By Angelika Nelson, local coordinator Climate Watch
We had a great start to Audubon’s newest citizen science project Climate Watch. Volunteers surveyed 14 areas for White- and Red-breasted Nuthatches during the period of January 15 and February 15. Volunteers reported White-breasted Nuthatch from almost every location with a maximum of 14 individuals of this species in the Clintonville area. Only one observer found a Red-breasted Nuthatch. This year does not seem to be an irruptive year for this species, very few birds have been reported on birding lists overall. Here are some more detailed results:
| Location | date | start time | WBNU | RBNU | observer | |
| Calamus swamp | 19-Jan | 9:10 | 1 | 0 | Linda Benner, Blaine Keckley | |
| Scioto Grove | 3-Feb | 9:45 | 2 | 0 | Linda Benner, Lori Patterson | |
| Walnut Woods | 2-Feb | 9:47 | 0 | 0 | Linda Benner, Lori Patterson | |
| Battelle Darby Creek | 11-Feb | 8:30 | 3 | 1 | Chris Rupp, Maggie Hamer | |
| Green Lawn cemetery | 3-Feb | 9:15 | 9 | 0 | Marti Heyman, Jeralyn Felts | |
| Hilliard | 10-Feb | 9:10 | 13 | 0 | Susan Brauning, Penelope Reighart | |
| OSU campus | 21-Jan | 14:58 | 2 | 0 | OSU students: Doug Whitman, Kandace Glanville, Kevin Pero, Tyler Ficker | |
| Blacklick Woods | 9-Feb | 11:00 | 3 | 1 | Brian Will | |
| Kiwanis, Griggs reservoir | 26-Jan | 11:32 | 2 | 0 | Susan Brauning, Penelope Reighart | |
| Clintonville | 9-Feb | 8:05 | 14 | 0 | Matt Shumar | |
| Blendon Woods | 9-Feb | 12:49 | 8 | 0 | Gerry Breevort, Julie Iven | |
| Hoover reservoir | 29-Jan | 13:00 | 3 | 0 | Hilary Hirtle | |
THANK YOU to all our volunteer observers!
The next count period will be May 15 through June 15, 2018; if you are interested in joining the fun and counting nuthatches or bluebirds, please contact Angelika ([email protected]).