Grandma & Geese

I had talked with Grandma Louise Gambill a couple of times since the new year but not seen her since Christmas Day. She got out to do a New Years Day BigDay2014 with her daughter and son-in-law and got 50 species for first of the year. Not bad considering the cold and snow. This is only her 2nd winter here in Ohio in the last 26 years; always staying in the Rio Grand Valley, Texas for the winter.

Yeah #birds

 So I picked grandma up on the 14th, and did a little birding at Pickerington Ponds and Howe Industrial Parkway(got GBH there). It was good to get out of the house, get some sun and see some birds. Nothing too fancy, the BarnOwl must of been hunkered down low so no go, but we did get 20 species for the day with Northern Pintail, E. Bluebird, A. Kestrel as the highlights.

She told me of a time during spring migration her and Red got 100 species everyday for 10 days in a row!! That's a big accomplishment. They were on their way back north from the valley along the gulf coast, with stops in Galveston and High Island in Louisiana.

GWFG

On the morning of the 19th, myself and fellow team SnowBlunting member rode out to Prairie Oaks Metro Park in West Jeff to spot the reported Greater White-Fronted Geese from the birding.aba.org/maillist/OH.  This is the same park I got them last year, just a different pond. No Ross or Cackling with other geese this time.

Breeding across the tundra from Nunavut to Siberia, across Russia, and in Greenland, the Greater White-fronted Goose has one of the largest ranges of any species of goose in the world. There are 4 sub species of this goose. Greater/Lesser/Tule/Greenland

Different flight beat/pattern than CAGO

Can you spot the GOOSE?

Up next: More snow and cold in January

Black-legged Kittiwake in CBus?!?

I daily habit in the birding world, is to check your local ABA listserv.  It is a great tool/technology that we get in today's instant society.  The listserv is a free website based on the birding.aba.org that breaks down each state's current bird reports.  Birders can email in their sighting or question, and others get to read and know of all the recent goodies. The best part is, when you travel to other states for vacation, check out that states listserv, and you have free guide to what locals are seeing.

So, just after January 6th, a post on Ohio's listserv site birding.aba.org/maillist/OH reported a rare inland Code 1 gull--the Black-legged Kittiwake at Atrium Park in Worthingon, just off SR315 North.  A small, cliff-nesting gull, the Black-legged Kittiwake breeds along northern coasts and winters out at sea. The name is derived from its call, a shrill 'kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake'. They are fish feeders, and are more pelagic than Larus gulls outside the breeding season. They do not scavenge at tips like some other gull species

Kittiwake and it's Ring-Billed girlfriend

1st winter BLKI

 So, this was not a life bird for me, but a great First of Year(FOY) bird for me.  I missed adding this gull to my 2013 BigYear list, but I got it for 2014!!!  Typically you can see a BLKI up in Cleveland at E 72nd st warm water outlet in the winter, but don't ask me why this bird was down in Columbus, must have flown in with his buddies RBGU and HEGU.  My records show that I first saw this bird on 4/21/1992 in NagsHead, NC, with my dad Buddy Gambill. We had a beach house down there, and would go on SpringBreak to visit.

Lastly, the main purpose of this blog, is to connect with past experiences and birders along my path that have meet/know the Gambill family dynasty. And when I was watching the Kittiwake, a birder stopped by to look too, and introduced himself as Jim Adair. Turns out Jim is local CBus birder, and birding many times at GreenLawn Cemetery, and remembers meeting Red&Louise Gambill, and a little boy that was with them. Guess what? That little boy was myself!! It was great to connect, hear stories from the past, and still share in this hobby. Nothing is better than seeing a new bird with a fellow birder.

So, back to winter, and more winter Geese & Duck hunting.

January Cold

It's cold out there little fella.  I got to do some birding chasing good winter birds, that I'd rather get now, then have to wait until fall time to get. So on Jan 4th, I drove up to Marysville Reservoir off Raymond Rd in Union county.  A big month birder for Union county(Blake Mathyis) reported some ducks and geese up there.  Marysville is always a unique place to bird. I call it testing grounds for Alaska birding, because its very windy and no coverage from the elements. You just have to take it in all times.  The walk around the reservoir is about 2.5 miles, but just walking half with a scope can do you best, and it only takes 30 minutes.

2 Snow Geese

I found 2 Snow Geese, mixed in with the Canada's.  Also there was a report of a Cackling Goose, but I didn't see him, so I'll have to find one latter




After 30 mins, and before my face froze off(I need a polar head scarf) I got a call from good ol' Uncle Mike. He said it's cold, windy, and snowy up here in south Morrow County, the winter birds are here.  So I drove up to the house and got to see 500 Lapland LongSpurs, 75 Snow Buntings, 50 or more Horned Larks.

Uncle Mike feeding w corn byproduct

They love the corn stuff

Solo Snow Bunting

Horned Lark says get me some_Laplands too

Family of Buntings

I called team Snow Blunting member JKnape, and had him come up to witness the flock, plus he need Lapland Longspur for a Lifer!!! Little did he know he would get 500 of the birds to choose from.  Actually, I just got LALS as a lifer last year 1/26/13 at Uncle Mike and Beckys house. So my question is why did it take me so long to get a Lapland??? Hmmmm.  I missed Snow Bunting as a year bird in 2013, so I'll take some early for 2014 to tick off.

So with that, the cold day of half birding was over. Before I left, I got to see a Rusty Blackbird in the garden too. So my goal of getting some rarities and unique birds is working well.  Remember, in May I'm going to do a big month, so I will not start counting until then, but all these will add up to my BirdYear efforts later.

Next up?? a rare gull for Franklin county??

Happy New Year!!!

Well well . . . the ball has dropped, Miley sang Wrecking Ball again, and the bird-counter starts over at ZERO.  Happy New Years everyone!!! Eat pork and kraut today.

What a great year 2013 was. I got to travel to 7 total states including Ohio, and see friends and family. I wanted to give a year in review and talk about plans for 2014.

I finished my 2013 Big Year at #338, which included 16 life birds, bringing me to a total of #532 Lifers for ABA. Not bad considering how much I did not bird. I just made a habit out of every place we went for vacation, I would take a couple of early AM hours and bird.

Big accomplishments:
136 species in Texas in March in 5 days
198 species in March, OH TX FL, goal was 200
  94 species in 24hrs of birding at Biggest week in American Birding--Team Dickcissel
  16 life birds

Places to visit in 2014:
March--Key West maybe
May--Big Month, Ohio/Colorado/Delaware-goal is 200 species
June--Seattle/Tacoma WA
Aug/Sept--Hawaii maybe
Oct late--Seattle/Edmunds WA

Team Dickcissel with Red&Louise Gambill in LRGV March13'

Rarest bird of the year, Code #4 Crimson Collard Grosbeak from Mexico