Ohio Countdown

check the drawings by

Well, well, well . .  fall migration has started. Time to get into birding mode. First come the sandpipers, so look for habitats that host low water. Then the warblers are coming back through the forest, so lets go walk in the woods some. Then maybe if we're lucky, some rarity . . . like a code 3 . . could make an appearance in Ohio. So be on the lookout and remember to get out and BIRD!

Below is my list of seen recently, and the remaining Ohio birds I can get thru December. Wish me luck

8/16--BlueGrosbeak #319, Orchard Oriole #320

Otto Armleader Park, Cinncy-OH

8/28--Baird's Sandpiper #321  Hoover Resivour

Small to medium-sized sandpiper

Long wings extend past end of tail

Mallards, Pectoral Sandpiper

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Sedge Wren 2016--Lifer #553 seen on 8/6/14, same place

Nelson's Sparrow #329

 

Yellow-bellied empidx #327

Sanderling #326

Needs list:
Swamp sparrow #328 10/16 Ellis Wetlands Butler cty
Canada warbler
Blackpoll warbler
Grey-checked Thrush
Least Empidx
Forster's Tern
Common Tern
Black Tern
GBBG
LBBG
Franklins
Bonapartes
Wilson Snipe
Godwits
Semi-palm Plover #325 9/15 Hoover Resivour
A. Golden Plover
VA Rail
Glossy Ibis
Least Bittern
Brown Pelcan
Red Neck Grebe
Horned Grebe
RB Merganser
Common Merganser
Canvasback
Rough legged Hawk
Short earred owl
YBSS
Winter wren
Golden Crown Kinglet
Red Breasted Nuthatch #322 9/10 Ohio Blendon Woods
Mourning Warbler #323 9/13 Ohio Blendon Woods
Connecticut Warbler #324 9/13 Ohio Blendon Woods
Sanderling #326 Ohio Hoover Resivour 
Yellow-bellied Empidx #327 Ohio Kiwanis Park 
Nelson's Sparrow #329 Ellis Wetlands Butler cty

Next up: Ohio fall migration . . . Seattle, WA in late October

Summer birding, blogs & buds

It's been a long and hot summer here in Columbus. Since Memorial Day weekend, I've gotten a chance to bird Ohio more. Usually on Sunday mornings, I get out for 2-4 hours and I've picked up some Ohio birds I missed last year. So with a combination of a hot & humid summer and small FOY birding ticks, its been more of a reading summer. I want to share some of the birding bloggers I follow and resources I use for birding information.

http://olafsbigyear.blogspot.com/

The naked birder!! Mr. Olaf did an au naturel big year in 2013 and saw 594 birds. What ever that means. But this year, he decided to do a full blown big year, no expense. He has seen the most birds in the shortest amount of time. He got bird #400 Black-backed Woodpecker by January 31st. He hit #700 Rock Ptarmigan on the Alaskan island of Adak by May 29th. He is the man!!

http://www.birdingfordevils.com/

Late to game, but jumped right into first place! Australian big year birder Mr. John Weigel has made his mark this year with an all out blix. Funny story, we birded with John on March 15th at the King Ranch when I got Ferrugious Pygmy-Owl and Sprague's Pipit. Congratulations John on a truly great Big Year. Can he break 770??!!

John Wiegel, right

http://www.thebirdingproject.com/

I'd like you to meet the youngest birder to hit 700 ABA birds in one calendar year. Mr. Christian H. We've actually meet him twice this year. Back on April 30th at the thrasher spot outside Buckeye, AZ. And again two weeks later at the Biggest Week in American Birding at Magee Marsh, OH. Yes, he drove there. He actually interviewed me for his The Birding Project.
http://www.thebirdingproject.com/blog/2016/5/8/brad


http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/

Jim is our local Ohioan, a guy that has a love for the outdoors, a true naturalist. From bugs and birds to trees and history of all things, this is a great blog read to always learn MORE.

http://thespeckledhatchback.blogspot.com/

Dorian is the man!! I mean MAN, the guy did a BIGYEAR2014 all on his bike. From beginning to end, day to night, sleep to eat. He never rode in a car, flew in a plane or any gas powered vehicle. He bird in the morning, then bike to his next pit stop, slept and start over again in the morning. Oh and he saw a record 617 total species - - - on a bike!?!  This hatchback blog he has, is his 2015 updates with pictures, Costa Rica trip, and environmental topics. He's cool and a great birder.


Resources:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org

http://birding.aba.org/maillist/OH

http://www.aba.org/

For Fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaX7i1Q7-Rw
Things Birders Say

Ohio birds ticked
5/30-Cerulean, Worm-eating, Veery, Louis. water-thrush, Broad-winged hawk, Willow empidx, King Rail
6/8 -Mute swan
6/12-Hooded, Rose-breasted, Summer Tanager
6/26-Blue-winged, Common Loon
7/15-Great crested empidx, Sedge Wren
7/17-Bank, Semiplam sp, Silt, Pectoral 

@318 for the year, four states OH, TX, NV, AZ


Next up:  Trip to Cincinnati for birthday, beers, and birds