Notes From The Field

Newtown, Grand Valley, Valley View Nature Preserve  & Points Beyond

I wanted to cover as much ground, and hit as many hotspots today before the weekend is over. Next weekend I’m off to Michigan for a visit with my daughter and son-in-law, so I wanted to make the most of today. With the reports of a Greater White-fronted Goose still being seen near the farmers market in Newtown I thought that would be a perfect place to start.

It’s about a 30 minute drive over to Newtown and with traffic being light I was anticipating a good morning of birding. As I approached the market I could make out a small flock of Canadian Geese feeding in the open fields that border the market. The flat, bottom land which borders the Little Miami River is such prime birding habitat you forget sometimes that it’s such an industrial area, full of business and gravel quarries. And it’s these quarries that attracts these wonderful birds.

I parked onto a gravel pull off, lowered my side window and scanned the tiny flock. I really need a GWFG to help bolster my year list. And there he was.

When you see nothing but Canadian Geese year round, it’s nice to see something different. Not wanting to disturb the flock I drove around so the drivers door face away from them, so when I got out of the car I wouldn’t spook them. I crept to the back and opened up the hatch back and got out my scope and set about getting my camera hooked up for a few pictures.

I know I’ve said it a thousand times, but boy that’s a beautiful bird! After i left a made a few stops along the way to check out some of the other quarries for waterfowl with not too much luck. This cold snap froze over more of the water than I expected, so I made my way to Valley View Nature Preserve upon the recommendation of Jon.

Valley View is a 130 acre nature preserve and educational center. The above photo shows just a portion of the open grasslands set aside and with the riparian forest to my right this might be one of my new must go to place to bird.

Well as you can see the sun came out and the bird activity picked up. A very kettle of both Turkey and Black Vultures dot the sky. It was while I was looking up that I caught sight of a Peregrine Falcon and a Northern Harrier. I wasn’t surprised with the Harrier, however the Falcon was indeed a nice surprise. I hiked around Valley View for about and hour picking up a few species here and there, so when I was about to leave  I noticed a Northern Flicker feeding on the ground.

A rather difficult bird to photograph when it has it’s head buried in the ground looking for something to eat.

After leaving Valley View I made my way to Grand Valley to pick up any waterfowl left from their normal late morning exodus. There was more ice of the lake than birds so after gathering my gear I made my way for a long drive up the highway north of Wilmington to check out some of the quarries up there.

My first stop was Melvin Quarries north of Wilmington on Route 22. And just like the other quarries it was mostly frozen over with only a small patch where everyone huddles together.

 

And as you can see by the picture it started to cloud over and the wind picked up. And as I drove towards Wilmington the snow started to fall and visibility fell along with it. Now this is unfortunate since my next stop was going to be Caesar Creek. But with visibility down from the snow, and the wind picking up, you know the lake was going to be real choppy, nor would I see anything on the water.

Not wanting to end the day, but feeling my luck change as quick as the weather I headed home. Notable birds for the day include:

1. Black Vulture
2. Turkey Vulture
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Sharp-shinned Hawk
5. Northern Harrier
6. Peregrine Falcon
7. American Kestrel
8. American Black Duck
9. Mallard
10. Ring-necked Duck
11. American Coot
12. Greater Scaup
13. Ruddy Duck
14. Gadwall
15. Ring-billed Gull
16. Canada Goose
17. Greater White-fronted Goose
18. American Crow
19. Mourning Dove
20. Pigeon
21. Horned Grebe
22. Pied-billed Grebe
23. Pileated Woodpecker
24. Northern Flicker
25. Red-bellied Woodpecker
26. White-breasted Nuthatch
27. Common Grackle
28. Tufted Titmouse
29. Northern Cardinal
30. Song Sparrow
31. Savannah Sparrow
32. American Robin
33. Blue Jay
34. Northern Mockingbird

Notes From The Field/ # 312

Melvin Quarry Pit & Roxanna-New Burlington Gravel Pit

I was half way through my first cup of coffee this morning when I got the “Twitch”. I was reading over my e-mails looking for a reply from Jason Cade in regards to the Roxanna-New Burlington gravel pit, when I noticed that Rick Asamoto posted to the Ohio Listserv. Rick normally doesn’t post unless it’s something good. Opening the e-mail my eyes went straight to the 2 words that’s been on my mind for some time, Tundra Swans.

My second cup of coffee was in my travel mug as I made my way towards Wilmington and points beyond. As you pass through Wilmington on Rt. 22 & 3 going East, the Melvin Quarry is 3 3/4 miles from the Rt. 73 interchange. I parked in the small Methodist Church parking lot and walked to the back of the church property towards the fence where the quarry is. Hundreds upon hundreds of waterfowl filled the gravel pit. With most of everything frozen over these deep gravel pits attract more than enough birds. I don’t know which were more prevalent, the Canada Geese or the Mallards. Rough estimates were over 300 for both species. I didn’t like my location so I switched to a pull off around the corner and set up my gear and started to scan where I couldn’t see before. That’s when I found the Snow Geese, all white.

The best view I could get were through the trees.

Then I spotted them…

The wind was howling by this time and trying to hold the scope still was difficult at best. The wide open and flat ground north of Wilmington doesn’t deflect the wind as I pulled my hat down tighter and zipped my coat up the rest of the way. Then they started to swim to the right out from behind the trees.

Then out into the open as I snapped off picture after picture.

After leaving Melvin I made my way to the Roxanna-New Burlington gravel pit. I heard that Cackling Geese as well as a couple of Sandhill Cranes were there. The highlight of this trip wasn’t the waterfowl but a Pileated Woodpecker flying across the road as I turned of Rt. 42 on Roxanna-New Burlington. Once again more Canada Geese than anything else. But all-in-all a good  morning with a new life bird.

Notable birds for the day include:

1. Tundra Swan
2. Snow Geese
3. Canada Geese
4. Mallard
5. Redhead
6. Ring-necked Duck
7. American Black Duck
8. Pileated Woodpecker
9. Bufflehead
10. Common Coot