Lake Erie

November 10 2012

8:00 am; Old Woman's Creek

We started off our Lake Erie field trip on the backyard beach of our lake house.  The first birds sighted were five Ring-Billed Gulls sitting on the shoreline, one of which shrieked a plaintiff call.  An immature Herring Gull joined them.  Kyle saw an immature Bald Eagle flying towards the group and then going fishing.  Ruddy Ducks, Canada Geese, and Horned Grebes were all spotted in the water, and Mallards flew overhead.  In the trees nearby, Miles noticed a Dark-eyed Junco and a Red-Bellied Woodpecker.

8:40 am; Huron Pier

  We illegally parked at the Huron pier and took a look around near the van along the shore.  Miles immediately pointed out American Goldfinches in a small tree right next to the van.    A classmate and I noticed, in a bush, finches with a red upper chest with brown stripes on a white belly, which we determined to be House Finches. We peered out into the lake and noticed a large group of various species floating in the water; Hooded Mergansers, Canada Geese, and Mallards.  Unfortunately, we soon realized that they were decoys... the lack of movement tipped us off.    Immature Herring Gulls, an immature Sabone Gull, and Ring-Billed Gulls were soon noticed floating near the shoreline.  A Double-Crested Cormorant flew in the distance, whose silhouette is easily noticeable to our class at this point.

Our first true diagnostic moment as a class was a Merganser; was it a Common or Red-Breasted?  We used the scope to get a better view of its field marks, and noticed a brownish-red head that blended into its white and grey chest.  We determined that it was a Red-breasted Merganser, considering Common Mergansers' reddish head coloration is starkly contrasted with a white collar.  Also, the Red-breasted Merganser had feathers on the back of the head sticking straight out.

10:15; Sheldon Marsh

 

Sheldon Marsh was a beautiful hiking trail that eventually led to a beach spot.  As we piled out of the van and headed to the trail, we heard calls of a Northern Cardinal, a Blue Jay, and a White-Throated Sparrow.  We came upon a pond and noticed a Great Blue Heron, which almost immediately took of in an opposite direction.  Rusty Blackbirds and American Robins were spotted flitting through the trees across the pond.  Kaili and I wanted to go chase down a Northern Cardinal that we noticed for my research project, so we headed away from the group and onto another trail.  This led us to a cornfield, and we decided to take a look around because a Bald Eagle was spotted earlier in the area.  Lo and behold, we spotted an eagle perching on a branch about 15 feet above us (whose picture I attempted to snag above).  It took off immediately, and a juvenile followed along behind it.  The rest of the class eventually joined us, and the eagles were spotted again flying in the distance.  

On our way to meet up with the rest of the class, we spotted White-Breasted Nuthatches (shown on right).  These birds, in Deb's words, are "so cute!" and are in my top three favorite birds seen on the trip.  A Red-bellied Woodpecker was also noticed, along with a Tufted Titmouse, a Northern Flicker, and two Downy Woodpeckers.  We walked upon the rest of our class, who was gathered around looking at an Immature Cooper's Hawk.  This moment was a great highlight of our trip; we had a close-up view of a raptor, my favorite type of bird, in addition to viewing it in flight.  Once we arrived at the beach spot, we saw more Ring-Billed Gulls and Pied-Billed Grebes, who were doing their characteristic "grebeing" behavior, along with a few Buffleheads.

1:45 pm; Pickerel Creek

Ryan, an Ohio University Ornithology alumni, suggested this area for some of the interesting aves he's seen in the past.  However, there wasn't much activity other than Blackbirds, Grebes, large flocks of Starlings, and a Red-Tailed Hawk.

 

*During our drive to the next destination, we saw an absolutely gigantic Bald Eagle flying directly above the car.

2:30 pm; West Harbor State Park

The first birds we noticed upon arrival at West Harbor State Park were a group of swans, which were determined to be Mute Swans due to their black-knobbed orange bills. Killdeer, Mallards, and Pied-Billed Grebes were spread out over a pond area close by.  In this same area, there were about 70 Great Blue Herons!  A Cormorant was spotted flying overhead, along with a couple of Bald Eagles perching in distant trees.

3:30 pm; East Harbor State Park
A fellow birder stopped us right as we got out of the van, and gave us some tips on areas in the park where interesting birds were spotted.  While we were at the shore front checking out some Ring-Billed Gulls, Ruddy Ducks, and Great Scaup, the birder came upon us yet again and excitedly informed us of a Great Black-Backed Gull (shown right) about a mile down the shore.  We headed that way and eventually spotted the bird among more Ring-Billed Gulls.  The Great Black-Backed Gull was immediately noticeable due to its solid black coloration and rather large size.  Blue Herons were seen flying, along with some Ruby-Crowned Kinglets and Downy Woodpeckers in nearby trees.  Satisfied with the variety of species we encountered, we called it a day and went to go get some ice cream.

November 11 2012

8:50 am; Old Woman's Creek Reserve

This area was fairly quiet at first; just a few Tufted Titmice and House Sparrows at a birdfeeder.  We made our way through the trail towards the lookout area (seen above), where we saw a Great Blue Heron perching, an American Crow, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Northern Flicker, and a Red-Tailed Hawk. 

Back on the trail, we heard the cry of a Blue Jay, who we spotted a few moments later.  An American Tree Sparrow (left) was seen, whose field marks of a small brown spot on the chest, reddish brown cap, black upper bill and yellowish lower bill set it apart from the rest of sparrows.  Some classmates noticed a warbler in nearby brush, but it was difficult to determine the specie.  Our guess was a "butterbutt", or Yellow-Rumped Warbler.  More White-Breasted Nuthatches and Northern Cardinals were also abundant in this area.  Finally, we spotted a Hairy Woodpecker, a new species for the class.  Some of us had trouble distinguishing male Hairies from female Downies; both are black and white with red on the back of the head.  The key difference is beak size; Hairy Woodpeckers' beaks are nearly the same length as the head, while Downy Woodpeckers have small beaks (below).
    Downy Woodpecker                                                                             Hairy Woodpecker

10:52 am; Ottowa National Wildlife Refuge

A Rough-Legged Hawk was spotted and identified by Deb on the drive into the Wildlife Refuge.  As Kaylee and I were waiting to use the bathroom, we spotted two Red-Tailed Hawks strengthening their pair bond.  Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Red-Winged Blackbirds, and Great Blue Herons were also present. 



 Ottowa Cosway

Two ladies flagged our group down and informed us that two Sandhill Cranes (right) were seen along the cosway.  We investigated and spotted the birds among Canada Geese.  Killdeer were seen along the water, and Kaylee heard the call of a Belted Kingfisher.  




 
We left the cosway and headed onto the dyke, leading to a pond and marsh area.  This was my favorite area of the trip, as it was for many of my classmates.  On the walk, we noticed a juvenile Rough-Legged Hawk and Rusty Blackbirds.  Once we got a good view of the pond, we stopped and took a look at some swans through the scope (below).  The black bills tipped us off that these were indeed Trumpeter Swans.  On the walk back, we noticed a gathering of dabbling ducks and identified them, with the help of Miles, to be American Wigeons.  A Peregrine Falcon flew right above our heads, followed by two Bald Eagles.

South Carolina

Birds I Hoped To See
Reddish Egret
Tri-colored Heron
Brown Pelican
Boat-tailed Grackle
Bald Eagle
Osprey
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Purple Martin
Painted Bunting
Glossy Ibis


October 19th 2012

9:10am : McClellanville, SC.  Service Rd 211
 We began our journey looking for woodpeckers off of a road nearby our campsite at Francis-Marion National Forest.  We trudged through tall grasses, searching for trunks of trees with a white mark.  The mark signifies an active woodpecker nest.  The first bird spotted was a Red Cockaded Woodpecker, and three more appeared during our visit.  Two Brown-headed Nuthatches were next to be found, which was particularly exciting for me because I had been hoping to spot one on the trip.  Deb was also very pleased with seeing these birds, especially since they're "so cute".  Other birds spotted include the Red Bellied Woodpecker, Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and a Cooper's Hawk.  A Carolina Wren was heard by Dr. Miles, who pointed it out to the rest of us.

10:20am
South Tibwin, a hiking site, was our next destination.  We spotted birds in the trees along the pathway as we were walking to the lookout spot.  These included a Carolina Chickadee, Sparrows, Hooded Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and three Turkey Vultures.  These are distinct from Black Vultures by a red head and a lack of white on the wings.  We saw one more woodpecker, but had trouble identifying it due to lack of visibility.  It looked like a Hairy Woodpecker to me, based on the contrasted black and white with red on the back of the head and large bill.
Once we got to the lookout, we immediately noticed a Great Blue Heron and a Little Blue Heron.  A male Kingfisher was spotted (females have a rusty brown coloration on the chest).  A Double-crested cormorant was spotted perching on a sign.  It didn't seem to mind us moving up very close to it.  After perching for about ten minutes, it started going swimming and fishing, which was great to watch.  From our new viewing spot, I noticed a Tri-colored Heron in the distance, which was one of the major highlights of the trip.  These birds are mostly found along the coast, so I was really hoping to see one.  It was joined by a couple of Great Egrets and Snowy Egrets.  Snowy Egrets are smaller, with a bill bill and yellow feet while the Great Egret has a yellow bill and black feet.  An immature Bald Eagle was spotted, which was lacking the characteristic white head and tail of the adults.  A Falcon and a Willet were spotted shortly after.

2:54
After a short lunch break, we departed for the Seewee Visitor Center.  There we saw two Black Vultures, two more immature Bald Eagles, and Red Cardinals.  We watched a Pied-Billed Grebe for awhile, which was diving for fish.  We were hoping to see a Painted Bunting near the Visitor Center, but were unsuccessful.

4:20 Cape Romaine
At Garris Landing, I identified a Laughing Gull, named for its distinctive call.  Its nonbreeding field marks are a pale head and black beak, along with black wing tips.  I also identified a Forster's Tern by the black mask, black beak, and white wing tips.  A Boat-tailed Grackle was spotted, which is a very large blackbird with beautiful purple coloration on the chest.  This bird is localized on the East Coast, so it was a notable find.  The loud dry rattle of a Belted Kingfisher was heard coming from the dense trees.  Red-winged Blackbirds, Wood Storks, and Snowy/Great Egrets were spotted.  A Cormorant was seen flying above, and then perching on a stick in the water.  At Sea Palm Island, we saw more Boat-tailed Grackles and Laughing Gulls, along with Sanderlings scavenging at the water's edge

October 20th, 2012
Huntington State Park

9:40am: The Cosway
From the edge of the street, we had a great view of the pond area surrounding us.  The first birds spotted were the obvious Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, Wood Storks, and Egrets.  A group of White Ibises were spotted wading through the shallow water.  An Anhinga was spotted perching on a branch in the water, to the delight of all of us.  This was a bird that was on most of our lists of birds we hoped to see.  We got a great view of it basking through the scope.  I spotted a tern with a reddish beak, which meant it had to either be a Royal Tern or a Caspian.  The bird in question had a greyish head and lacked the black mask, so I determined it was a Capsian Tern.  A Purple Martin and Green-winged Teals were also seen.  There were plenty of swallows around, so I had some practice distinguishing between species.  I determined that Bank Swallows, Rough Winged Swallows, and Nelson Swallows were present.  Many Song Sparrows were also flying above.  An osprey flew past us and into the trees to perch, which we got a great view of through the scope.  During this, we also noticed an immature Bald Eagle perching a few trees over.  Later, we saw an immature Bald Eagle flying with an adult, which was our first view of the characteristic adult Bald Eagle plumage.  It flew very close, so we all got a great view.

10:30: The Boardwalk
This was one of  my favorite destinations.  From our view on the boardwalk, we were able to see ground birds close up while also getting great views of large soaring birds.  Dr. Miles pointed out a Clapper Rail walking in the grass line just a couple feet away from us.  As usual, we noticed Egrets, Herons, and Turkey Vultures.  The Cormorant that we spotted on the Cosway was still perching on the branch in the water.  Another Cormorant was perched a few feet away from us on a sign in the water, apparently taking a nap in the sun.  One of the best birding moments of the trip occurred here; a Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, and Red-tailed Hawk were flying around together right above our heads.  We also spent some time watching an Osprey attempting to fish.  It soared overhead and then plunged down toward the water, but was not successful any of the 7 times.  Another Tri-colored Heron was spotted, nearby a male Belted Kingfisher perching on a sign.

12:35 Kerrigan Nature Trail
The Nature Trail brought us to a covered overlook spot.  I spent the majority of the time searching the sky for large soaring birds.  An Osprey showed up, attempting to fish.  We got some great views of the Osprey diving, but yet again, it was never successful.   A male Belted Kingfisher was also seen hovering and fishing.  More Pied-billed Grebes were seen doing their characteristic bobbing and fishing.  A large group of Wood Storks were seen on the other side of the water.

1:20 Sandpiper Pond
This was a lookout spot over a small pond near the beach.  A Common Moor Hen, Belted Kingfisher, Great Egret, Tree Swallows, TUVUs, and a sneaky Pied-billed Grebe were spotted.

3:00 Jetti
This was a long stretch of concrete along the coast, leading to a more private beach area.  Along the way, we noticed TUVUs and Caspian Terns.  We spotted Brown Pelicans from afar, and started heading their way.  Once we got to the destination, we joined a group of birdwatchers.  One of them immediately informed us that there was a Reddish Egret, which was extremely exciting.  It was about 100 feet away, walking through tall grasses on the beach.  We all got the chance to see a fantastic view of it through the scope.  This is a beautiful bird with a pinkish beak with a black tip, loose-feathered purplish plumage with red towards the chest and head.  After checking out some Black Skimmers, we headed back to the main beach to practice our basking and Grebe-ing behaviors.


This was an extremely successful trip in many ways.  I saw nearly all of the birds that I wanted to, with the exception of a Glossy Ibis and a Painted Bunting.  I had two full days of practicing using field marks and my field guide to identify birds.  Having trips and experiences like this are essential for this this kind of class; simply looking at models and pictures in class leaves out so much of what Ornithology and bird watching are all about.  Great company, beautiful surroundings, and some radical aves added up to a wonderful weekend.

The Ridges

The Ridges
Athens, OH 45701
September 8, 2012

 7:30am
Weather conditions were not promising when we first arrived at the loading dock.  At about 20 degrees Celsius, rain was falling on and off with a grey overcast.  The overcast becomes a problem when trying to discern detail both with the naked eye and with binoculars.  Yet, we clamored into the bus and headed toward the Hocking River.  We stopped in two different spots along the river adjacent to Richland Bridge.

8:00am
At the first stop, we immediately spotted 3 killdeer on the sand bar in the middle of the river.  These were immediately recognizable to me due to the black stripes on the upper breast heavily contrasted by the white feathers around it.  Soon after, a green heron was spotted nearby the killdeer.  A classmate spotted one great blue heron down on the opposite side of the river.  The heron didn't seem to move throughout the duration of our stay; he was sitting on a sand bar.  We moved about a quarter mile down the river in the opposite direction of the heron and noticed one spotted sandpiper.  This bird is recognizable by its characteristic pumping of the tail upwards and downwards constantly.  There were a flock of about 7 morning doves flying above us at one point, but it was difficult for me to get a good view of them through the binoculars.  Two more great blue herons were on a sand bar, but almost immediately flew off further down the river.  Finally, we noticed a blue jay flying right before we left the location.

8:15
We arrived at the cemetery at the Ridges.  The first animals we noticed were deer; there were about 5 of them on the edge of the woods.   We noticed two American robins in the trees towards the edge of the cemetery.  After moving closer down to the pond area, we had much more success.  We saw Carolina chickadees, nothern male cardinals, and a black footed green warbler.  There were a few downy woodpeckers.  These are distinct from piliated wood peckers because they have a smaller beak.  We also noticed juvenile east blue birds that were molting out of their juvenile plumage.  The silhouette is characterized by wings extended and a fanned tail.  The most exciting bird for me to see was the red bellied wood pecker, characterized by a red crown.  We also heard calls of a white breasted nut hatch and a common yellow throat.  Clouds began to roll in and created a heavy darkness in the sky, so our field trip ended there.

Overall, this trip gave me a good introduction to bird watching.  I need to get used to using the binoculars more efficiently and become well adapted to using the field guide.  I can only hope that our next trip will grant us better viewing conditions so that I can get a better detailed view of the birds in the wild.