Date: 7/8/25 4:54 pm From: Douglas Vogus <vogeye...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Ottawa NWR Monthly Census
JULY 06, 2025 - OTTAWA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE MONTHLY CENSUS. ROUTES: East Side, West Side, Western Prairies in the morning; Wildlife Drive in the afternoon. TIME: 7:20am - 11:45am; 12:40am - 2:45pm TIME AFIELD: 7:30 TEMP.: 73F ~ 90F COND.: Warm in the morning, quickly turning hot, humid, muggy and buggy for the rest of the day; sunny all day with breezes from the southwest. OBS. EAST: Jim Reyda, Al & Betty Schlecht. OBS. WEST: Mary Applegate, Katie Clink, Jennifer Kuehn, Donna Kuhn, George Novosel, Chris Pierce, Bob Scheidt, Mark Swelstad, Tony Szilagye, Tracy Wiczer. OBS. WESTERN PRAIRIES & HENRY MARSH: Douglas W. Vogus. OBS. WILDLIFE DRIVE: Jennifer Kuehn, Donna Kuhn, Jim Reyda, Bob Scheidt, Mark Swelstad, Douglas W. Vogus, Tracy Wiczer.
I. MAMMALS: 5 SPECIES, 67 TOTAL. (Recorded since 04/07/2002)
IV. AMPHIBIANS: 3 SPECIES, 14 TOTAL. (Recorded since 04/07/2002)
1. American Bullfrog - 7 2. Green Frog - 6 3. Northern Leopard Frog - 1
V. FISHES: 2 SPECIES, 10 TOTAL. (Recorded since 04/07/2002)
1. Blackstripe Topminnow - 9 (Fourth July Record on Census) 2. Largemouth Bass - 1 (Fourth July Record on Census)
VI. BUTTERFLIES: 11 SPECIES, (1 NEW TO CENSUS), 61 TOTAL. (Recorded since 04/07/2002)
1. Eastern Black Swallowtail - 2 2. Spicebush Swallowtail - 1 (First July Record on Census) 3. Cabbage Butterfly - 29 4. Clouded Sulphur - 2 5. Summer Azure - 2 6. Pearl Crescent - 1 7. Viceroy - 2 8. Northern Pearly Eye - 1 (Second July Record on Census) 9. Monarch - 19 10. Least Skipper - 1 11. European Skipper - 1 (corner of Krause Rd. and Stange Rd. - New Species on Census - currently at 45 Butterfly Species since 04/2002)
VII. MOTHS/CATERPILLARS: 3 SPECIES, (2 NEW TO CENSUS), 14 TOTAL. (Recorded since 04/07/2002)
1. Milkweed Tussock Moth (caterpillar only) - 1 (Third Record on Census & First July Record on Census) 2. Topiary Grass-veneer Moth - 1 (Grimm Prairie - New Species on Census - currently at 21 Moth Species since 04/2002) 3. Fall Webworm Moth (caterpillars only) - 12 (New Species on Census - currently at 22 Moth Species since 04/2002)
VIII. DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES: 9 SPECIES. (Recorded since 05/06/2018)
1. Common Green Darner 2. Halloween Pennant 3. Eastern Pondhawk 4. Widow Skimmer 5. Blue Dasher 6. Wandering Glider (First July Record on Census) 7. Eastern Amberwing 8. Common Whitetail (Fifth July Record on Census) 9. Black Saddlebags
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Date: 7/7/25 3:54 pm From: Sandra Keller <000007a762f332b7-dmarc-request...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Adams county - a Grouse quest
No luck at Lynx Prairie with Grouse. I knew it would be iffy, but I always enjoy
Coming here for wildflowers and butterflies. The grouse have been reported
As flushing off the trail into the woods. The flock was not around when I slowly
Walked the entry trail! This would be an Ohio bird for me. Some year I’ll see!
Lots of stuff still singing. Including Parula and Prairie Warbler. And Parula was
A county bird! Yea!
I hit Adams Lake SP briefly. More for odes. But three Least Sandpipers feeding
In the spillway. County bird!
So we have lots still singing. Baby birds still around. Yet fall is upon us for shorebirds!
I'll be back from vacation in August. Looking forward to spending time in Warren
And Clinton again! That Clinton county Cowan lake spillway should be productive.
I sure hope less water at Spring Valley in Warren……I am missing so much.
Butterfly and ode notes. Slow.
Good birding all.
Sandra Keller
Sent from my iPad mini
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Date: 7/4/25 4:59 am From: Douglas Vogus <vogeye...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Cuyahoga Valley Towpath Census
JULY 03, 2025 - CUYAHOGA VALLEY MONTHLY TOWPATH TRAIL CENSUS. ROUTE: Red Lock Trailhead south to Merriman Valley, with stops at the Peninsula Coffee House and Szalay's Farm & Market. TIME: 6:40am - 4:30pm TIME AFIELD: 9:50 TEMP.: 67F ~ 86F COND.: Warm, muggy, and buggy early; turning sunny, hot, and humid with occasional light breezes. TRAIL COND.: Good, but with many new downed and cleared trees from two rounds of late June storms. RIVER COND.: Slightly above normal and turbid from recent storms. FT. MI.: 14.10 OBS.: John Henry and Douglas W. Vogus.
I. MAMMALS: 6 SPECIES, 58 TOTAL.
1. Eastern Cottontail - 5 2. Eastern Chipmunk - 32 3. Eastern Gray Squirrel - 6 (2 black morph) 4. Red Squirrel - 12 5. Coyote - 1 (First July Record on Census) 6. White-tailed Deer - 2 (doe)
II. BIRDS: 65 SPECIES, 609 TOTAL. *(Lowest July Total Species - tying July of 2015 & Lowest Total Birds - previous was 715 in July of 2024)* (NOTE: m = male; f = female; ? = bird was seen but not sexed; * = bird was heard calling but not sexed)
1. Canada Goose - 20 (8 juvenile) 2. Wood Duck - 21 (12 juvenile m,2f,7 juvenile f) 3. Mourning Dove - 16 4. Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 4 5. Chimney Swift - 5 6. Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 (m) 7. Spotted Sandpiper - 1 8. Green Heron - 4 9. Great Blue Heron - 7 (1 immature) 10. Turkey Vulture - 14 11. Red-tailed Hawk - 2 12. Belted Kingfisher - 3 (2?,1*) 13. Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3 (1f,2*) 14. Downy Woodpecker - 5 (2?,3*) 15. Hairy Woodpecker - 2 (1f,1*) 16. Northern Flicker - 1 (*) 17. Pileated Woodpecker - 3 (1*,2 drumming) 18. Peregrine Falcon - 2 (1m,1 immature f) (male "Trailblazer" with a fresh kill with immature female following him and still begging to be fed) 19. Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 20. Eastern Wood-Pewee - 4 21. Acadian Flycatcher - 5 22. Eastern Phoebe - 4 23. Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 24. Warbling Vireo - 11 25. Red-eyed Vireo - 20 26. Blue Jay - 11 27. American Crow - 13 (2 immature) 28. Black-capped Chickadee - 10 (1 immature) 29. Tufted Titmouse - 13 (1 immature) 30. Tree Swallow - 14 (3 immature) 31. Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 7 32. Barn Swallow - 6 33. Cliff Swallow - 1 (I noticed four - possibly old nests - under the north side of the I-271 bridge above the Towpath Trail. As we continued south I spotted a lone Cliff Swallow flying above the valley and followed it to a nest on the south side of the I-271 bridge, right above the Towpath Trail, and the bird landed on the entrance of the nest hole and appeared to feed some young and then departed. The nest is where the steel girder meets the concrete deck of the bridge where the large rivets are joining each girder. We did have a lone Cliff Swallow here in August of 2024. Assuming the four nests on the north side are old as one was missing the mud used to hold it together at the bottom of the nest structure. Fourth Record on Census & First July Record on Census) 34. Cedar Waxwing - 13 35. White-breasted Nuthatch - 7 (1m,6*) 36. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 1 (*) 37. Carolina Wren - 11 38. Northern House Wren - 1 39. Gray Catbird - 20 40. European Starling - 36 41. Eastern Bluebird - 3 (1?,2*) 42. Veery - 1 43. Wood Thrush - 2 44. American Robin - 37 (1 immature, also1 dead juvenile along trail) 45. House Sparrow - 28 46. House Finch - 6 (1f,5*) 47. American Goldfinch - 15 (4m,1f,1?,9*) 48. Chipping Sparrow - 1 49. Song Sparrow - 35 50. Swamp Sparrow - 12 51. Eastern Towhee - 1 (m) 52. Baltimore Oriole - 2 (m) 53. Red-winged Blackbird - 29 (21m,8f) 54. Brown-headed Cowbird - 5 (2m,3f) 55. Common Grackle - 10 56. Blue-winged Warbler - 1 (m) (Third July Record on Census) 57. Common Yellowthroat - 30 (29m,1*) 58. Hooded Warbler - 6 (m) 59. American Redstart - 3 (2m,1f) 60. Northern Parula - 1 (m) 61. Yellow Warbler - 2 (m) 62. Yellow-throated Warbler - 1 (m) 63. Scarlet Tanager - 2 (1m,1f) 64. Northern Cardinal - 32 (20m,4f,6*,2 juvenile*) 65. Indigo Bunting - 11 (m)
Unidentified Passerines - 8
III. REPTILES: 4 SPECIES, 84 TOTAL.
1. Common Snapping Turtle - 15 2. Midland Painted Turtle - 66 3. Eastern Spiny Softshell - 2 4. Northern Water Snake - 1 (Third July Record on Census)
IV. AMPHIBIANS: 3 SPECIES, 43 TOTAL.
1. Northern Two-lined Salamander - 1 (Third Record on Census & First July Record on Census) 2. American Bullfrog - 2 3. Green Frog - 40 (4 seen,32 heard,4 tadpoles)
V. FISHES: 5 SPECIES, 82 TOTAL.
1. Central Mudminnow - 17 2. Creek Chub - 2 3. Bluntnose Minnow - 21 4. Largemouth Bass - 28 (21 fry) (New Census High - previous was 21 on 08/2017) 5. Bluegill - 14
VI. CRUSTACEANS: 1 SPECIES - DEAD. X. Crayfish - 1
VII. BUTTERFLIES: 12 SPECIES, 51 TOTAL.
1. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - 2 2. Cabbage Butterfly - 32 3. Clouded Sulphur - 2 4. Summer Azure - 1 5. Great Spangled Fritillary - 1 6. Pearl Crescent - 1 7. Question Mark - 1 (Second July Record on Census) 8. Red Admiral - 1 9. Eyed Brown - 6 (Fourth July Record on Census & New Census High - previous was 4 on 07/2017) 10. Appalachian Brown - 1 (Fourth July Record on Census) 11. Monarch - 2 12. Least Skipper - 1 (Fourth July Record on Census)
VIII. MOTHS: 3 SPECIES, (2 NEW TO CENSUS), 4 TOTAL.
1. White-striped Black Moth - 2 (Second Record on Census, Second July Record on Census & New Census High - previous was 1 on 07/2024) 2. Smaller Parasa *(Parasa chloris)* - 1 (New Species on Census - currently at 46 Moth Species since 01/2010) 3. Common Gluphisia *(Gluphisia septentrionis)* - 1 (New Species on Census - currently at 47 Moth Species since 01/2010)
IX. DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES: 15 SPECIES, 241 TOTAL. *(Recorded since 05/2018)*
1. Common Green Darner - 2 (Fifth July Record on Census) 2. Swift River Cruiser - 1 (Fifth Record on Census & Third July Record on Census) 3. Eastern Pondhawk - 5 (Fifth July Record on Census & New Census High - previous was 4 on 07/2019) 4. Slaty Skimmer - 7 (Fifth July Record on Census & New Census High - previous was 6 on 07/2019 & 07/2022) 5. Widow Skimmer - 9 (New Census High - previous was 8 on 07/2022) 6. Twelve-spotted Skimmer - 2 7. Blue Dasher - 111 (New Census High - previous was 63 on 07/2019) 8. Eastern Amberwing - 6 (Fourth July Record on Census & New Census High - previous was 3 on 09/2020 & 07/2024) 9. Common Whitetail - 6 (New Census High - previous was 5 on 07/2018 & 07/2024) 10. Ruby Meadowhawk - 2 11. Black Saddlebags - 4 (Fourth July Record on Census) 12. Ebony Jewelwing - 25 13. Blue-fronted Dancer - 11 14. Blue-tipped Dancer - 42 (New Census High - previous was 14 on 08/2019) 15. Skimming Bluet - 8 (Third July Record on Census)
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Date: 7/1/25 5:59 pm From: Doug Overacker <cdoveracker...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Old American Birds Magazines
I am cleaning out my attic. I have many years of old American Birds magazines and Birding Magazines. If anyone would like some back issues let me know what you are interested in and I will let you know if I have them. I would be willing to ship them to anyone who wants them. I would appreciate being reimbursed for the postage. I have magazines back to the 1980's. If no one wants them I will probably recycle them.
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Date: 6/28/25 2:08 am From: Robert Thorn <robthorn6...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Ohio Valley Rare Birds, June 21-27, 2025 addendum
*Wood Stork* - 1 blew in to Pickerington Ponds OH 6-22, then promptly vanished. There are few other strays north this period, with 1 in Delaware 6-25 the only of note, so this doesn't seem to tie into any mass movement. Just a bird with an itch to travel.
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I had a fair number of woodland species singing. Late morning, hot…..nice
To hear! Thrasher, both tanagers - summer was new for the big year. YB Cuckoo.
Etc. That grass pasture or hay field a couple miles from the caesar creek observation
Tower area looks so good for grasshopper sparrow! Nuttin….the meadowlark show
There was nice! I even put Merlin on it….. here’s another voice duo to be careful
Of - Merlin was saying Nighthawk every time a meadowlark did its call notes!
Joy…..
I hit some other spots for Dickcissel. Still nothing! Striking out with odes still…..
Unless something rare to chase in Warren or Clinton, I am done heading up
That way til August. I will be traveling soon again. And I have stuff to catch up on
Here.
Hopefully migration is in full swing by August! Or at least post breeding
Wanderers. Warren - 149 for the big year. Clinton - 153.
Still missing lots of species!
More Merlin notes - it doesn’t always sense a Mockingbird…….
Good birding all!
Sandra Keller
Sent from my iPad mini
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Yes, it was possible to bird around the Hocking Hills this weekend without being overcome by crowds & heat. The key tricks were (1) get there very early (2) avoid popular spots (ie: Conkle's Hollow, Old Man's Cave), and (3) plan to hit deep shade later in the morning. With that in mind, we hit some obscure areas around the State Forest yesterday (Spruce Run Hollow, Big Cola Swamp, Keister Road, Big Rocky Hollow) and spent today around Clear Creek early (Fern Trail, Creekside Meadows Trail) with a side trip to Alley Park. Still lots of singing in the early morning, but it largely petered out by 11 AM. Notables included:
Raptors - hardly anything beyond vultures, and even they weren't that common Cuckoos - not a one, incredibly. Maybe they headed south looking for cicadas. Woodpeckers - subdued, with few calling or drumming. Pileateds at Spruce Run Hollow and Clear Creek Creekside Meadows Flycatchers - still quite a few calling Pewees and Acadians Vireos - still tons of Red-eyed, but a surprising steady stream of calling White-eyed at many locations. Had singing Blue-headed up Big Rocky Hollow and the Hemlock Trail at Clear Creek Thrushes -- the only Hermits were at the Hemlock Trail and Big Rocky Hollow, while Veeries were in the lowland forest at Clear Creek (both Ferm & Creekside Meadows Trails) Mimids - Catbirds everywhere, but Thrashers also along Fern Trail (ridgetop meadow) and at Alley Park Warblers -- odd distribution, with some birds common some places but absent others. Ovenbirds abundant at most sites, while Hoodeds were also still singing at many sites. Kentuckies were common at several Hocking Hills sites, but scarce at Clear Creek. Redstarts common only at a few sites. Black&Whites and Ceruleans only at Clear Creek, while Pines were only at Hocking Hills. Black-throated Greens still singing in Hemlock groves at both areas. The only Worm-eating was singing along the Fern Trail at Clear Creek, and Blue-winged was near Thomas Cabin at Clear Creek. Sparrows - Towhees everywhere, but otherwise normal numbers of Chipping-Field-Songs Tanagers - Scarlet Tanagers in low numbers, but at many sites. No Summer Tanagers. Grosbeaks - Rose-breasted widespread. Blue Grosbeak singing along Big Cola Road Orioles - Orchard singing along Big Cola Road. Baltimores not heard anywhere
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I didn’t get an early start. I don’t usually on Sunday. It was already
Bad heat wise when I got to Warren county. Around 11:00 or so. I went
Searching for Dickcissels. No success! I hit the ebird spots - most of
Them. One was private, another looked like the habitat completely
Changed, etc. another spot was on a road with traffic. Sigh….. etc. etc.
The field along pence jones rd. At spring valley looks good! Nuttin.
I finally got Blue grosbeak at the Caeser creek tower area. That seemed
Like good habitat, so I tried. And they didn’t call until I started walking out….
Afternoons are going to be tough in this heat!! At least they called!
I am up to 197 life for Warren and 148 for the big year. The grosbeak was
The only new bird today.
My next time up there will have to be early. There’s a grassy field - large -
In a farm area near Caesar creek. Kestrels and meadowlarks. It looks really
Good for grasshopper sparrow! I didn’t see or hear any this afternoon.
I put Merlin on it! Ditto…..
And they didn’t call Ceaser creek spillway - floodplain. I want to explore that.
If that type of area has them at East Fork in Clermont…. Why not Warren!
Ode notes - the usual. I hit a few spots for Dragonhunter. No success!
Good birding all.
Sandra Keller
Sent from my iPad mini
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Date: 6/21/25 5:20 pm From: Sandra Keller <000007a762f332b7-dmarc-request...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] A kite search - Hamilton county
Kroger hills. No success. I keep trying! They must be in the area…… still
Loads of cicadas around for them!
Merlin notes - has helped me with Grasshopper Sparrow. It comes up with
It a lot….. at least in Clinton. I do need to see for myself. Or hear if close.
I have been ignoring at times…… I’ll admit it gets annoying…… oh great -
Another grasshopper sparrow that I can’t hear….. but it would be good to
Get data into ebird. Warren county up next! This species is in decline.
Habitat loss is a huge reason down here in SW Ohio.
Ode notes - it’s a banner year for Prince Baskettails and Widow skimmers!
Good birding all
Sandra Keller
Sent from my iPad mini
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Date: 6/21/25 10:12 am From: Sandra Keller <000007a762f332b7-dmarc-request...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Clinton - grassland birding
I got an early start. Figured I had to beat
The coming heat! Hilling rd had loads of
Dickcissels. All singing! It’s been a great
Week for singing Dickcissels. This bodes
Well for Warren county. I’ll get up there
Either Sunday or Monday. Blue grosbeaks were singing most everywhere I was today. I struck out on
Bobolink here though. So I hit Chaney
Rd. That grassland farm field area is
A haul from my house. Success! Took
Awhile, but finally had 2. Singing.
And more dickcissels! The Grosbeak
And bobolinks were new for Clinton life.
And the big year obviously!
In between these spots I hit the
Culberson woods preserve. I still need
Kentucky warbler for Clinton. That
Place looks great! A swamp. That is
Supposed to be mostly dry in the
Summer. Not this year…… I hit one
Flooded section of the trail. And
Couldn’t go any further. Oh well!
If I get time, I’ll put my knee high boots
On and try again. A new boardwalk
Is being built there. I have a feeling
A long way from completion.
Good birding all. I had a noon time
Errand so came home. If I head out
Again - for odes - it will be local.
Sandra Keller
Sent from my iPhone
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Date: 6/18/25 2:20 pm From: Sandra Keller <000007a762f332b7-dmarc-request...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Pewee - my yard - Hamilton county
That’s a great bird for my yard! In fact a yard bird! I walked out this morning
To head to Kentucky for some birding. And it was singing! I am getting other
Reports of out of place birds. I believe post and or failed breeding dispersal.
Good birding all.
Sandra Keller
Sent from my iPad mini
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