4 FOYs & 1 Life bird

Bubo scandiacus FOY

The last Sunday of the year, and it's time for one more trip. Let's make this one count and do it for the boys!?! The lastest reports from http://birding.aba.org/maillist/OH had reports from Lorain Harbor and Impoundment that caused me to head that way at 5:30am. After stopping at McDonald's in Wellington, Ohio--I made it to the place by 8am.

• Snowy Owl--There he/she is. Right there on the pier. Sitting and resting. Ethics and Understang:) This largest (by weight) North American owl shows up irregularly in winter to hunt in windswept fields or dunes, a pale shape with catlike yellow eyes. They spend summers far north of the Arctic Circle hunting lemmings, ptarmigan, and other prey in 24-hour daylight. In years of lemming population booms they can raise double or triple the usual number of young

Where you at??

Ah hah, nice snowy

Turn around please

Thank you

Found a buddy?

Hello there

Artistic?

I like this one

Well, one down, one to go here. Now just turn around from the harbor, and behind you is the Impoundment Lot. Looks right to me!!

Impoundment Lot, Lake Erie borders NE side

Skyline of Lorain, harbor

• Common Redpoll ABA Lifer #561--Sure enough, the reports and pictures from FB Birding Ohio has a group of RPs here in the lot. A passing birder said to check the other side of the loop, closer to the Lake Erie side. About half way in, a flock of RPs flew over my head, over the lot and landed on that far side loop, exactly where I was heading. This had to be the birds, nothing else was around, and RPs fly in flocks all the time. Life Bird Check! But I headed over for a closer look, and sure enough . . .

Common RedPoll FOY

Hello there Mr. RP

As energetic as their electric zapping call notes would suggest, Common Redpolls are active foragers that travel in busy flocks. Look for them feeding on catkins in birch trees or visiting feeders in winter. These small finches of the arctic tundra and boreal forest migrate erratically, and they occasionally show up in large numbers as far south as the central U.S

ABA Lifer #561

Common Redpoll, male

Song Sparrow (R) for comparison

Look for a small red forehead patch, black feathering around a yellow bill, and two white wingbars. Males have a pale red vest on the chest and upper flanks.




 2 FOYs down, one of which is a life bird, and I chased down a flock of them. I was Redpoll hunting, the only way to spot Redpolls. What to do next? Well, there was a three bird FOY report from Maumee SP on Saturday, so lets chase west on Route 2 some 80 miles. I passed Magee Marsh/Ottawa NWR/Metzger  Marsh Retracing the Steps on the way to

10am

OK, so I've never been here, that I can remember, and the reports are of two owl species and that famous Northern Shrike I've been hearing about but missing out on. I make a loop around the "closed campground" in the car, and back to parking #7 Hill area, but still no shrike. I park and start walking the loop to the beach area. Bad idea, cold and winder, and an occasional gull, that's it. I make it back inland, and cut through the natural trail paths. I make a cross over and look down another path, and see three birders standing still, staring into a tree/bush area. BANG BANG into the BIRDS. And guess who it is, and what they are looking at?!?

Smile for the camera

Owl in a what?

Northern Saw-whet Owl FOY

small mottled brown, nocturnal

• Northern Saw-whet Owl--Thanks so much to Ken & Kimberly Kaufman for being in the right place at the right time. It was truly a special day. Enjoying the moment. After all it is all about the Birds.

• Lesser Black-backed Gull-- On the way back down 75 South, you have to cut over Findlay on 15 to get to 23South. So lets' stop at the Reservoirs!! And sure enough out in a raft of Ring-Bills and Herring Gulls

LBBG FOY

The band "Flock of SeaGulls"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6HiBxGRfzI





 This puts my #BIGYEAR2014 number at #358 for the year!!

#355  Snowy Owl--12/28
#356  Common Redpoll--12/28
#357  Northern Saw-whet Owl--12/28
#358  Lesser Black-back Gull--12/28

Next up:  ABA countable species review for 2014?!? +1 maybe

Need list: no particular order

1. Cackling Goose--maybe in a field with 200 Canada's?
2. Northern Saw-whet Owl  12/28 Holy cow
3. Snowy Owl--hoping 12/28 Lake Erie run
4. Short eared Owl--12/1
5. Lesser Black-backed Gull- 12/28
6. Thayers Gull--would be a lifer
7. Iceland Gull--would be a lifer
8. Glauscous Gull--hoping a return to Alum Creek Beach 12/28-31 like last year
9. Purple Finch--12/20
10. Northern Shrike--floating around KillDeer Plains, tried 12/24&28
11. Long earred Owl--missed the 12/12 showing at CMH airport, damn
12. Vesper Sparrow
13. Common Redpoll--12/28 Out of left field, a blessing

Finish Strong!!

As I write this, only 10 days left in the #BIGYEAR2014. After a slow down in November, and a crazy snow storm, a breakout month of December would be all that's left. Temperatures have been warmer the first two weeks of December, but now cold weather is expected. This should help get some winter migrants down to the Lake Erie Shores.

• Short Eared Owl--On Monday December 1st, I headed over to Teal Trail/Battelle Darby to see the owls that have been reported. I've seen them there before, but this year was not as good as past. It was very cold and windy, but just at dusk, 5:22pm, 2 birds flew up to me and passed by. I was standing on the mound hill just at the parking lot. Making a couple of passes, a third SEOW came into view. No pictures, it was too dark, and these owls are fast fliers.

SEO  public picture

• CBC Jefferson Township--On Sunday December 13th, I attended the annual Gambill family Christmas Bird count, covering south Gahanna; Taylor Rd to the north, Broad St. to the south, 270 to the west and Rey./N.A. Rd. to the east.  Team #TSB was back together again. We did most birding by car, because of all the commercial space we have. New species this year for #TSB was Golden-crowned Kinglet and Ring-Billed Gull. The total for CBC Jefferson Twp was 40 species and 3822 total birds

• Purple Finch--Believe it or not, I had missed this winter finch in the early season of 2014, and didn't know how or where I could see it before the end of year. Most people would tell me stories of chance, a group in a tree, one bird clear out in a field, etc.  But, I got a reliable tip from a birder friend, there is a female PUFI at the window feeder at HighBanks MP in north Columbus. So I made the trip there on Saturday, and after a 40 minute wait . . . BAMM!!

Purple Finch

notched tail

Purple Finches are large and chunky. Their powerful, conical beaks are larger than any sparrow’s. The tail seems short and is clearly notched at the tip . Female Purple Finches have no red. They are coarsely streaked below, with strong facial markings including a whitish eyestripe and a dark line down the side of the throat.

Yaahh!!

This puts my #BIGYEAR2014 number at #354 for the year!!

#353  Short Eared Owl--12/1
#354  Purple Finch--12/20

Next up:  One last trip to the Lake for Snowy Owl and Gulls

Need list: no particular order

1. Cackling Goose--maybe 12/28 trip, some seen up north
2. Northern Saw-whet Owl
3. Snowy Owl--hoping 12/28 Lake Erie run
4. Short eared Owl--12/1
5. Lesser Black-backed Gull--hoping 12/28 Lake run, or ClearFork Reservoir
6. Thayers Gull--would be a lifer
7. Iceland Gull--would be a lifer
8. Glauscous Gull--hoping a return to Alum Creek Beach 12/28-31 like last year
9. Purple Finch--12/20
10. Northern Shrike--floating around KillDeer Plains, trying again 12/24
11. Long earred Owl--missed the 12/12 showing at CMH airport, damn
12. Vesper Sparrow

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey day everybody. What? This picture isn't a turkey?  Well . . . it will have to do. Though I've seen Wild Turkey this year, I've never taken a photo of one, so this Phesant is as pretty and close as you get.

Ring-Necked Pheasant

Trying to get new species for the year(FOYs) has slowed way down, because I've either seen them already, or missed them before fall migration. More on misses for the year during the end of year recap.

Below is a list of Ohio winter birds I can get before the end of the year. Of course there can be rarities that show up out of now where, or a state away. We shall see.

Need list: no particular order

1. Cackling Goose
2. Northern Saw-whet Owl
3. Snowy Owl
4. Short earred Owl--12/1
5. Lesser Black-backed Gull
6. Thayers Gull--would be a lifer
7. Iceland Gull--would be a lifer
8. Glauscous Gull
9. Purple Finch--12/20
10. Northern Shrike
11. Long earred Owl
12. Vesper Sparrow

This puts my #BIGYEAR2014 number at #352 for the year!!

Next up: Only 35 days left . . .

"Between 2 Birds"

First show ever!!  Welcome to the bird show. It's a show about birds, birding, birders, and places birds seen. Special guest, Louise Gambill from LRGV, a winter Texan. Red & Louise spotted many of the rare code 5's in the valley from the 90's and 2000's, such as: Crane Hawk, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Stygian Owl, Collared Forest-Falcon, and Black-vented Oriole

Grandma & Me

I got the enjoyment of grandma sitting the first week of November. Louise stayed with me for a week and we spent time together. During the week, we got out 3 times in 7 days, and racked up 49 birds with an FOY for me!!  The highlights where six of the seven woodpeckers inclucing Red-headed woodpecker, Brown Creeper, Marsh Hawk, RWBB, Belted Kingfisher, Killdeer and Winter Wren(FOY)

Blendon Woods Metro Park

Pileated Woodpecker

Northern Flicker red shafted

Alum Creek Dam

This puts my #BIGYEAR2014 number at #352 for the year!!

#352  Winter Wren--11/11


Next up: "Between 2 Birds"

Seattle Part Deux

built to withstand winds of 200 mph and earthquakes 9.1; 25 lighting rods

Good morning west coast time 9!!! It's 6:30 am here, but 9:30 back home, up early to get to Discovery Park. There is a Seattle Audubon group bird hike this am. Great!! I need 2 life birds here. There is about 20 of us, and I meet another person from Ohio!! Shocker.  The group leaders Neil and Carleen where great, with their help, I did get 2 life birds. The first was right around the corner, like 50 yards in, Neil phishs up a Pacific Wren ABA #558 lifer. Great!! no photos, it's a wren, it's wrenning, but great binoc looks. This bird was split in 2010 from Winter Wren(east) and Pacific Wren(west). We walk up top of the parking lot up to the bluffs. We stop and see Band-tailed Pigeon, Anna's Hummingbird, Golden-crown Sparrow, Red-breasted Nuthatch and . . .

Band-tailed Pigeon FOY

Anna's FOY

iridescent reddish-pink feathers

Anna’s Hummingbirds are among the most common hummingbirds along the Pacific Coast, yet they're anything but common in appearance. With their iridescent emerald feathers and sparkling rose-pink throats, they are more like flying jewelry than birds. Though no larger than a ping-pong ball and no heavier than a nickel, Anna’s Hummingbirds make a strong impression. In their thrilling courtship displays, males climb up to 130 feet into the air and then swoop to the ground with a curious burst of noise that they produce through their tail feathers

Golden-Crown FOY

RB Nut FOY

At the bluffs, where Neil and Carleen did their Big Sit the week before, down at the shores, probably two miles, scooped out was lifer

Harlequin Ducks ABA #559

Thanks again Canon SX50 with 50x zoom

A bird of fast-moving water, the Harlequin Duck breeds on fast-flowing streams and winters along rocky coastlines in the crashing surf. Medium-sized diving duck. White patch in front of eyes. Round white ear spot.

Wow, the good ole H-Duck!!! What a great find. I'm sure I'll see one closer some time in the future. But like Lucky Gambill's motto "One bird One time", that's all she takes. With that, day two was done. Now it's on to dinner in downtown SEATAC, sushi roll, hot shrimp soup and another IPA later at tavern Amazon employees.

It's Sunday, and that means one thing, SuperBowl Champion Seattle Seahawks football in Edmunds! Though the team took a tough road loss that day, Brad got a FOY in the front yard, a Chestnut-Backed Chickadee. After football, off to the gym for Don, dropping off me back at Edmunds waterfront to scope for birds. While watching the ferry load, there is a great area just north. Brackett's Landing north. From there, I scoped out and photoed lifer

Pigeon Guillemot ABA #560

 A seabird of the northern Pacific, the Pigeon Guillemot is found along rocky coasts from Alaska to California. It spends more time close to shore than other members of the puffin family.

Mostly white with dusky back in winter

Mew Gull FOY

 

Spotted Towhee FOY

I was excited by the Spotted Towhee visit at Discovery Park, we heard some, but saw 3 in a bush/tree thingy. Picture right. I had seen this bird only once before, 3/3/12 as bird #508 in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas with my grandparents Red & Louise and Sam. Boy--I've come a long way . . . Retracing the Steps . . . since ABA #508

This puts my #BIGYEAR2014 number at #351 for the year!!

#343  Pacific Wren--10/18 #558 ABA Lifer  
#344  Banded-tailed Pigeon
#345  Golden-crowned Sparrow
#346  Red-breasted Nuthatch
#347  Harlequin Duck #559 ABA Lifer
#348  Spotted Towhee
#349  Chestnut-backed Chickadee--10/19
#350  Mew Gull
#351  Pigeon Guillemot #560 ABA Lifer

Next up:  Back to Ohio birding, can I get #360 this year?

BANG BANG into the Birds!!

Welcome home!! Back from my annual trip to Seattle, Washington. My best friend and his wife moved there three years ago; Now I get a great chance every year to visit the Pacific northwest, stay with some friends, drink some IPAs, and of course . . . BIRD!!

Space Needle, built 1962, 605 ft tall

During my four fulls days there, I got chances to bird everyday, at different habitats around downtown and north on I-5. The "city" is so big, with so much traffic, that it really dictates when and where you can go. It's not like Columbus, where everything is 1 minute - 1 mile apart. In Seattle it can take 1 hour to drive 7 miles?!? 

So of to the Chase we go . . .

Friday afternoon we drove up to Edmunds Pier/Waterfront, and took the auto ferry over to Kingston. This was my first chance to take the ferry to the other islands, and you get to drive your car right up and park. They leave every 40mins or so and can hold 188 cars and 2000 passengers.

Dock at Kingston

Other ferry coming back to Edmunds

Front of boat

We go up to the top deck and I scope out some waterbirds . . . when I spot a . . .

Do I see a Life Bird?!?

Rhinoceros Auklet Lifer #557 FOY

Juvenile

The rhinoceros auklet is an unusual member of the Alcidae family. It is actually a puffin, not an auklet. The juvenile appears similar to the non-breeding adult, lacking both the feather tufts and beak horn, although the lower mandible is yellow on the adult and dark on the juvenile.

We head north on Hanesville Rd NE, up to Point No Point Lighthouse. Right before the entrance, off to the left is a great parking area with views of the Puget Sound. I spent an hour there and scoped out some great birds. The neigbhors house had bird feeders out, and I saw Eurasian Collored Dove, Western Scrub Jay and Steller's Jay.

Western Scrub Jay

Rainbow time

Pacific Loon  FOY

 

Eurasian Collored Dove

Western Scrub Jay

Right when we're getting to leave, packed up, I hear a loud "Bumff" all the birds take off from the feeder. I look up and here coming in hot chasing a dove . . .

Merlin  FOY!!

F.c. suckleyi subspecies

Thanks to my Canon SX50 and the bird landing in the top of the pine, I got these great pictures!

We only had about 90 minutes left til the ferry at 2:30, so we decided to stop at the town of "______" and eat lunch, with IPAs, mussels, fish&chips and clam chowder.

Lunch time

#TSB

On the ferry back to Edmunds, I saw Surf Scoters, Pelagic Cormorants and Heermann's Gull.

also called the pelagic shag FOY

all-black with a metallic iridescence

2 Male 1 Female Surf Scoters

Heermann's Gull FOY

With that, day 1 was in the books. Oh and the 2:30 ferry back to Seattle, is 14.6 miles from the dock, but took 2 hours coming south back into the city, and then in the city traffic.

This puts my #BIGYEAR2014 number at #342 for the year!!

#336  Pelagic Cormorant--10/17   
#337  Pacific Loon
#338  Glaucous-winged Gull
#339  Heermann's Gull
#340  Steller's Jay
#341  Merlin
#342  Rhinoceros Auklet  #557 ABA Lifer