Southern Ohio Trip Nets 7 State Birds - August 23-25, 2024

Since moving to the southeast I’ve been looking for an excuse to get back to Kentucky to fill some gaps in my state list.  Then in late summer of 2023 I began to notice lots of good birds being reported at the Falls of the Ohio - a wetlands area in the Ohio River near Cincinnati.  I finally had my excuse to go birding in KY!   And although birding at the Falls could be my prime reason to return to KY, I could always try for other new state birds en route or nearby.  Plus, while I’m in the area I could cross over into Ohio and bird the southwest part of that state as well.  I last birded in OH in 2017 and that state total was at 228.  That meant I had lots of gaps in that state list too.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get my plans together early enough to make the trip in 2023, but there was always next year.

As Summer 2024 progressed I started to plan my KY and OH trip in earnest.  First of all, I scheduled my trip for the third week of August which historically was the week with the greatest number of targets for me at the Falls of the Ohio (based on eBird bar charts).  Then with the help of several local KY experts and lots of hours on eBird, I found 16 potential KY state birds in the region.  My eBird research revealed 7 reasonable targets on OH, 4 of which were late breeders, while the others were either waders or shorebirds.  But in order to pursue several of them I’d have to drive almost all the way north to Columbus, which was farther than my original plans. 

Planning the trip around the late summer peak times at the Falls of the Ohio meant that local breeders might be difficult to find so late in the breeding season.  But with recent reports for most of the breeders, I tried to stay optimistic. 

Given the timing of the trip for the breeders, I hoped for perhaps 9 new KY state birds plus 3 new birds in OH.  Though maybe I was being too optimistic.

This blog post summarizes the OH portion of my August 2024 trip, starting with Day 4 of the trip.  My previous post summarized the KY part of the trip.

Day 4 – August 23

I started the day birding in Louisville, KY, with my last stop being the Falls of the Ohio.  But since the Falls were quite slow, I didn’t stay there long and as a result, I finished the KY portion of my day earlier than expected.  So with extra time on my hands, I changed my strategy for that afternoon to bird a couple spots on tomorrow’s OH itinerary.  If I was able to find my targets, that would give me more time tomorrow for other stops.  And if I missed those target birds today, I could always come back for a second try tomorrow.

My first OH stop of the day was the GilmoreMetroPark in the northern Cincinnati suburbs where an adult and 2 juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Herons had been reported for some time.  Plus just the day before an Olive-sided Flycatcher was reported at the park, giving me a second target to pursue.  I arrived at the park mid-afternoon and after a short walk reached the overlook at the South Pond where the Herons were most often reported.  I had a Green Heron there on the far side of the pond, but no Night Herons.  I birded along nearly the entire edge of the pond finding 4 more Green Herons, but not my target.  I guess I’d have to come back the next day for a second try for this one.

Next I headed to nearby Cattail Marsh at the park to try for yesterday’s Olive-sided.  On my way I passed by an extensive brushy area that was bathed in the hot afternoon sun so I quickly made my way through the area.  That is until I heard a song that I instantly recognized as one I had played the previous day in KY – Bell’s Vireo.  That’s a really rare bird in OH, and one that had not popped up on any of my OH Needs Alerts.  The bird kept singing so I taped it for ID purposes using the Merlin app.  However, Merlin was calling it a Blue Grosbeak.  I know Blue Grosbeak songs well and this bird wasn’t a Blue Grosbeak.  Perhaps since Merlin knew my location it wasn’t even considering Bell’s Vireo as an option since it would be a rarity.  My tape of the bird in question is in my Bird checklist here –   ebird.org/checklist/S192514134    I was certain of my ID and very excited to have found a rarity.  Here’s a picture of the extensive brushy area where the Bell’s Vireo was calling from.

After hearing the Bell’s Vireo for several minutes I moved onto Cattail Marsh to look for the Olive-sided.  There were lots of tall dead trees and snags surrounding the marsh but unfortunately no perched Olive-sided.  I then turned my attention to the marsh which was nearly dry, exposing a broad mud flat that looked great for species like Baird’s and Buff-breasted Sandpipers.  I tallied 54 Killdeer, plus some Leasts and one Semi Sand, but nothing better.  Although I missed my 2 targets for the park, at least I found a Bell’s Vireo.

Next it was off to Ceasar Creek State Park in the southeast suburbs of Dayton where a Little Blue Heron had been reported for a couple weeks.  And to sweeten the pot, a Snowy Egret was found at the same spot the day before.  The birds were being seen from 2 different sides of Ceasar Creek - from Young Road which ends at a boat ramp to the west, and Mound Road to the east.  They seemed to be more easily seen from Young Road so I decided to go there first.

As I pulled up to the Young Road boat ramp I saw a couple birders with their scope trained on the wetlands to the north.  I scurried on over to them hoping that they had my targets but no such luck – they too were looking for those white waders unsuccessfully so far.  But then one birder mentioned that the eBird hotspot was not at the boat ramp but a short distance to the south.  Maybe we needed to search from there.  I found a trail through the woods and took a short walk to the south where the trail ended at the waters edge.  And due east, about a quarter mile across the river, was a small marsh and mudflat that appeared to be the Mound Road hotspot. 

I started to scan the area and quickly spotted a medium-sized white wader.  Even at that distance I could see the all dark bill, dark legs, and yellow feet of a Snowy Egret (OH state bird #1).  It’s barely visible on the left of the above picture.  And with a bit more scanning I noticed another white wader, a bit slighter than the Snowy.  And with a dark-tipped pale bill and green legs I confirmed it as a Little Blue Heron (OH statebird #2).

My state bird maps for Snowy Egret and Little Blue Heron are inserted below.  The blue-shaded states are those where I’ve seen these species in their regular range.  The cross-hatched states are those in their regular ranges where I’ve yet to see them.  The purple-shaded states are those where I’ve seen these species as a rarity.

 

Just before leaving the site we found a Philadelphia Vireo foraging in the brush.  A nice bird but not a new one for OH.

That evening I checked on eBird and found to my surprise that my sighting and ID of the Bell’s Vireo had been quickly accepted - based solely on the song.  (Boy was Merlin wrong!)  Not only that, but it was reported from the same spot earlier in the day.  And with a bit more research I found that 1 or 2 Bell’s Vireos had actually been at this same location since May.  Although I wasn’t the first person to find it, at least it would be an unexpected new bird for my OH list.  But then I started to wonder why it hadn’t popped up on any of my OH Needs Alerts.  A couple clicks later I found out that I actually already had Bell’s Vireo on my OH list from a sighting back in June 2011.  It was still exciting to almost discover it that day.

Day 5 – August 24, 2024

My first stop of the day was at the Huffman Prairie Flying Field at the edge of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base northeast of Dayton.  This field was used by the Wright brothers in the early 1900’s to perfect their flying machine.  A portion of this field is now managed as a natural prairie, and was home for 2 of my targets – Sedge Wren and Henslow’s Sparrow.  I reached out to local birder Steve Bell who had recently posted observations of both breeding species on eBird to get some advice for finding my targets.  Steve provided great tips on birding the site and excellent maps where he had seen them recently.  So although it was getting late in the year, now with Steve’s help, I was optimistic I’d be able to find my targets. 

Here’s a shot of the prairie when I arrived with the sun rising over the foggy fields.  The one-mile loop trail I would take through the prairie is barely visible in this shot beyond the information kiosk. 

Soon thereafter the fog lifted revealing this lush prairie vegetation.

A short distance down the trail I reached one of the locations Steve had recommended for Sedge Wren.  I stopped and listened for these typically vocal birds, and soon heard a set of chattering calls I didn’t quite recognize.  Merlin identified it as Sedge Wren.  Never one to rely on Merlin, especially given the Blue Grosbeak/Bell’s Vireo issue the day before, I waited a bit longer and one bird eventually came in close to me.  Finally, I had visuals of a Sedge Wren (OH state bird #3). 

I continued around the loop now especially listening for Henslow’s Sparrow.  Along the way I had single Sedge Wrens at two other spots in the prairie, again giving those chatter calls that I don’t think I’ve ever heard from Sedge Wrens.  A couple times I spished up single Savannah Sparrows that briefly got me excited, but they were just Savannahs.  Then finally I heard several “songs” of a Henslow’s not too far from one of the spots Steve had had them (OH state bird #4).  Although I’m happy to now have Henslow’s in 14 states, I still have a long way to go to find this elusive and declining species throughout its regular range.

I had several other possible stops for Sedge Wren nearby, but since I was successful with them at Huffman Prairie I could skip those other stops.  And that gave me extra time to head to the hotspot named “Battelle Darby Creek – Wet Prairie Restoration” close to Columbus.  Although there were no likely new state birds for me there now, the spot formerly had several that would have been new for me, like Common Gallinule, American Bittern, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper.  Maybe I’d get lucky with one of these or find something else.  Again, I reached out to Steve Bell for advice on this new spot, and once again his advice was most detailed and proved to be very helpful.

After a 40-minute drive I reached the parking lot for this hotspot and took the short walk to the wetlands.  It was a nice mudflat surrounded by cattails, and it was full of shorebirds.  There was a nice mix of the regular species there, but no rarities.  I had just found one in the distance that I was trying to make into a Baird’s when all the shorebirds took off.  I looked up and there was a Peregrine passing by.  I waited a while for the shorebirds to return but after 10 minutes the mudflats were still bare.  It was time to move on.  It was a nice stop, but as expected, nothing new.

Next I turned to searches for Eurasian Collared-Doves.  I had 2 possible stops for this species, and even though the reports at both sites weren’t very recent, I was still optimistic.  In my experience with ECDs, once they are discovered at a given location they often stick around for quite a while.  My first stop was in South Charleston where they were reported at grain elevators at the south end of town.  I’ve often found ECDs at grain elevators, so I liked my chances at this spot.

I drove up to the area of the most recent report and found several sets of grain elevators.  Where to start?  

I pulled into the parking lot between two sets of silos and immediately flushed a Collared-Dove from the lot (OH state bird #5).  That was easy.  I’ve seen this species throughout its regular range, and now OH is the 8th Midwest and northeast state where I’ve seen it as a rarity.

My look at the bird as it flushed was pretty brief, so I was hoping to get some better views.  I parked along Woodward Street which ran along the north side of the industrial complex and had numerous shade trees that looked like good perches for the Doves.  Within a few minutes another ECD flew up from the parking lot and landed in one of the tall trees.  But it disappeared in the leaves.  Just then I heard a Dove singing, and eventually located it perched on top of a nearby telephone pole.  Here's a couple digi-binned shots of this cooperative bird.

My last stop of the day was back at Gilmore MetroPark for a second try at the Yellow-crowned Night Herons.  After my failed attempt the previous afternoon (in the heat), I did some more research on eBird and noticed that most of the recent reports were either in the early morning or late evening.  So I checked into my hotel early that afternoon and delayed my try for the Herons till after dinner. 

I had a nice picnic dinner at a shaded picnic table at the park, then started my walk to South Pond at 6:15.  As I got to the overlook I noticed a wader perched on the far side.  Did I have my bird, or was it another Green Heron?  Then with a quick binocular view it was easy to see I had the adult YCNH.  Delaying my search until late in the day must have done the trick.  Check out the Wood Ducks photo-bombing this shot of the Heron.

Day 6 – August 25, 2024

I had just one target for the last day of the trip – Broad-winged Hawk.  There were reports of nesting Broad-wings at numerous sites around greater Cincinnati earlier in the summer, though in most locations there were just one or two sightings.  The exception seemed to be an area in the southwest corner of OH called Shawnee Overlook, where there were numerous reports going back to the spring at a couple trails.  I chose to hike the Little Turtle Trail since it had the most July and and August reports this year.  Though with just 3 reports the last 2 months you couldn’t exactly say that Broad-wings were common there.  Ironically, during my working days, I had a project site just a couple miles from Shawnee Overlook which I visited many times though didn’t bird at the Overlook.

The Little Turtle Trail made a 2-mile loop through nice mature deciduous woodlands.  About a mile along the trail I very fittingly found this little (box) turtle crossing the path. 

Another half mile along I started to hear a number of species typical of dense deciduous forests including Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and multiple Acadian Flycatchers.  I said to myself that the only species I was missing was the Broad-wing.  And just a couple minutes later I heard the first of several high-pitched calls of a Broad-winged Hawk (OH state bird #7).  I just need this species in 4 more states in its regular range.

It’s always great to end your trip by finding your last target!

That gave me 7 new OH state birds – an excellent result given that I expected just 3.  And that brings my OH total to 235.   

Now a bit of a postscript regarding the significance and context of my OH total –

Early in my birding career I set a goal to see at least half of the birds on the official state lists of each state in the Lower 48 and DC.  The genesis of this goal comes from the American Birding Association (ABA).  Back in the day, the ABA would publish your state totals but only if you had observed at least half of the total ever recorded in that state.  The ABA last published birders’ totals in this way in 2011.  Later they went to a digital format where all your totals would be published without any threshold.  And of course, eBird has taken that approach as well.  But my goal remained – to be able to meet the ABA reportable threshold in each state.  And in 2023, with a birding trip to Oregon, I reached my lifelong goal of being reportable in each of the Lower 48 states plus DC. 

As of 2011 the ABA reporting threshold for OH was 211, meaning the total state list was twice that total or 422.  I had 228 on my OH list at the time so I was safe at 17 over the threshold.  Or was I?  You see as new birds are added to a state list, the threshold increases as well.  As of December 2023 (the most recent update on the internet), the official OH state list had increased by a whopping 28 birds in just 12 years, bringing the total now to 450 (http://ohiobirds.org/resources/official-ohio-ornithological-society-bird-checklist/).  Though it’s not clear if that total includes hypothetical species that are typically excluded from these calculations.  That means the threshold has increased by 14 to 225.  And before this year’s trip I had dropped to being just 3 over the new threshold.  At least my new OH total of 235 is now 10 over that latest threshold.  Though if OH continues to add new birds at their recent pace that may not keep me above threshold for long. 

First Summer Trip to Northeast Georgia, June 23, 2021

When I moved to western NC I put together a list of potential new statebirds that could be feasible in the northeast corner of GA – generally within a 2 ½ hour drive of home.  Although my GA list was already pretty good at 233, there were still 39 possible targets that were regular in that part of the state.  Lots of potential – now I just needed to make it a priority to get there.

My first two trips to northeast GA since moving south were in winter, but both were brief and as a result netted just one new statebird - Red-breasted Nuthatch - despite having many possible targets.  I kept watching my Needs Alerts in spring but never found hotspots that seemed to be reliable for many of my target migrants.  Though again I didn’t look too hard – there were too many good birds in western NC to look for.

As the 2021 summer/breeding season approached I did some research from previous years’ reports and found 10 potential targets to hope for.  Three seemed to be rather reliable albeit local – Swainson’s and Canada Warblers, and Willow Flycatcher.  Three others were regular though not too reliable – Broad-winged Hawk, Raven, and Cerulean Warbler.  And three more that were seen only occasionally but were still possible – Ruffed Grouse, Brown Creeper, and Red Crossbill.  Finally, there was Whip-poor-that was reported occasionally as a nocturnal target.  I had hoped to get to GA in late May or early June at the latest but my plans never came together.  So finally, when a cold front was predicted to pass through on June 22 to cool things down a bit, I decided that this would be my opportunity.  With some last-minute planning I decided to head there on the 23rd. 

The majority of the reports of my targets were coming from Brasstown Bald.  Canada Warbler seemed regular there though details were a bit sketchy as to which trail(s) to take to look for them.  Broad-winged Hawk and Raven were reported on some lists.  And one person was lucky enough to run into a couple Grouse.  Willow Flycatcher was reported several times at Dillard Reservoir which is its regular nesting location.  But no one had seen them there since early June.  And there were just a couple reports of Swainson’s Warbler at Hale Ridge Road, though this hotspot is very underbirded and I assumed they would be regular there.  After spending some time mapping out possible routes I decided to start the morning at Brasstown Bald, then work my way east first stopping at Dillard Reservoir, and then on to Hale Ridge Rd.  I know that meant not getting to the Swainson’s spot till later in the day, but they are strong singers and I was still hopeful to hear them there that time of day.  I hoped to find maybe 2 of my targets (most likely the Canada and Swainson’s Warblers).  And if I missed some of my targets because they weren’t singing this late in the year, the trip would still give me a good introduction to the area.

I left the house bright and early at 6 AM, which had me rolling into the Brasstown Bald parking lot at 8:45.  Temps were in the 50s, with a thick fog and cool wind.  I had hoped to get there even earlier, but the morning birds should still be singing in these conditions.  And I was just about the only car in the parking lot, meaning I might be the first to walk some of the trails enhancing my chances for happening on a Grouse.  I decided to head to Jack’s Knob Trail first since this appeared to be the best spot for Canadas – one was reported near the picnic tables and one in the first stretch of the trail.  I first headed to the picnic tables but could only find a couple Juncos.  Then I started slowly walking the trail but had almost no song at all.  Was I too late in the year?  Though I was striking out on the Canada, I still hoped I’d run into a Grouse.  So I continued to walk about a mile of the trail before I turned around.  Right away my thoughts went to what other trails I could walk to try for my targets.  But then as I neared the car I heard the familiar chattering song of the Canada Warbler.  It eventually came quite close to me giving some good views.  I wonder where this bird was when I first walked that stretch of the trail.

My statebird map for Canada Warbler is inserted below.  I’ve now seen this species in most of its regular states in the east and Midwest (the blue-shaded states) but still need it in a number of states in the central US where it is a regular migrant (the cross-hatched states).  Years ago I also found a Canada Warbler as a rarity in Wyoming (the tan state).

Now that I had my most likely new statebird from this site under my belt, it was time to start focusing on the rarer ones.  Recent eBird checklists from the area sometimes included sightings of Broad-winged Hawk and Raven, though no specific trails have been mentioned.  I found a trail map at a kiosk and decided to try Wagon Train Trail that headed into a wilderness area.  This rustic sign seemed fitting. 

I had barely walked a hundred yards down the trail when I heard familiar “jip jip” calls of a flyover Red Crossbill – that was most unexpected.  I always feel incredibly lucky when I find Crossbills in the Appalachians.  Although they are certainly possible in these high elevation areas, you can go many trips without finding one.  GA is now my 4th southeastern state with Red Crossbill as a rarity.

I continued down the trail and soon heard a Canada Warbler singing in the distance.  Then a bit farther I heard some chipping and spotted a female Canada carrying food.  Then a little later came upon a fledgling being fed by one of its parents.  And then another family group.  All in all I had 7 Canadas on this section of the trail.  I guess I should have come to this trail first.

I decided to turn around after about a mile’s walk, very happy with my results.  But it wasn’t over yet.  As I headed back toward the parking lot I heard the high-pitched “pee-teee” call of a Broad-winged Hawk passing overhead.  Nice to be able to shade-in GA in my statebird map – that leaves just 5 more states to go where Broad-wings are regular.

My last key target for the area was Common Raven, so when I got back to the parking lot I decided to eat my lunch standing in the parking lot allowing me to scan the skies and nearby ridges hoping to see one passing by.  But no luck.  I assumed this one would have to wait for a later trip, though I kept my eyes open as I drove down the mountain.  I then noticed this nice overlook and pulled over to grab this picture.

Not quite ready to throw in the towel I scanned the distant ridges and noticed a couple soaring raptors.  Then I spotted a distant all dark soaring bird.  It was pretty far away but I could pick out the Corvid shape, eliminating a vulture.  And it was too large for a crow, and was mostly soaring.  I had myself a distant Raven!  That leaves just NJ as the last eastern state where I still need this species in its regular range.

Wow – 4 new statebirds at my first stop - two more than I hoped for in the entire day.  And 2 more stops still to go.

The next stop was the Dillard Reservoir area for Willow Flycatcher, which has bred in this area for a few years.  Though I wasn’t too optimistic since they hadn’t been seen there for a few weeks.  Not to mention that it was now early afternoon on this summer day.  I checked out the spots where they had been seen earlier but came up empty.  At least I’m now familiar with this site for my next trip.

My last stop was along Hale Ridge Road.  Posts from this hotspot over the last several years have included significant numbers of several local breeding warblers, including numerous Swainson’s and an occasional Cerulean.  It was now mid-afternoon so I knew that bird song would be limited, but I was still hopeful that I’d run into Swainson’s as they will sing well into the summer.  It took me a little while, but eventually found the perfect habitat for Swainson’s - large areas of thick rhododendron thickets on hillsides.  I drove through at least 2 miles of this habitat making frequent stops but unfortunately couldn’t come up with my target.  And even though few birds were singing, I did get an Ovenbird, Worm-eating, 7 Hoodeds, 2 Parulas, and a Black-throated Green in this 2 mile stretch.  Plus another calling Broad-winged Hawk.  Pretty birdy after all.  Just not my targets.

Although I missed my last couple targets, I’m still very happy to have added 4 birds to my GA statelist – 2 more than I expected.  That brings my list up to 238.  Next year I’ll have to schedule a trip to the area earlier in the breeding season.  Though not too early since Willow Flycatcher is typically late to arrive on its breeding grounds.  And now that I have the lay of the land, I’ll start in the morning at Hale Ridge Road and head right to the rhododendron area, followed by a drive to Dillard Reservoir.  Can’t wait…

106 New Statebirds in Eastern Montana, May 2014

Each year I take an extended birding vacation somewhere to work on my various statelists, and hopefully move a step closer to my lifelong goal of reaching the old ABA reportable goals in each of the lower 48 states and DC (the “lower 49”).  This year it was to the Great Plains in North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota.  This entry to my blog summarizes the results of the MT part of the trip; other posts discuss ND and SD.

MT was one of 2 last states where I had very small lists – with just 69 I would have lots of statebirding potential.  So I started to put a plan together to bird as many habitats as possible in eastern MT.  I spent some time reviewing a recent birdfinding guide for MT, but quickly realized it was somewhat out of date.  So I reached out to the MT listserve asking for birdfinding advice, and received some excellent advice from several birders.  That included offers from local birders to bird with me in Westby and the Fort Peck/Glasgow area.  I set up an itinerary with 3 days in eastern MT, with an optimistic goal of adding at least 100 statebirds, especially concentrating on those birds most likely to be in the eastern part of the state.  Since the old ABA reporting threshold is 216, I would come up short of threshold.  So I would eventually need to come back to western MT, especially to aim for birds of the mountains to reach the threshold.

Days 1, 2, and 3 – Northern ND – see my ND blog post for a summary of these days

Day 3 – Evening Stop in Westby

I arrived in Westby in the northeastern corner of MT just after dinner and immediately connected with local birder Ted Nordhagen.  Ted had birded the area all his life, and knew all the hotspots in and around town.  That was a good thing because I had several key MT targets that were only likely in the area around Westby.  I met up with Ted at his house and spent a few minutes at his feeder picking up three birds that I would not see again in MT – late White-crowned and Harris’ Sparrows, and several Rose-breasted Grosbeak.   Soon after we got in the car to head to some local birding spots we had Eurasian Collared Doves perched on wires in town.  MT was my 39th state for ECD – I just need it in several northeastern states (see my statebird map below).

We then headed to the wetlands north of town where we got a couple of the local specialties – Piping Plover and several Baird’s Sparrows, along with a number of Chestnut-collared Longspurs.  Unfortunately we dipped on local targets Sedge Wren and Nelson’s Sparrow.  We also had numerous shorebird species (which was important because the traditional shorebird locations at Medicine Lake NWR were underwater due to good spring rains) including my only Sanderlings of the trip.  We briefly drove through town and went past the small town park which was formerly so well-known as a tremendous migrant hotspot.  The town had recently “cleaned-up” the park and removed all the brush and several trees, so it was no longer the hotspot it used to be.  We ended our birding at dusk, and had 60 species, 41 of which were new statebirds.  Although it was a great start I wish I could have spent more time there.

Day 4 – Plentywood and Medicine Lake NWR in Northeast MT

I started the day at dawn in the town of Plentywood.  After the demise of the park in Westby, Wildwood Park in Plentywood had become the best migrant hotspot in the northeast corner of MT.  I spent a couple hours in this very small park seeing only a few migrants.  Though I did have two rarities – an adult Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and a Broad-winged Hawk.  Both were most cooperative giving long views.  My statebird map for the sapsucker now pretty much matches its regular range (along with CA as a rarity).

A quick visit to the campground yielded a few more migrants and nesters like Chat, Catbird, and Thrasher, but it was pretty slow.  My last stop was the reservoir just to the north that held a few of the expected waterfowl.  But the key bird here, based on an excellent tip from Ted, was to try for Sprague’s Pipit in the hills just to the east.  And sure enough, I heard one bird calling from high in the sky. 

My next key stop was Medicine Lake NWR, but instead of heading right there via the highway, Ted suggested some back roads which were most productive.  That included one spot were both Baird’s and Sprague’s were singing.  And I was even able to see the Sprague’s as it sang high overhead.  And I stopped at another place where Ted’s suggestion for Mountain Bluebird was spot on.

I made it to Medicine Lake NWR by late morning, and planned to spend the rest of the day there.  The entrance road was well-known for Baird’s and it did not disappoint as I heard numerous birds along the way.  This sign was posted along the entrance road describing how the refuge is managing its grasslands to support this species (too bad Lostwood in ND couldn’t do the same).

 

My next stop was to try for migrants in the trees around the headquarters building.  I picked up a few birds there (like Orange-crowned, Redstart, Say’s Phoebe), but the woods were pretty slow.  As with my stops in Plentywood, it wasn’t a big migration day.

I spent the rest of the day concentrating on the prairie and waterbirds in the refuge.  The largest lakes were full of Western and Eared Grebes.  And after combing through maybe 200 Westerns I finally picked out a Clark’s.  The wetlands had all the expected dabblers and divers, and even had 1 late female Hooded Merganser.  Shorebirds were rather limited because water levels were very high, and most shorebirds were actually local nesters like Upland Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, and Willet.  Also had the only Great Egret of my trip.  One surprise was an American Pipit walking along the shoreline doing its best shorebird imitation.

Prairie birds around the refuge were excellent.  I heard one or more Baird’s Sparrows at each stop in appropriate habitat, including this one bird that perched long enough for me to get this digiscoped photo.

I also had 1 Sprague’s and quite a number of Marbled Godwits and Upland Sandpipers, though I couldn’t find any Long-billed Curlews.

The last stop at Medicine Lake was to try for marsh birds at the far east end of the refuge.  I had 3 different singing LeConte’s Sparrows though no Nelson’s.  I bet that this species had not yet returned from its wintering grounds as I looked for it in several appropriate locations both in MT and ND on this trip with no luck.  All in all, I had a great time at the refuge getting most all of my targets.

It was not mid-afternoon, and time to head west toward Glasgow.  En route I made a stop at the bridge over the Missouri River near Culbertson for the first of 2 unsuccessful tries for a flyby Least Tern, though an active Bald Eagle nest and several Wood Ducks were nice consolations.

In the Fort Peck/Glasgow area I had arranged to meet up with Chuck Carlson, who is well-known as the birding expert in the area.  Chuck knows where all the local birding targets are.  Our first stop together was just after sunset to try for Poorwill.  Along the way Chuck pointed out the Great Horned Owl nest with a nest-full of large young.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was total tick number #13,000 for me!  Great Horned is a good example of a species that I’ve seen almost country-wide, just missing it in IN, WV, and DC.

We got to the Poorwill spot and had several respond to taped calls almost immediately.  And we even had one come in and perch just a few feet away.  A nice way to end the day with my 42nd new statebird for MT. 

Day 5  Glasgow and Fort Peck

Our plan was to start early in the morning and have Chuck take me to an area of very short grass prairie west of Glasgow on Bentonite Road for 2 key targets – McCown’s Longspur and Mountain Plover.  But before we even started a couple Chimney Swifts twittered overhead in the motel parking lot – one of my targets for the area.  As we drove west Chuck described how both the McCown’s and plovers need very short grass prairie, and are more typically seen in heavily grazed areas or near prairie dog towns.  But in this area the soils were such that the grass naturally only grows to a very short height.  It took a while but we eventually had good looks at several McCown’s and then a distant view of a Mountain Plover.  I’ve now seen this species in 5 states on its breeding ground and in 2 states in winter.

 

What to do next?  With now 85 new MT statebirds, my target list was getting smaller, so I could start chasing after specific species instead of birding general habitats.  I mentioned to Chuck that I still needed several shorebirds for my MT list, so he took me to a flooded farmer’s field where he had had good numbers of shorebirds recently.  And although much of the water had evaporated at this spot, there was still a good diversity of birds.  I added Long-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sand, and Black-bellied Plover there, along with the first Turkey Vulture for the state.  Unfortunately I missed the Gray Partridge that flushed in front of Chuck’s car.

We then went to Chuck’s house to spend time watching his back yard and feeding station.  Although it is a modest yard by size, it is well-landscaped with bird-friendly vegetation, and has water and several feeders.  Key targets we got there were Blue Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Black-headed Grosbeak.  Another notable bird was a Baltimore Oriole with some extra white in the wing that must have had some Bullock’s genes.

Next stops were at several locations below the dam at Fort Peck, where we got targets like Common Loon, Orchard Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo, and Field Sparrow, though dipped on Eastern Bluebird and Red-headed Woodpecker. 

I said goodbye to Chuck, and headed east toward Sydney.  That evening I hoped to try for Eastern Screech Owl at Seven Sisters WMA.  While waiting for dusk I heard several Ovenbirds singing – a key spot for these birds in MT.  And although I dipped on the Screech Owl, I added up my lists and realized I now had 99 new statebirds so far in MT.  And still one more day to go.

Day 6 – Yellowstone River WMAs and Ponderosas East of Miles City

I planned to spend much of the day visiting several nice riparian areas along the Yellowstone River in search of several specific targets.  The first stop was at Seven Sisters WMA just south of Sydney.  This park was in a heavily wooded floodplain, and was full of birds.  Soon after arriving I got my first target, Hairy Woodpecker – new statebird #100.  And just a few seconds later I had a calling White-breasted Nuthatch.  It was important to get this bird along the eastern edge of the state as the one breeding in the western MT mountains will likely be a different species sometime soon.  A little later I had several local nesting Black-and-white Warblers – another bird only likely to be seen in the eastern part of MT.  My statebird map pretty well matches the typical range of this species, along with vagrants seen in NV and CA.

I also ran into a flock of 4 Lazuli Buntings that had likely just arrived for spring.  Although I had now covered Seven Sisters pretty well, I still had 3 more local eastern MT specialties to try for - Turkey, Eastern Bluebird, and Red-headed Woodpecker.  But with 3 more riparian parks to bird I was cautiously optimistic on all of these birds.

The next stop was Elk Island WMA, which again had a large floodplain woodlands.  And although there were many birds, I got no new statebirds there.  The next stop was Intake WMA, but that park was full of campers so I didn’t even get out of my car to try to bird the area.

The last riparian stop was Pirogue Island State Park, where Red-headed Woodpeckers had been reported last fall.  I arrived at the park and found yet another excellent area of riparian woodlands.  Access to the park was solely by foot, and the only trail into the park (and onto the island), was flooded.  So with no access, I gave up on this park and riparian areas in general, and unfortunately realized I would end up leaving MT without the turkey, bluebird, and woodpecker.

Since Pirogue Island was a bust, I had some additional time on my hands.  I remembered some advice given to me by a local birder about an area east of Miles City in an elevated area of ponderosa pines.  He talked about Turkeys, Plumbeous Vireos, Cassin’s Kingbirds, and Pinyon Jays being in the area.  Initially I hadn’t planned to go there as it was somewhat out of the way.  But with some spare time, I decided to take the drive and give it a try, even though it was now mid-afternoon on a hot day.  The first area he described had some nice ponderosas, but none of the targets.  The best birds there were 3 Western Kingbirds which I couldn’t turn into Cassin’s, and a Bullock’s Oriole.  The next spot was further into the ponderosas, and the habitat looked really nice.  I started at the suggested spot for Turkey with no luck.  Next I drove along to nice areas in the ponderosas and started to play tape for Plumbeous Vireos.  At my first stop I didn’t have the vireos but did hear a distant familiar call – Pinyon Jay.  It ended up flying in to a nearby perch for great views.  Things were looking up.  At the next stop I played some more vireo tape, and two Plumbeous Vireos flew right in.  Now I just needed the kingbird.  Sibley’s says these birds are in dry savannah, so I started looking for kingbirds in grasslands tucked in among the ponderosas.  I eventually found a horse pasture with many feet of fencing which I thought would provide great perches for kingbirds.  And sure enough, I found 2 Cassin’s Kingbirds calling in the distance.  A new statebird on my last stop in the state – nice.  MT was about my last state for Cassin’s.

And these last 3 statebirds are only in eastern portions of MT, so not likely to be found on my future trips to the western part of the state.

I ended up with 161 species for the MT portion of my trip, including 106 new statebirds.  That exceeded my goal of 100 new statebirds which in itself I thought was going to be pretty optimistic.  My new MT statelist is now 175, a huge improvement from before, but still 41 short of the old ABA reportable threshold.  I’m already thinking about a trip to the mountains in the western part of MT and hoping that that trip would give me enough birds to reach the threshold.