Date: 10/26/24 12:46 am From: Robert Thorn <robthorn6...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Inland Rare Birds, Oct 19-25
Not all of late migration is evenly interesting; there are good stretches
and there are lulls. Right now, we seem to be in one of the latter. Most of
our rarities are hold-overs, and late temperate migrants seem to be slow in
appearing. Keep your eyes and ears open around lakes and wetlands, as
that’s where much of the action seems to be currently.
Snow Goose – multiple records around Chicago and even downstate IL, along
with the western basin of Lake Erie. Eastern strays reached Funk Bottoms OH
10-19 and Pymatuning Lake PA 10-20
Ross’s Goose – the Yorkville IL bird hung around thru 10-24, while another
was downstate at Horseshoe Lake St.Park IL 10-22. The only eastern stray
was at the Port Clinton OH lakeshore 10-19
Gr.White-fronted Goose – lots of records in IL and western KY, but very few
east of IN: Sandusky OH 10-19, Mansfield OH 10-21, and near Washington PA
10-21
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks – the Wooster OH flocks still continue to be
seen thru 10-19 at one site and 10-24 at the other (Secrest Arboretum).
Goose Pond FWA IN had 1-4 lingering thru 10-24, while Cahokia Mounds Park
in E.St.Louis had 1 on 10-23
*Mottled Duck* – the bird at Lake Springfield IL was relocated and
photographed 10-21.
Surf Scoter – multiple birds along the Lake Michigan and Lake Erie shores;
the most reliable spot in the former appears to be the Gary IN lakefront
(thru 10-24), while the latter had multiple reliable sites (Rocky River
Park and Headlands Beach in OH, Presque Isle St.Park in PA). No inland
strays this week.
White-winged Scoter – two records on south Lake Michigan (Chicago lakefront
10-19, New Buffalo Beach MI 10-20), while there are multiple sightings
along the central basin of Lake Erie (from Headlands Beach east to Presque
Isle, all around 10-23 & 24)
Black Scoter – the Gary IN lakeshore had a group of 2-3 on 10-23, while
Presque Isle St.Park PA had 1 on the same date.
Long-tailed Duck – Lake Erie had birds at Toledo (Cullen Park) 10-23,
Headlands Beach OH 10-23, and Presque Isle St.Park PA 10-23. Lake Michigan
had a bird at the Gary IN lakeshore 10-23.
Red-necked Grebe – the bird at Saganashkee Slough on the SW side of Chicago
persisted thru 10-19, while new birds appeared at the Gary IN lakeshore
10-23 and Presque Isle St.Park PA 10-21&23
Eared Grebe – none in our area, but 1 was along the Lake Huron shoreline
east of Sarnia Ontario 10-19, so they could be here
Common Nighthawk – after a flurry of early October reports across the
region, a bird at Marysville OH 10-21 was really lollygagging.
Rufous Hummingbird – the bird in Spring Mills PA (near State College) was
seen thru 10-23.
*Yellow Rail *– the bird at Funk Bottoms WA OH was seen thru 10-19 by
multiple observers, while a new record popped up at Goose lake Prarie SNP
IL 10-20
American Avocets – late stragglers were at Grand lake St.Mary OH 10-20,
Oxbow Preserve IN (W of Cincinnati) 10-20 thru 22, and Eagle Creek Park
(Indianapolis) IN 10-23
American Golden Plover – fewer sightings, but still found in multiple sites
in OH, IN, IL thru 10-23
Sanderling – big drop-off in sightings, with the only recent reports from
East Harbor St.Park (near Sandusky) OH thru 10-20 and the Gary IN lakeshore
thru 10-22
Baird’s Sandpiper – late stragglers were at Norwalk OH Reservoir 10-23 and
the Princeville IL irrigation lagoons 10-23.
White-rumped Sandpiper – late stragglers were in northern OH at LaDue
Reservoir 10-20&22 and Walborn Reservoir 10-21
Ruddy Turnstone – the only recent bird was 1 inland at Hoover Reservoir OH
10-19 thru 24
Phalaropes – none of any species this period, or even that close to us;
their migration appears done.
Parasitic Jaeger – nothing this past week in our area
Laughing Gull – 1 was seen by multiple observers at Buckeye lake OH 10-20
Franklin’s Gull – multiple stragglers in IL, at expected places (Emiquon
NWR, Horseshoe Lake St.Park, Carlyle Lake, Crab Orchard NWR). Further east,
birds were still at Eagle Creek Park (Indianapolis) IN thru 10-24,
Brookville Lake IN 10-19&21,and Buckeye Lake OH thru 10-22
Lesser Black-backed Gulls – many reports from Lakes Erie & Michigan.
Inland, sightings widespread in the west: Peoria IL thru 10-21, Lake
Springfield IL 10-24, Brookville Lake IN thru 10-21, and Kentucky lake KY
10-25. In the east they were at Sunrise Metropark (Dayton) OH 10-21 and
Lake Cable (Canton) OH 10-24&25.
Iceland Gull – a small pulse of Thayer’s form hit on 10-18, with sightings
on Lake Michigan pelagic trips and landfills in Rockford IL and near Canton
OH
Little Gull – none in our area this cycle, but Ontario still had them at
several spots along the Lake Erie shore
Common Terns – at the very end of their seasonal tenure, birds were last
seen at the Gary IN lakeshore 10-23, several sites around the western basin
of Lake Erie 10-20, and Presque Isle St.Park PA 10-20
Red-throated Loon – the first birds are starting to seep through, with 6 on
a Lake Michigan pelagic trip 10-24, and singles off the Lake County shore
in OH 10-23&24
Neotropic Cormorant – no recent report from our area, but the bird up at
Lake St.Clair MetroPark (N of Detroit) MI was re-found 10-19
American White Pelican – still migrating or wandering. Lots of sightings in
IL & IN; most OH sightings in Western Basin of Lake Erie. Big flocks at
Ottawa NWR, and Holiday Beach hawkwatch in Ontario had 300 – 600 birds on
days from 10-20 thru 24
Little Blue Heron – last ones this season were in southern IN and western
KY back on 10-12
Snowy Egret –none in our area this past week, so they are likely all south
of us now
W. Cattle Egret – 1 was at Acton Lake (N of Cincinnati) OH 10-23, while
another was at the Fermilab fields (W of Chicago) IL 10-25
*Plegadis** Ibis* – 2 White-faced ibis were at Cahokia Mounds Park
(E.St.Louis) IL 10-23
*Swainson’s Hawk* – 1 was counted at the Fort Sheridan IL hawkwatch 10-23
Golden Eagle – 1 was photographed at Great Council St.Park (Xenia) OH
10-23; timing is concordant with hawkwatches seeing them at Lake Erie
MetroPark MI 10-23 and a startling 5 at Holiday Beach Ontario 10-24.
Rough-legged Hawk – multiple birds were around the Chicago area from 10-22
thru 25; the western basin of lake Erie also had multiple sightings between
those same dates, including 5 at Holiday Beach Ontario 10-24
*S**cissor-tailed Flycatcher* – surprising was 1 at the Fort Sheridan
IL hawkwatch
10-23; further north, the bird at Ludington MI was last found 10-20
*Vermilion Flycatcher* – a bird was at Goose Pond FWA IN 10-21 thru 24
Western Kingbird – none was found in our area this past week
Eastern Kingbird – a very late bird was at Elkhart IN 10-19
Cliff Swallows – 3 late birds were at the Findlay OH Reservoirs 10-20
Loggerhead Shrike – the bird near Glasgow KY was relocated 10-20
*Northern Shrike* – a trio of sightings north of Chicago between 10-24 &
25: Illinois Beach St.Park, Winthrop Marina, and Trumpet St. Marsh. None in
the east yet, but 1 was just north of us at Lake St.Clair MetroPark MI 10-19
Black-billed Magpie – none in our area yet
Fish Crow – multiple sightings in southern IL & western KY, but the
long-time outliers are still around: 1 at Eagle Creek Park (Indianapolis)
thru 10-24, 1 at New Buffalo Beach (Lake Michigan) MI 10-21, and a small
flock in north Akron OH 10-19
Common Raven – inching eastward in Ohio, birds were seen in the Stark
County landfill 10-18 and nearby Beach City Wildlife Area 10-21, while
another had wandered to the Lakewood OH lakeshore 10-23
Warbling Vireo – usually an early migrant, but a flurry of early October
reports have been followed by very late birds at Lexington KY 10-19 and
Eagle Creek Park (Indianapolis) 10-20.
Sedge Wren – still many reports, mostly from northern & central IL. In
Indiana, birds have been reliable at Eagle Creek Park (Indianapolis) thru
10-19, and Goose Pond FWA thru 10-24, while in Ohio the latest birds were
at Fernald Preserve 10-19, Huffman Prairie (Dayton) 10-19, and Great
Council St.Park 10-20&21
Townsend’s Solitaire – none in our area yet
*Sage Thrasher* – the celebrity bird was still being seen at Hidden Lake
Forest Pres. IL thru 10-24
Pine Siskin – reported all over the area, save the mountainous regions of
eastern KY & WV
Red Crossbill – more strays now, with reports in the east from Baltic OH
10-19 thru 21, Pleasant Hill Lake OH 10-18&20, and Waterloo St.Forest (W of
Athens) OH 10-21&22
Evening Grosbeak – none in our area yet, but a trio of recent reports from
the Finger Lakes region of NY gives one hope.
*Snow Bunting* – multiple reports from the beaches of Lake Erie, all
between 10-24 & 25, but the only Lake Michigan report was at Illinois Beach
St.Park 10-22
Lapland Longspur – multiple reports around Chicago, where the most reliable
spots appear to be the lakeshore and Greene Valley. Lake Erie birds were
mostly in the central basin: Mentor Marsh OH 10-22, Headlands Beach 10-25,
Geneva 10-24, and Presque Isle St.Park PA 10-24. Inland birds were in OH
and scarce: Funk Bottoms 10-19, near Delaware 10-19, and Williams County
10-21.
*Chestnut-collared Longspur* – 1 gathered a lot of attention at a Chicago
lakeshore park 10-22, but sadly didn’t tarry long.
Clay-colored Sparrow – stragglers now, with most birds around the Chicago
lakeshore: Montrose Point thru 10-23, other lakeshore parks 10-23 thru 25.
Few reports from east or south, save a lone bird in SW Indianapolis 10-20
Henslow’s Sparrow – bottom fell out, with no reports from our area, save
one just off the edge at Columbia Bottoms MO 10-22
*LeConte’s Sparrow *– numbers down, but still multiple sightings in
Chicagoland area thru 10-23, plus eastern outliers still at Funk
Bottoms Wildlife
Area OH thru 10-23 and Goose Pond FWA IN thru 10-22.
*Nelson’s Sparrow* – shifting migration, with birds now mostly along
Chicago lakeshore (Montrose Point & other parks thru 10-23) plus an outlier
at Muirhead Springs For.Pres. thru 10-24. Indiana had birds at Prairie
Border Preserve 10-23 and Goose Pond FWA thru 10-25, while Ohio had birds
at Coliseum Grasslands (near Cleveland) 10-19, Funk Bottoms WA 10-19 thru
21, and Lorain Impoundment 10-22. Even West Virginia got in on the fun with
a bird at Apple Grove Fish hatchery 10-19&20
*H**arris’s Sparrow* – loads of sightings along the Chicago lakeshore and
Indiana Dunes, with an outlier at Goose Lake Prairie SNP, all thru 10-23 &
24. Nothing currently further south or east.
*S**potted Towhee* – 1 was at Fermilab Pres. IL 10-25, while another was in
a St.Louis MO park 10-24
Brewer’s Blackbirds – the only records were in northern IL: at the Gridley
IL Sewage treatment plant 10-20, Songbird Slough For.Pres. 10-19, and
Muirhead Springs For.Pres. 10-21
Yellow-headed Blackbirds – none reported from our area, though there are
still multiple records from the Great Plains, so keep an eye out for them
Great-tailed Grackle – none reported from our area, but still recent
records from western Iowa, so stay alert for them
Western Meadowlark – the bird at Greene Valley IL was still seen 10-23,
while another was found at a park along the Chicago lakeshore thru 10-23
Baltimore Oriole – often has lingerers; 1 straggler was in a yard just S of
Pittsburgh PA 10-23
Northern Parula – a spate of late records, with 9 different sightings
across the region this period
Yellow Warbler – an exceptionally late bird was on Lake Erie at Painesville
OH 10-19
Prairie Warbler – a very late bird was at Elkhart IN 10-20
Kentucky Warbler – a very late bird was lingering around Lake Charleston IL
10-23
Blue Grosbeak – the bird at Goose Pond FWA IN was relocated 10-22 & 23
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks – sightings tapering off and trending south, with
birds near Clarion PA 10-19, Muscatatuck NWR IN 10-20, Beckley Creek park
(SE of Louisville) KY 10-20, Blue Licks Battlefield Park KY 10-22, Elkhart
IN 10-19 thru 22, and near Pulaski KY 10-23.
Dickcissels – stragglers now, all in or near southern IL: Kaskaskia Island
10-19, Riverlands Sanctuary MO 10-20, and Funks Grove (SW of Bloomington)
10-19&25
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