Lucky 777s 🎰 LeContes' Sparrow #626

 

OK, so the scenes been set.  Birding in 2020 was tough. I had only two life birds, from out of state for the year. Then the Booby showed up in Ohio, which was crazy --- then a Parasitic Jaeger at an inland reservoir, so I'm up to +4 life birds now, when what do you know . . . eleven days later during fall sparrow migration . . .

What's that??

Wait for movement . .  shh

White Medium Crown stripe, 

Distinctively orange-buff all over, particularly on the head and upper breast. It has black streaks on the back and wings and a grayish-purple spot on the back of the neck. The belly is white. The bill is gray.

Walks or hops on the ground, often among dense grasses. Does not flush readily, and prefers to escape from disturbances on foot. When they do fly, their flights are short, with quick, weak wingbeats before disappearing back into the vegetation

Open habitat, especially marshy or boggy meadows with a dense cover of grasses or sedges.

LeContes Sparrow . . . #626

The LeConte's sparrow was discovered by John James Audubon, and it was thought that he named this bird after a friend, Doctor LeConte. It is generally believed that he meant John Lawrence LeConte, although some feel that he was referring to another John LeConte, also a doctor, and John Lawrence's cousin.

The LeConte's is becoming more of a regular fall migrate here in Ohio.  All these years ago, both Nelson and LeContes didn't come this far east. The Nelsons was more east coast, and the LeContes was more Illinois in the fall and Minnesota in the summer. Then within the last 10 years, both species have become way more frequent each year. In Ohio, for the LeContes, you would have to go up to Mentor county, off the lake, on Wake Robin trail/marsh, and only for 1-3 days, when the sparrows would move in off the lake, rest, eat, and boom move on farther south. 

So in the last 9 years, I'm happy to finally see both LeContes and Nelsons sparrows here in Ohio

Video History

Gambill Family history:

Buddy--April 1980 Aranasas, Texas coast

Red&Louise--seen not sure when. Notes Nelson sparrow split w Seaside Sparrow in 1996.

COVID-19 Life Birding!!

ducks, lots of ducks

Ohio Strikes again!! Parasitic Jaeger #625

 

Fresh off my buzz from the first ever Brown Booby in Ohio, I was down in South Carolina visiting my aunt. We spent the weekend birding and I got to see/hear my second chance lifer Red-cockaded Woodpecker!!  Well, the FB Birding Ohio page, showed a picture from a local birder, who saw a Jaeger at an inland reservoir in southern Ohio.  Now this was quite unique, because again here was another ocean/coastal bird stuck in Ohio and not on Lake Erie.  At first it was ID'd as a Pomarine Jaeger, which made sense.  Last year, October 2019, a full size Pomarine showed up in Mansfield, so what the heck? Anything is possible??  But after further pictures and better identification from birders . . . it turns out to be a  . . . .

Parasitic Jaeger

Lifer #625

Not my pictures

Parasitic Jaegers, known as arctic skuas in Europe, are fast-flying relatives of gulls with a piratical lifestyle. They breed on the Arctic tundra, where they prey mainly on birds and their eggs. They spend the rest of the year on the open ocean, harrying other seabirds and sometimes attacking in groups, until they give up their catch

Harveysburg Rd.

      Typically shows white shafts on 4–6 outermost wing feathers, more than Long-tailed, but fewer than Pomarine.

       

Jaeger range

Wow!! Can you believe it!! I was just saying how 2020 Covid-19 year was hard to get life birds. I only had 2 new birds for the year, when BOOM, Ohio comes calling with Brown Booby and Parasitic Jaeger!!  I have now seen all 3 Jaeger species in Ohio.  Long-tailed lifer in 2017, Pomarine in 2019 and Parasitic lifer in 2020.

Gambill family history:

Buddy saw all 3 Jaegers in 1980!!! Attu Island and Nome, Alaska

Brown Booby in Ohio!! #624

 I will never forget when I got that text, "Brown Booby in Summit county"  Wait? What?  That doesn't make sense, and the recent hurricanes have not swept thru Ohio, so it's not a storm bird pushed up here.  

Never been here

BOOM!! In flight when I arrived

Brown Booby, juvenile 

Lifer #624 & no boat trip!

Found in tropical oceans around the world, the Brown Booby is a dashing seabird—both in plumage, a natty brown-and-white (with bright yellow feet) and in flight style, which involves swift aerial maneuvers and deft dives. Brown Boobies do not nest on the United States mainland but often visit waters off Florida or California. They occasionally stray as far north as Canada, and sometimes well inland. Like most seabirds that nest on islands, Brown Boobies are very vulnerable to introduced predators such as rats, mice, and cats.

Way out of range

Amish Homeboys 

Family History w Brown Booby

Buddy: May 1, 1982  Rebloca Shoals, FL  on way to Dry Tortugas, FL also saw Masked Booby & Brown Noddy

Red & Louise: 1983 & 2001  no location noted, probably Dry Tortugas also 

Sad ending, 10 days later, R.I.P Brown Booby, probably Great Horned Owl ate it to death

Next up:  Another OHIO Lifer?!?!

2020 plus 2 Life Birds

How about it?? A new year, a new bird(s)?  That's right. Two months into the year, and two new life birds.  How did that happen you ask??  Let me share with you.

At the end of January 2020, my friend Donny was moving from Orange county, CA back to Seattle, WA. I flew out to help, and on the last day in California, while he worked, I got to BIRD.  Lucky, at the same Caspers Wilderness Park at birded in Feb. 2019.  Since it was late winter, sometimes mountain birds from the Rockies migrate down to the coast.  I was checking the local ABA listserv for Orange county CA, and looky what showed up.

Lewis Woodpecker ABA #622

The Lewis's Woodpecker might have woodpecker in its name, but it forages like a flycatcher and flies like a crow. It has a color palette all its own, with a pink belly, gray collar, and dark green back unlike any other member of its family. From bare branches and posts, it grabs insects in midair, flying with slow and deep wingbeats. 

The Lewis's Woodpecker was described by Alexander Wilson in 1811 and named after Meriwether Lewis who first saw the bird in 1805 while on his famous westward journey with William Clark.

Now time for our annual trip to the LRGV for winter birding. I haven't got a life bird in the valley since 2016. I'm long over due.

Common Black Hawk ABA #623

An aptly-named entirely black hawk with broad wings and short tail with a distinct white band. Flight feathers are slightly paler and it has long yellow legs and yellow on the base of the bill.  Typically found in woodlands near water where it hunts; shows an affinity for cottonwood trees at the northern end of its range.

Bird Gang 2020

Undisputed Era Birding

This was my second to last easy accipitridae hawk species to get. I've seen all the hawks, including a first ever ABA sighting of a Code 5 Crane Hawk in 1988.  At Santa Anna NWR, of course.
https://ebird.org/checklist/S17309659
Very luck this Black Hawk wintered at this reseca. What a rush!!  Now only Northern Goshawk(1) & Roadside Hawk(4) are left to see.


Next up: COVID-19 & Quarantine 

#2019 BigYear in Review

Happy New Year!!! 2020, can you believe it? Wow has the time gone by fast.  This post is a recap of the year that was #BigYear2019, all the fun stuff, places visited, good times and future plans. Below are some of the highlights.

the Bog in MN, Jan' 2019

Hawaii, Oct' 2019

• 10 lifers--Wow!! I had a good year, 2018--7, 2017--18, 2016--12, 2015--13 new and in 2014 I had 29 lifers. I traveled to Minnesota +5 in the dead of winter and Arizona +3 in late spring, which produced new birds. Ohio produced +2 new lifers!! I am still thankful of the trips taken, birds seen, and friends I've been with making memories and good blog posts! Thank you all and God Bless. That puts me at #621 Life Birds.                                                                                                                    
• My ABA Birds of the Year are . . . .the code 2 Northern Hawk Owl & code 3 Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. I saw the NOHO in MN with friends and made a video on my Youtube channel to document the cold and jubilation of the sighting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBKk75qToG8   Then, in October, a birder found this different looking sandpiper in Ohio. This Rare Asian Migrant was fantastic and a complete surprise.

Northern Hawk Owl

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, left

• My Ohio Bird of the Year is . . . .the code 2 Swainson's Warbler Finally I nabbed this wood warbler. Very rare for Ohio, like only 7 times ever. It was the last of my easy east coast warblers needed. Lucky I didn't have to travel out of the state. The bird was viewed by many over almost 30 days it was here in the Dayton area. 

Swainson's Warbler

Some more great Ohio birds I saw.  Only 2nd time ever Pomarine Jaeger & Red Knot. A Wilson's Phalarope showed up in Sept at Galaena boardwalk, a Nelson's Sparrow at Battalle, and a Snowy Owl down 71 South

POJA in Richland cty inland lake

Likes fisherman 

Red Knot, Wilderness Rd.

Wilson's Phalarope, juvi

Snowy Owl, field in Clinton cty

         

• 6 states visited--Minnesota(+31 foys/total species), Ohio(+206 birds), California(+47 foy), Arizona(+15 foys), Hawaii(+22/lifers did not count),  Florida(+22 foys)

• Hawaii trip, October 2019.  I will make a separate blog post later about the trip and new birds seen while in Hawaii. I have decided to keep my HI list separate from my "ABA Continental Life List". For example, Pacific Golden Plover, I still need for a life bird. They are really hard to see on the west coast, but in Hawaii, PAGP are like lawn darts, everywhere everytime. So like fellow ABA birders, before HI was added in 2016, we will just keep an HI only list. If and when I do see PAGP, will add it to my life list, and make HI just a "seen" bird. **the entire Gambill family of birders keep a separate Hawaii list, Mahalo**

• 321 total species--Finishing it strong!! My Christmas Florida trip really helped me get over 300 for the year. I ticked many Ohio common & new birds this year. This puts me at a 347.1 species per year average over 7 years.                                       
• STATS  In 2013--338; 2014--359; 2015--322; 2016--360; 2017--377; 2018--353; 2019--321

Northern Hawk Owl, MN

Below is a list of some of the new first of year birds(FOYs) I saw in Ohio, during the last 45 days of birding in 2019.

#289 Red-throated Loon
#290 Ross Goose
#291 YBSS                                                       

#292 Cackling Goose
#293 Snowy Owl
#294 Red-necked Grebe
#295 Northern Saw-Whet Owl
#296 Common Merganser
#297 Tundra Swan
#298 American Pipit
#299 Sharp-shinned Hawk
#300-321 Florida common birds, ie. Egyptian Goose, Roseate Spoonbill, M Frigatebird


**heard only 2019**
 Yellow-billed Cuckoo, VA Rail, American Bittern, Sedge Wren, Canyon Towhee(AZ), Louis. Waterthrush, Blue Grosbeak, Prairie warbler


Rarities seen in 2019--only saw two Code 3 or higher birds this year
         

             Code 3  Sharp-tailed Sandpiper--KillDeer WA, Ohio Lifer #621
             Code 3  Ruddy Ground Dove--Buckeye, AZ  Lifer #619

• Misses--not many of them, especially Ohio species. I  birded OHIO, but missed some easy ones. Getting out every Sunday since May helped me see/hear them, so I'm thankful. So in 2020, my goal will be to get them early and keep trying.  Misses included: 

        Snow goose, LTD, Black & Surf Scoter, Yellow-bellied & Alder empidx., American Golden Plover, Baird's sandpiper, LBBG, Long-eared & Short-eared Owls, Brown Creeper, Canada, Pine, Connecticut, Mourning, Kirtland & Golden-winged warblers, Lapland LS,

• 2020 trips--So far many planned trips, but likely to change. 

           1. March 1--LRGV, going to to Texas, sun & birds. Need Tamaulipas Crow, Golden-crowned Warbler, Mountain Plover, rarities
           2. May 1--Colorado, Greater Sage Grouse, all Grouse, all Rosy Finches, Chickens, Mountain Plover
           3. Ohio--Biggest week in American Birding--you know where to find us in May
           4. May 31--Cape Hatteras Palegic, Black-capped Petrel, South Polar Skua, rare petrel, Masked Booby
           5. July--Maine again, Red-billed TropicBird, Razorbill, Dovkie, Roseate Tern, Bicknell Thrush
           6. Chase a rarity. Can this be the year of a Code 4 or 5 chase??



Next up: Let's start off #BigYear2020 with a cold Ohio birding