Queen City Birders Club Birding Blitz Weekend

Tweet Last Saturday, I attended the Ohio Young Birders Club/Queen City Birders Club Birding Blitz Weekend/campout held at Hueston Woods State Park. It was nice to see young people out enjoying and learning about nature instead of inside playing video games. I decided against camping, since I am currently tentless -probably glad I did.

After breakfast, I headed on over to the bird banding station run by the Avian Research and Education Institute. It was a little cool early, but they had some good birds. Here are a few of the birds from the morning.

Mourning Warbler (HY female)

Blue-headed Vireo


Philadelphia Vireo

Event attendants got a behind the scenes tour of the education birds at the Hueston Woods Raptor Center by the park naturalist. The kids got to watch as the naturalist fed the Golden and Bald Eagles as well as the resident bobcat and cougar.

Red-shouldered Hawk

Eastern Screech-Owl

Dr. Dave Russell gave a very informative talk on sparrow ID in preparation for Sunday morning's trip to Miami Whitewater Wetlands for sparrow banding. (I did not go to the sparrow banding, too much traveling for this eastsider who was already an hour and a half away from home!)

More important than anything else, including the ticking off of life birds for us older birders, is that we take the time to plant the seeds of appreciation & discovery of the natural world in children.

Dr. Jill Russell instructing young birders on how to use field marks to differentiate Great Egrets from Great Blue Herons.

Dr. Herman Mays Jr., Curator of Zoology at the Cincinnati Museum Center, gave a talk on what it is like and what it takes education wise to become a professional ornithologist. He presented pics of the many birds he has seen while traveling the world working as an ornithologist. Hopefully, this will inspire the youngins to be interested in science as a career and get as much education as possible.

Dr. Mays and volunteers from the Cincinnati Museum Center came with some dead birds to show how one goes about preparing a study skin specimen for museum collections.

Dr. Herman Mays Jr. showing kids how to skin birds. (bird here is a Rose-breasted Grosbeak)

Before taking off, I decided to go back to the campground for the owl walk given by Susan from Raptor, Inc. She was able to call in a gray morph screech-owl that called back and flew over everyone's head, landing in a nearby tree. Everyone got an up close look at the bird.

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Midwest Birding Symposium

Tweet Finally made it up to Lakeside. Checked in and got the key for my cabin. When I registered, I was told that everything was full, so I had to settle for a rustic cabin. Here is the rustic cabin that I'm staying in


Not too bad with a sleeping bag. I enjoy not having the temptation of watching TV!


Birders were chumming for birds using popcorn. Didn't draw much other than Ring-billed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls. A few Canada Geese flew over as well. One birder advised that the popcorn was blowing into the windows of the lower deck of the boat. Saw some Caspian Terns earlier, but none while on the cruise.



Cruising by island, note the dead trees from all of the Double-crested Cormorant whitewash.



Beautiful sunset as we were heading back to the Lakeside dock.



Meeting lots of new birders, internet bird friends, and ones I haven't seen in a long time! Tweet

Early American Pipit

Tweet I decided to stop by East Fork State Park Wednesday morning before going to the store to get everything I need for the upcoming Midwest Birding Symposium. Since there was only one fisherman on the beach, I thought I might have a chance of seeing some shorebirds. There wasn't much going on bird wise, despite the lack of people and dogs. I did manage to see one Pectoral Sandpiper looking for bugs in the grass with the Killdeer - it even puffed up and threatened the Killdeer - pretty cool. There was also an Osprey flying around.

Went to the other side of the beach by the fisherman, I wasn't expecting to see anything. From a considerable distance, a small bird briefly caught my eye in the grass. I was hoping it was another wondering Northern Wheatear, but I know that would be unlikely. I went over to investigate and found this American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) (dang, but still good bird) chasing bugs in the grass with a Killdeer.



If everything goes right with my laptop, my next post should be from the south shore of Lake Erie from the Midwest Birding Symposium. Tweet

International Vulture Awareness Day 2009

Tweet Today, September 5th, is International Vulture Awareness Day. Vultures (sometimes wrongfully called Buzzards, which is a term for Old World hawks - Buteos) play a vital role in our ecosystems by cleaning up dead carcasses. Many people wrongfully fear vultures, which is unwarranted. Below are some facts about vultures that make them cool - at least to me anyway!

Did you know that a group of vultures is called a wake?

A "wake" of Black and Turkey Vultures.

Black Vulture Coragyps atratus

Turkey Vultures are one of very few birds that can actually smell, which allows them to locate carrion by scent. Black Vultures (which cannot smell) take advantage of the TV's ability to find carcasses by scent and often repay the TVs by bullying them while feeding.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Photo: USFWS

According to DNA studies, New World Vultures, (Black and Turkey Vultures around here) are more related to storks than raptors. Many people find this hard to envision, but when I picture storks like the Wood Stork and Jabiru , the similarities are very apparent to me. This is called convergent evolution.

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Photo: USFS

Did you know that the pH of a vulture's stomach acid is 0 (pH of water is 7)? This makes it very corrosive and allows them to eat rotting flesh that contains bacteria/toxins such as anthrax and botulinum, which would kill just about any other animal. This also allows them to use it as a weapon, for when they feel threatened, they can projectile vomit at their harasser.

I think vultures are cool! Tweet

Hot, but not-so-hot birding

Tweet Despite the forecast, I just had to get outdoors Sunday. So I decided to go hit a couple of spots down on the Ohio River. With the heat, I wasn't expecting much bird wise. The morning started out way too hot and humid - I was already sweating profusely by 9AM.

I checked out Crooked Run Nature Preserve in Clermont Co., Ohio first. It was very dead bird and bug wise, with the best bird being a young Broad-winged Hawk being mobbed by a family of Eastern Kingbirds.

Here is my attempt to photograph a Slender Spreadwing at Crooked Run:

Slender Spreadwing

I then decided to head to my cousin's farm in southern Brown Co. Ohio, but on the way I had found a good sized patch of Swamp Rose Mallow and Swamp Milkweed in a little river inlet. I decided to stop and look around. It was just too marshy to go into. I did see a Giant Swallowtail butterfly winging it high above me, so I decided to look around some more. I could hear a Yellow-breasted Chat and White-eyed Vireo calling on the other side of the inlet, but could never find them. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was flitting around with some Silver-spotted Skippers on teasel . Other than that, it was just hot and humid. While walking back to the car, I noticed two Great Egrets flying upriver along the far Kentucky shore. When I got back to the car, this bright orangish-yellow wildflower caught my eye. It was growing on the sandy bank (atop a cliff) of the Ohio River.

Most likely Wormseed Wallflower Erysimum cheiranthoides?
Growing in Clermont Co. not too far from the Brown Co. line. 2' high.

For some reason, I tend to have a hard time remembering the names of plants that I have seen before. I usually just think "I know that I know this plant, just can't remember the name" and go on. I couldn't remember having seen this plant before. I could tell it was in the mustard family by looking at its flowers and seed pods, but that's about it. I can't find it in any of my wildflower books and the internet search results are confusing (some kind of wallflower). Is this likely a non-native/garden escape? Comments welcome.

Update: Flower is most likely European Wormseed Wallflower. Thanks goes to Jim McCormac for his botanical expertise.

Butterflies appeared to be more abundant recently with the heat. I guess the cool, damp start to the summer had everything on hold. I finally heard katydids for the first time in a while, it was eerily quiet without them.

Little Wood Satyr

Female Common Whitetail

Had to get back to the A/C!!!

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Fledgling Cedar Waxwings

Tweet My niece and nephews alerted me to a baby bird in the middle of the the gravel drive beside my house today. When I went over to investigate, one fledgling flew up into the trees, but I couldn't tell what it was. They said that there was another bird still in the middle of the drive, so I looked closer and found this:

A baby cedar waxwing!

This is the first time I have ever seen a fledgling cedar waxwing. Since people fly up and down this drive, I decided to try to coax it back into the trees. I knew it wasn't abandoned because I could hear an adult waxwing giving its "high zeet" alarm call.

This one took a little more coaxing to fly than its sibling, so I picked it up and it flew out of my hand and into the trees. An adult bird was still alarming me, a good sign. Since almost all birds can't smell, there is no need to worry about the parents smelling me - it is an old wives' tale.

A good ending and a definitely confirmed OBBA II entry! (although I already had them confirmed with nest building.) Tweet

I think I am becoming addicted to oding...

Tweet Looking for something to hold me by until fall migration, I have recently taken up the hobby of oding. What is oding you ask? It is the term for the hobby of observing dragonflies and damselflies. Oding comes from the Latin name for the order in which dragonflies and damselflies belong, Odonata. Last Wednesday, while in the area, I decided to stop by Miami Meadows Park to look for odes. The place was hopping!

The Calico Pennants were awesome! A lifer

Some damselflies were so small, I could hardly see them. Below is my attempt to photograph a Citrine Forktail. You can't tell it here, but it was cool looking.

Citrine Forktail, a lifer.




Skimming Bluet

Eastern Forktail

Fragile Forktail, lifer


Species list for the day (what I could ID):

Calico Pennant
Black Saddlebags
Common Whitetail
Eastern Amberwing
Blue Dasher
12 Spotted Skimmer
Widow Skimmer
Eastern Pondhawk
Common Green Darner
Familiar Bluet
Skimming Bluet
Citrine Forktail
Eastern Forktail
Fragile Forktail

I don't take a guide in the field with me, as I find the best way to learn to ID Odonata is to just start by taking photos of everything that you can't identify with a quick glimpse. I then go to the guides and Internet once I have uploaded them. At first, I thought it was nearly impossible for me to ID odes, however I find it is easier then iding many birds. Just like birds, immatures and females present more problems. But unlike birds, odes fly around attached to each other while mating, giving an opportunity to ID females by association.

I find that the one dragonfly guide I have (doesn't cover damsels) is a little difficult to start out with, because it covers all of North America. The first guide I go to is actually on the net and put out in print by ODNR Division of Wildlife - Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ohio.

Another awesome site that I use is William Hull's (who I credit with getting me hooked on oding! ;-) site Mangoverde. This site also has a world bird guide as well as odes and butterflies.

My favorite ode is the Ebony Jewelwing, pictured below -

Taken at 8 Mile Creek in Hamilton Co., behind my sister's house.

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2009 Queen City Bird Festival

Tweet Volunteered for the Queen City Bird Festival held at Hueston Woods State Park last Saturday. It was a nice change of pace for me. I enjoyed talking to children and adults about birds, much more enjoying than dealing with threats of violence from coworkers at work.

I was at the bird feet table, which teaches children about how a birds' feet are adapted to their way of life. I was able to demonstrate with real specimens. I had a good time, the children were learning - always good. It seemed to me that we had a good turnout, but there could always have been more people!

I decided to stay at the lodge, since I planed on attending both days. There were vultures sitting on the balcony just outside the door and all over the building.

Black Vulture sitting on the balcony outside the room.

I want to thank Dr.s Jill and Dave Russell and all those involved with the QCBF for taking the lead in educating people, especially youth in the tri-state about birds. Their work with the Avian Research & Education Institute and with the Queen City Birders Club is to be commended.

Sunday, I paid a visit to the banding station at Hueston Woods State Park. Some good birds were caught, including a RT hummingbird. Some pics are below.

Canada Warbler

Bander Dave Russell with a Northern Waterthrush


Young male Indigo Bunting


Triall's Flycatcher (can't be ID in hand, song must be heard to ID)


A protesting Barn Swallow (Dave's first time banding this species)


Children always love seeing the the birds like this male Baltimore Oriole up close. Hopefully he will grow up to pursue a career in science or at least gain respect for our earth.


Hummingbird bander Tim Tolford with a male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.


This is how small a hummingbird band is!

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New Tree Species for Ohio Found Locally

Tweet ODNR Celebrates Discovery of Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) Tree in Ohio

I haven't seen this anywhere else, thought this was interesting. I have probably walked right past one before and not even known it, I used to spend a lot of time in the area when I was a child.

I used to be fairly up to speed and good at IDing local flora, but my "job numbness" has dried my botanical knowledge up almost completely. There are probably other species of plants along the river that are yet to be known to occur in Ohio, as the habitat is so diverse and varied.



New Tree Found Growing In Clermont County Tweet

'09 Birdathon & A Swainson's Warbler Quest

Tweet David Brinkman and I participated as a team in the '09 Birdathon last weekend. The Birdathon goes from 5pm Friday to 5pm Saturday, and just like clockwork, it started to rain right at 5 on Friday. We had a Ruffed Grouse drumming and a turkey gobbling before the start and then the rain came (we later got turkey, but no grouse). I got soaked as we continued to hike in the pouring rain and lightning. Dave jumped a Chuck-wills-widow up in the rain at Lynx Prairie in Adams Co. I did not see it. It rained all evening. The only owl we got was a nest rule Barn Owl (the hardest owl to get).

We tried to get a hotel, but they were all full for the East Fork Regatta. Camping in the mud and rain - no good (plus cost too much). We ended up sleeping in the car at the Miami Whitewater Wetlands parking lot. Our team total was 115 species, the winning team was in the 140's. I am way too much out of practice with my sounds and birding in general.



A Swainson's Warbler quest
On Tuesday, May 15th, David Brinkman and I went down to try for a Swainson's Warbler at the Red River Gorge in Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. Swainson's Warbler would be a life bird for the both of us. Dave had old records of locations where they had been found in 1988.

As soon as we turned on the road that was marked on the old map as a potential SWWA spot, Dave heard one singing. We parked the car and walked down the road a bit to the spot the bird was singing from. We looked and looked, but I only caught a glimpse of the bird, Dave did not see it.

I decided to briefly play an audio lure to get a glimpse of the bird. Shortly after it started playing, the bird jumped up to exposed perches and started singing. It was very fast and agitated, flying around in circles around us. I got good looks, but all were brief - this bird wouldn't stop moving for nothing. I almost got a pic, but my camera was giving me all kinds of hell (it does weird things often). Even with a good camera, it would have been hard to get a shot in the dark woods. It almost seemed too easy for a life bird. It was the only SWWA we had for the day.

We had many good warblers, many spished to a few feet of us. They are not afraid of people down there. My camera was giving me hell all day, couldn't get any good shots. I need a new job so that I can get a new camera - job offers and camera donations accepted.




Black and white and Yellow-throated. My camera takes too long to focus!
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Nesting Pine Siskins

Tweet Just talked to the coordinator of the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II. He said that my observation of Pine Siskins carrying nesting material would qualify for confirmed breeding. This would be a first Clermont Co., OH record. Pretty cool. Right in the backyard.

Just walking around the neighborhood, I noticed (heard and seen pairs) that there are Pine Siskins in the trees everywhere. I think there are more than 30 birds.

Pine Siskin breeding in Ohio OBBA II Tweet

Upcoming birding events

Tweet Many good birding events coming up.

Birdathon '09

and the


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