Fall is in the air

  • By Bruce Glick
  • September 7, 2011
  • 251
                        
Columnist Bruce Glick writes about the birds, especially those found locally here in our part of Ohio. See the Gone Birding column for the latest update. Although we are sure to have alternating warm and cool spells for awhile, my biking and birding morning on September 7 was on the chilly side. Actually it felt a lot like the weather we experienced in Alaska this summer. During the last week I’ve biked the Kokosing Gap Trail, the Butler to Mansfield route, and the Holmes County Trail. The birds are not singing much, as is to be expected this time of year. One Rose-breasted Grosbeak sang a weak song and a Baltimore Oriole called just enough for me to notice him as I rode by. Most orioles are long gone by now. The vireos are still making themselves known. At least five each of Warbling, White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireos were still singing along the Millersburg to Killbuck section last week. I’ve also heard Yellow-throated Vireos at home and on two of the biking routes. Eastern Wood Pewees have still been vocalizing, along with several Acadian Flycatchers. Probably my best find recently was a Black-crowned Night-Heron, seen flying south over the Holmes County Trail south of Millersburg. On September 6 a migrant Great Egret made a few passes and then settled into the wetlands behind the Save and Serve Thrift Shop, also on the south side of Millersburg. At Clear Fork Reservoir on September 7 there were at least 20 Double-crested Cormorants, while Pleasant Hill Lake hosted similar numbers on the same day. However, there were over 800 Ring-billed Gulls at Pleasant Hill and fewer than 100 at Clear Fork. I saw no ducks at either location. Stopping at Mohican State Park on the way home added a few species but in general it was very quiet. A small mixed flock near the gorge overlook included a Hooded Warbler, one migrant Swainson’s Thrush, a number of woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches. At home we still have Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, as feisty as always. I don’t expect them to stay more than another week or two. Hopefully we will see at least one or more of the western hummers in our area during the coming months. Keep those hummingbird feeders out and let me know if something interesting shows up. Across Ohio there have been many reports of migrating Common Nighthawks. Locally there have been counts of over 500 near Walnut Creek and good numbers near New Bedford. In other news, the Common Raven that wintered in northeastern Knox County was again observed last week. Shorebirds included two Red-necked Phalaropes near New Philadelphia and 13 species at Wilderness Road. A Blue Grosbeak with young was discovered at Perry Yoder’s farm southeast of Fredericksburg. These beautiful birds seem to be increasing in our area. Good birding! Bruce Glick birderbruce@yahoo.com 330-317-7798


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