Six avids took on the challenge of finding Ohio’s October rarities on the 15th–searching for such elusive fall migrants as Nelson’s sharp-tailed and Le Conte’s sparrows, wandering kittiwakes, gulls, and jaegers, and any passing rails or raptors, we decided to head for the beaches and marshes of eastern Lake Erie. Knowing with a list like that we would go down as either heroes or chumps, we stepped up to the plate and took a mighty swing.
Starting at Headlands Beach State Park, we chased numerous small sparrows through the dunes, some of which could have been our intended, but with a stiff breeze working against us we were not able to get a positive look at any of the more interesting individuals. Out on the beach we had some excitement in the form of a gull that just didn’t look quite right for an immature ring-billed. Was it an immature California? Well, it didn’t look quite right for that either! Hopefully our pictures and video footage will allow more savvy gull watchers to nail down this ID. We did get a great look at a sharp-shinned hawk carrying its prey over the dunes, and saw our first white-throated sparrows of the year. End result of our first at bat: called foul (fowl?) on the field, but pending further review.
Our next inning was played at Arcola Creek estuary, which was brimming with sparrows. The stiff breeze again played havoc with our attempts to get looks at the birds, and although we did get swamp, white-crowned, and singing white-throated sparrows, we had only tantalizing glimpses of “little brown jobs” that may have been our targets. But we didn’t completely whiff–we had a nice merlin pass overhead, and we heard what struck us as a rather late yellow-billed cuckoo. Fouled out of play, strike two.
The next pitch was a change-up to Rocky River that drew a swing and a miss for our first out. We did have a bit of fun at Bradstreet Landing with a sign posted on the pier that read “Do Not Feed The Birds, It Attracts Vermin.” As the six of us stood there, bins in hand, considering the interpretation of that message, we thought that they may be onto something there.
Our next batter swung at a high fastball at Avon Lake, and was thrown out at first. Finally we tried to finesse a sparrow home run from the tall vegetation of the outfield at Lorain Harbor. After nearly stepping on a skunk, brushing against stinging nettles, and collecting every burr grown this season, most of us had little but sweat and tears to show for our efforts–but not cleanup hitter Troy Shively! Troy managed a fleeting but definitive glance of a Nelson’s sharp-tailed sparrow.
Home run! Birders win! Birders win! And with that we declared victory and headed for the clubhouse.
BOX SCORE: Avids 49 (species), Birds 48 (chuckles from hidden sparrows)
| Raptors: | Merlin Northern harrier Sharp-shinned hawk Turkey vulture American kestrel Red-tailed hawk Osprey |
| Warblers: | Blackpoll Magnolia Yellow-rumped Palm Common yellowthroat |
| Gulls: | Herring Greater black-backed Ring-billed gull sp. (possible California) |
| Wet Birds: | Double-crested cormorant Canada goose Mallard American coot |
| Nearly Wet Birds: | Killdeer Great blue heron Belted kingfisher |
| City Birds: | European starling Rock pigeon House sparrow |
| Country Birds: | American crow Red-winged blackbird Mourning dove Blue jay Northern cardinal |
| Cold Birds: | Dark-eyed junco |
| Warm Birds: | Yellow-billed cuckoo (heard) |
| Sparrows: | White-crowned White-throated Tree Field sparrow sp. (many) Swamp Song Nelson’s sharp-tailed |
| Royal Birds: | Ruby-crowned kinglet Golden-crowned kinglet |
| Other Birds: | Carolina wren Black-capped chickadee American goldfinch American robin |
| Birds Who Looked Hungrily at Our Bats: | Downy woodpecker Red-bellied woodpecker |