Notes From The Field 12/31/2010

I couldn’t think of a better way to end the year than to go birding. So off to Caesar Creek this morning for a few hours. First stop Harveyburg Road.

With the temperatures reaching into the 50’s some of the inlets were starting to melt. With rain later on in the day, I’m sure it will be gone by tomorrow.

Duck hunting was still in progress and there were hunter everywhere. Which would attribute to the lack of waterfowl on the lake, except this lone American Coot taking a nap about 25 yards from a blind full of hunters.

You could tell where the hunters were set up. All you had to do was look for their decoys and they weren’t far off. This motorized decoy was rather cool. It’s wings spun around like a whirligig.

A view of the lake on my way out.

After I left Harveysburg Road I made my over to the beach. Believe it or not there were hunters bobbing in the water near the beach as well.

I noticed a trail that ran parallel to the shoreline, so I though, why not see where it lead. I feel under normal circumstances there might be more birds present. It was kind of spooky not seeing any birds.

The wind was really blowing with the approaching rain, which could explain the lack of birds. So following this trail for a while it finally lead over to the North Pool Boat ramp area.

A view from the observation deck at the Visitors center towards the dam.

You can probably tell from this picture that the Visitors center is going through a major expansion. From the looks of the construction, it’s going to be more than twice the size. If it has a conference room, then this might be another alternative location for our Bird Study Merit Badge class. Hummm.

Behind the existing portion of the Visitors Center they have some bird feeders set up. It always has some woodland birds eating.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Carolina Chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

Tufted Titmouse

Chickadee carrying off a Sunflower seed

This a view back towards the Visitors Center and the area where they have the bird feeders set up. From this I wanted to walk along the trail that lead away from the Visitors Center above the lake. As I started my short hike, the sun came out and really lite up the woods.

I didn’t find a lot of birds, but that’s sometimes not the reason I go out to bird. Nature has a way of washing away your troubles.

Notable birds for the day:

1. American Coot
2. American Kestrel
3. Northern Flicker
4. Northern Cardinal
5. Mallard
6. Canada Goose
7. Ring-billed Gull
8. Belted King Fisher
9. Blue Jay
10. Common Crow
11. Carolina Chickadee
12. Downy Woodpecker
13. Mourning Dove
14. White-breasted Nuthatch
15. Tufted Titmouse
16. Red-bellied Woodpecker
17. Song Sparrow
18. Sharp-shinned Hawk

 

Notes From The Field 12/27/2010

I had checked out E-bird earlier in the day to see if any new posts for Ohio had been added lately. When I typed in Lapland Longspur, we got a very recent hit. And right in my own back yard, practically. Pleasant Plain. So after work today I went home to pick up my gear and head on out to Pleasant Plain. I wasn’t disappointed.

This is the ditch that it was hangin’ around.

This is ideal habitat for Longspurs.

Another view of the field.

This has been one of my nemesis birds for the past year. #263

A Birder’s Haiku

 

Dedicated to birder, as we start our week.

Winter twilight

A yellow bird gently shifts

The wicket gate

By Narayanan Raghunathan

A New Bird Guide

It’s Christmas evening and  I thought I would do a late post of a new bird guide my daughter gave me as a Christmas present. It’s “The Sibley Guide To Birds”. This is the one I’ve been wanting for some time, and now it’s mine.

Isn’t it beautiful. Even the inside is beautiful. And what’s nice is that it’s the same size as my “Peterson Guide”. So it will fit nicely into my bird/camera bag.

I’ve gone through it a little already and I almost like it as much as my “Peterson”. I like how the author has the laid the pages out. He’s simplified the process of looking up birds. And the range maps are on the same page as the bird. How novel. The pictures though, leave me leaning more towards my “Peterson”. They’re smaller than “Peterson’s”. I really do like the larger pictures and that is a big benefit when it comes to field marks.

Hey, don’t take me wrong, I like them both. However I need to take the “Sibley’s” out into the field to see how she works. So as of this writing, the jury’s out. More to come.

Christmas Time Is Here

With Christmas just a few days away, I’ve been saving this for just the right moment. Now I know it’s not bird related, but so what. It’s my blog, and I’m sure if you’re cool enough to read my blog you’ll appreciate this small video clip from one of my favorite holiday shows. So sit back and enjoy the next couple of minutes. And besides, it’s such a great song.

A Birder’s Haiku

 

Dedicated to the birder, as we start our week.

The first signs of frost

Geese silhouetted against

Bundled stalks of corn