snyder; vote 7-0.

Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula): one individual, Wayne County; 22 December through 28 December 2010, documentation by Andy R. Troyer, 23 December documentation by Bruce Glick and H. Thomas Bartlett, 27 December documentation by Dave Slager; continued to be reported (but not documented) through this writing (7 April 2011); vote 7-0.



4 Records Not Accepted:

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis): one individual, Hamilton County; 30 June 2009; vote 1-6. The photos provided showed little more than a silhouette, and did not exclude a falcon.

Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto): one individual, Marion County; 19 November 2010; vote 3-4. The observer's view of the bird did not exclude the less likely, but still possible, European Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia turtur).

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus): one individual, Hocking County; 24 March 2010; vote 3-4. This record was reviewed because it would have constituted an extraordinarily early record for this species. The details submitted were inconclusive.

Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula): one individual, Hamilton County; 28 December 2008; vote 3-4. While it is likely that this bird was in fact a Harris's Sparrow, the documentation which we reviewed was not detailed enough to be certain.



Respectfully submitted,
Edward O. Keller
Secretary, Ohio Bird Records Committee
1912 Devils Backbone Road
Cincinnati, OH 45233
nedkeller49@gmail.com