May is here, which means it is the most exciting time of year for most birders. You can go out on any day and find newly arriving birds. Many of them are back for the nesting season here in Ohio, while others are not done with the journey northward but may stop and rest and re-fuel in our area.
There have been a number of rare birds reported around the state in the last week or so. A Pacific Loon was seen briefly in southwestern Ohio, while a Purple Gallinule entertained a lot of observers in Lorain County. It was still being seen at the time of this writing on May 4. One of the strangest-looking shorebirds, an adult male Ruff was seen for at least a week at Big Island Wildlife Area northwest of Columbus. Ruffs can have a variety of bright plumages and stand out among the rather plain-looking shorebirds that we expect to see each spring.
While some birders have been traveling to look for rarities, most of us have been getting out in the woods locally to see what we can find. Lots of interesting new arrivals have already been reported, such as a Golden-winged Warbler and a singing Dickcissel. Among the other arrivals are lots of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, four species of vireos, and a variety of warblers. As would be expected, the earlier warblers include Palm and Nashville, plus most of the expecting nesting warblers.
At our place, the first hummingbird showed up at the feeders on May 1, along with Great Crested Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler and Swainsons Thrush. The next day, I biked along the trail from Millersburg to Fredericksburg and encountered Indigo Buntings, Yellow-breasted Chats, Eastern Kingbirds, and at least 30 or more Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats. It was good to also hear two Cerulean Warblers, one Northern Parula and several Yellow-throated Warblers. In a wet field north of Millersburg were the first Least Sandpipers, several Solitary Sandpipers and Lesser Yellowlegs.
A pair of Sandhill Cranes are residing in the marsh south of Holmesville and two very small young cranes were seen with the adults on May 1.
Other birds reported recently included Black-billed Cuckoos from the Trail area and also from the bike trail north of Millersburg. Whip-poor-wills are already singing on territory in Coshocton County while some have also been reported from other locations.
Plans are well underway for the third annual Bobolink Area Big Day, which will take place on Saturday, May 15. Teams of birders will spend the day combing the area for as many species of birds as possible. Teams can choose to use motorized transportation, or can also compete in the bicycle division. Everybody will then get together on Monday, May 17, to compare lists and stories.
Groups of hawk-watchers made the trip to Conneaut in north-eastern Ohio on April 29 and 30. They found more than 800 Broad-winged Hawks over the two days. Perhaps more significant was the total of more than 500 Sharp-shinned Hawks. Falcons were well represented with seven Peregrine Falcons and a number of Merlins.
If you want to see and hear lots of birds, this is the time to do it, so get out and enjoy the peak migration days before the migrant birds are gone and we settle into the nesting season. Good birding.
