Tools of the Chase #187

By Patti McNeal from Katy, TX, USA

I love the fact that our Ohio region (called the Bobolink region) has a rare bird alert system. Robert Hershberger, owner of Time and Optics on CR 77, manages the message system and leaves regular updates accessible by phone. I had the chasing itch, so I called over my lunch break. Low and behold a lifer was nearby! I printed out a weekly checklist from the Ohio Ornithological website and off I went, birding down the road while eating a burger. It wasn't long before I arrived at Dan Hershberger's Farm. Birding in the Amish area is also something special worth noting. I've stopped by farms on numerous occasions chasing birds now, and I've always found the family to be hospitable and excited to help you find the bird. A little respect and personal contact, and you get to meet a great family while looking for birds. Today was the same story. Dan pointed me in the direction of the bird and his boy John became my guide. Johnny readily picked out the bird singing and led me across a newly planted corn field to right within binoc range of a new lifer: the Dickcissel.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Dickcissel/id

If you are in the Holmes - Wayne County area and want to know where the birding action is check out:

Time & Optics:
Greg Miller wrote a whole page on this great store here: http://www.gregmillerbirding.com/time-optics

The Boblink Rare Bird Alert:
330-763-5119

The Ohio Ornithological website (checklists available):
http://www.ohiobirds.org

Have a great Day!

Been A Long Time Since I Rock and Rolled... #186

Well, it's obvious from the last post date that I have done about El Zilcho birding over the past year. Well that all changed tonight! I shall dub this latest foray as: The-2-year-old-in-tow-car-ride-only-BIG-evening!

Ok...ok. It might not sound like much, but it was really great. My two year old Jane is a great travel buddy. She held her little binoculars the whole time and even tried to look through them like her daddy. Occasionally I'd look back to see how she was doing and the camper just smiled at me with a big happy-to-be-with you smile. Toward sundown she just went ahead and fell asleep, content to let dad bird on.

And the birds WHERE great too. Last year the Eastern Meadow Lark was something of a nemesis bird for me. Tonight I saw at least 20. They were everywhere, singing in full voice and sporting the yellow plume. All in all I saw 28 separate species tonight, the highlight being (can you believe it..) a NEW LIFER! I saw my first BOBOLINK tonight and saw several more afterwards just a-singing. A great bird and a great evening.

It just goes to show you that a simple night of birding can give you more than you'd expect and become a beautiful memory.

Bird on :)

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/bobolink/id

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 For those that may be interested, tonight's list in full:
Eastern Meadowlark
Barn Swallow
Indigo Bunting
Tree Swallow
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eastern Bluebird
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
European Starling
American Robin
Turkey Vulture
BOBOLINK
American
Goldfinch
Canada Goose
Mourning Dove
House Sparrow
Gray Catbird
Rock Dove
Savannah Sparrow
American Crow
Common Grackle
Chimney Swift
Northern Cardinal
Carolina Chickadee
Chipping Sparrow
Red-tailed Hawk
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole