February is a tricky month for birding in Ohio, and late February is the worst time of the month in some ways. By now, the gull season is winding down but the northward movement of waterfowl might scarcely be underway. Some of the species wintering in our latitudes already are starting to work their way north, potentially leaving voids in our month’s list. Indeed, the “big day” record for February in Ohio is a rather paltry 87; nothing compared to the numbers that are bagged easily only a few short weeks later in the year.
It’s just as tricky for birders deciding where to look. By now, those who are interested in finding gulls usually have succeeded, with multiple December, January, and even early February trips to the Cleveland area lakefront under their belts. Yet another jaunt to Lake Erie seems superfluous. Open water for ducks and such can be in short supply, depending on recent weather patterns, and blustery days may drive smaller terrestrial species well into the cover of trees, brush, and grasses, making them impossible to see.
The Avids leadership weighed these factors, debating the finer points of avian distribution and Ohio geography and climate through Friday evening, finally developing a plan to take us to less frequently explored but high-potential parts of the state. When our small group met on a very cold and very windy Saturday morning, though, we assessed our chances (given the inhospitable weather), took stock of our avidity in the face of numbing cold and pervasive winter fatigue, and promptly formulated a new plan that would keep us closer to home.
We started the day at Killdeer Plains, hoping for open water and gatherings of raptors. We found the water, although it was inhabited mostly by Canada geese. We also found plenty of raptors, but most were of the harrier persuasion. We searched in vain for short-eared owls, and a quick check of a few promising trees revealed no long-eared owls. Big Island Wildlife Area produced little more.
The excitement picked up when we headed for the Delaware Reservoir where a Ross’s goose had been reported. Alas, no Ross’s was to be had among the hundreds of Canada geese in a pond below the dike. Still, a nice assortment of waterfowl was on hand.
We then worked our way down Hoover Reservoir, where we found remarkably few waterfowl. The comings and goings of ducks often are a mystery: who knows where the dozen or so duck species that had been there a couple of days ago had gone? However, our searching was rewarded in a different way with close-up looks at an adult black-legged kittiwake just above the dam.
While celebrating our kittiwake find, we received a call alerting us to the presence of the Ross’s goose back at the Delaware Wildlife Area. Naturally, the bird was found on the lake directly across the road from where we had been searching – if we had simply turned around, would we have seen it? After a moment’s hesitation, we realized that this was a challenge from the birding deities so away we went, back to Delaware. Arriving at our previous stop, we were distressed to find that the bird no longer was where it had been reported. Moreover, it was not in the location that we had searched originally. Hanging our heads in despair, we stopped at a small pull-off just around the curve to survey the situation once more. Wait, what was this? – a white bird! Scopes were set up just in time to confirm the ID before the Ross’s goose disappeared completely behind a group of much larger Canada geese. (Fortunately, it wandered out into the open again a few minutes later to afford good looks to everyone.) Reveling in the knowledge that we had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, we headed home with a short but high-quality list of species seen.
Ross’ Goose
Canada Goose
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Canvasback
Redhead
Lesser Scaup
Ring-necked Duckmour
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Wild Turkey
Black-legged Kittiwake
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Horned Lark
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Carolina Chickadee
Blue Jay
American Crow
American Tree Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
European Starling
Lapland Longspur
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
House Sparrow