October Avids trips tend to focus on the middle stage of fall migration in Ohio, which includes the return of sparrows from northern climes. Of special interest are the “orange” sparrows of the Ammodramus genus, Nelson’s and LeConte’s. After perusing recent bird reports on various social media, websites, and the trusty Ohio Birds listserve, new Avids trip leader Andy Sewell guided the group to Lake Erie, where fallouts had recently been reported and two locations seemed prime for Ammodramus sparrows: Wake Robin trail, part of Mentor Marsh; and the Lorain Impoundment. Sightings of Nelson’s and LeConte’s sparrows from Wake Robin earlier in the week made that location the logical first stop.
Cool temperatures soon gave way to pleasant warmth as the birding began at Wake Robin, with sparrows hopping about the smart weed and sometimes perching up on a fenced-off area, affording most of the group spectacular views of Swamp, Song, Field, and a single bright Nelson’s Sparrow. Other marsh birds included grunting Virginia Rails, Marsh Wrens, and Red-winged Blackbirds. Eastern Phoebes foraged along the marsh edge, and Eastern Bluebirds passed overhead. After an hour or so, warming temperatures appeared to cause the sparrows to head deeper into the marsh, and the group decamped for nearby Headlands Beach State Park, often a good spot for migrant warblers in the bushes leading out to the beach. However, the park was fairly quiet, producing a handful of kinglets (Golden-Crowned and Ruby-Crowned), Hermit Thrushes, a Winter Wren, and a single American Redstart. An unexpected participant in a flock of juncos, White-Throated, and White-crowned Sparrows was a young male Indigo Bunting, barely showing any blue.
Heading west, Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve (formerly known as Dike 14) was the next stop. The location was somewhat quiet, and the Avids explored the mostly empty trails, hoping to kick up some more warblers, thinking especially of Orange-Crowned Warblers. However, the only warblers were a flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers along the outer fence, accompanied by a Brown Creeper. More kinglets were found inside, a few ducks were picked up floating in the nearby marina harbor, and a small mixed flock of sparrows yielded two new sparrow species, Chipping Sparrow and Eastern Towhee. A short discussion about trying for Fish Crows yielded to the decision that identification of the species outside of springtime when only adult crows are present in the area was probably futile, so a short trip to Wendy Park was made, to see if the visiting Brown Pelican (present since late June) was still about. After spending several minutes scoping the breakwall, a grayish lump lifted its head and revealed itself to be the southerner, giving two of our group a new bird for their state lists. Also of note were two Great Black-backed Gulls and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull, which whetted our throats for winter’s gull bounty (although perhaps the temperatures in the high 70s may have added to our enthusiasm, surely to be tempered in later months by freezing winds).
Although the day was getting late, favorable reports from the Lorain Impoundment (and the fact that one of our group still needed a look at a Nelson’s Sparrow that wasn’t flying directly away) made the decision to spend the last hours of daylight there fairly simple. Indeed, the impoundment was hopping with activity, although the Nelson’s Sparrows which were reported earlier were keeping their heads low. Still, sparrows were present in good numbers, including Song, Swamp, Savannah, Field, White-Crowned, White-Throated, and Dark-eyed Juncos. Common Yellowthroat and Palm Warbler added to the meager warbler count for the day, and Kildeer, Semipalmated Plover, and Lesser Yellowlegs added to the equally meager shorebird tally. Still, fantastic looks of Sora and Bobolink in non-breeding plumage pushed any such thoughts of quantity over quality out of our heads. With the light failing and a day of satisfying sparrows behind us, the Avids turned their cars south and headed back home. The trip list for the day follows, and totals an admirable 76 species (including 10 sparrow species), in spite of a lack of migrant warblers and shorebirds.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Brown Pelican
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Virginia Rail
Sora
American Coot
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wilson’s Snipe
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Greater Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Palm Warbler
American Redstart
Common Yellowthroat
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Nelson’s Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow