Date: Monday, December 16, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge, Shawnee Canoe Launch, the Oxbow

Reporter: Lenny Beck

Other Birders: Lenny Beck

Here are the highlights…

Lost Bridge

Mature Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Shawnee Canoe Launch

Mature Bald Eagle

Second year Bald Eagle

2 First year Bald Eagles

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Fox Sparrow

Oxbow

Peregrine Falcon (a first for me)

Great Egret

Date: Sunday, December 15, 2013

Location: Ohio River CBC territory

Reporter: Paul Wharton

Other Birders: 15 CBC counters

The Ohio River CBC was held Sunday, and while I am still waiting on a few reports, we are sitting on 89 species so far, including 19 species of waterfowl, highlighted by the count's first Surf Scoters. 2, a male and a female, were at Hidden Valley Lake. 5 Tundra Swans and all 3 mergansers rounded out the waterfowl highlights. Other highlights included 7 Horned Grebes, an adult Osprey, the 4th record for this count at the AEP Power Plant in Lawerenceburg, many Bald Eagles, 404 Lapland Longspurs, 17 American Pipits, all the expected blackbirds, 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 3 Winter Wrens, 49 E. Meadowlarks and 9 Savannah Sparrows. Not countable, but certainly interesting were 4 Chukars seen along the side of a back road in the Kentucky sector of the count. Thanks to the hardy counters, it was cold and windy, but at least not raining like it was on Saturday's counts.

Date: Monday, December 9, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley Lake

Reporter: Linda Osterhage

Other Birders: Andy Bess

White-winged Scoter, 5 Buffleheads, 1 Horned Grebe, 1 Eastern Bluebird, 1 Belted Kingfisher. All were at the beach or boat ramp. Scoter showed no white on wing, but when chased by the Buffleheads white patches on wings were clearly visible. Went back later in the day and there were about 20 Northern Shovelers on the lake, but did not see the Scoter, but could have moved to non-accessible part of lake.

Date: Monday, December 9, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Frank Frick

In gravel pit lake one Red-breasted Merganser with some Canada geese.On other side of rode in scraped off area seven Lapland Longspurs mixed with about twenty Horned Larks.

Date: Saturday, December 7, 2013

Location: Mt. Nebo Road

Reporter: Lenny Beck

There were 6 bald eagles in the trees off of Mt. Nebo road around 3 pm. 4 immature and 2 mature. I couldn't believe there were that many in one spot! They were joined by a Red-tailed Hawk. The Hawk and 5 eagles soared high above for a while before landing back in the trees off of Mt. Nebo Road.

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge, Shawnee Canoe Launch, the Oxbow

Reporter: Lenny Beck

Other Birders: Lenny Beck

Here are the highlights…

Lost Bridge

Mature Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Shawnee Canoe Launch

Mature Bald Eagle

Second year Bald Eagle

2 First year Bald Eagles

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Fox Sparrow

Oxbow

Peregrine Falcon (a first for me)

Great Egret

Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge & Oxbow

Reporter: Joe Kappa

Great Miami River -- Lost Bridge, Hamilton, US-OH

Dec 3, 2013 4:25 PM - 4:45 PM

Protocol: Stationary

11 species

SNOW GOOSE 14 (several blue phase mixed in)

Canada Goose 250

Gadwall 9

American Black Duck 4

Mallard 225

Pied-billed Grebe 3

Great Blue Heron 2

Bald Eagle 1

Bonaparte's Gull 3

Mourning Dove 6

American Crow 4

Oxbow (Lawrenceburg), Dearborn, US-IN

Dec 3, 2013 4:50 PM - 5:15 PM

Protocol: Traveling

2.0 mile(s)

12 species

Canada Goose 350

Gadwall 37

American Black Duck 75

Mallard 350

Northern Shoveler 35

Pied-billed Grebe 2

Great Blue Heron 27

GREAT EGRET 1 (late bird)

Rock Pigeon 6

Mourning Dove 11

American Crow 5

Red-winged Blackbird 35

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge/Shawnee Lookout/Backyard

Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt

Other Birders: Michele (wife)

I stopped next to a group of people parked near the spot where the skypool sits by the Lost Bridge. It was a pleasure to meet Frank Frick for the first time. They were admiring a grounded flock of Sandhill, too far for a clean photo. Spotted Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker near the boat ramp at Shawnee Lookout. Could hear the Sandhill from the boat ramp. As I was crossing over the bridge I spotted the sandhill airborne. I headed towards my mom-in-law's condo across Campbell Road from Campbell Lakes. As I pulled up to the garage door my wife yelled out at me to look up. I started to count the best I could and made an average guess of at least 800 sandhill flying overhead. Photos will be on my smugmug account later.

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Other Birders: Gale Wulker

300-400 Sandhill Cranes down in the corn fields south of Lawrenceburg rd.

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge/Shawnee Lookout

Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt

Other Birders: Michele (wife)

I stopped next to a group of people parked near the spot where the skypool sits by the Lost Bridge. It was a pleasure to meet Frank Frick for the first time. They were admiring a grounded flock of Sandhill, too far for a clean photo. Spotted Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinals, White-breasted Nuthatches, and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker near the boat ramp at Shawnee Lookout. Could hear the Sandhill from the boat ramp.

As I was crossing over the bridge I spotted the sandhill airborne.

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Other Birders: Gale Wulker

300-400 Sandhill Cranes down in the corn fields south of Lawrenceburg Rd.

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Other Birders: Gale Wulker

300-400 Sandhill Cranes down in the corn fields south of Lawrenceburg rd.

Date: Thursday, November 28, 2013

Location: Armleder, Lost Bridge, Shawnee Canoe Launch, the Oxbow

Reporter: Lenny Beck

Here are the highlights…

Armleder

At least 5 Red-tailed Hawks

Cooper's Hawk

Northern Harrier

Probable Short-eared Owl (I didn't get a good enough look to be 100% confident in this ID)

Lost Bridge

Mature Bald Eagle

Red-tailed Hawk

Shawnee Canoe Launch

Mature Bald Eagle

Second year Bald Eagle

2 First year Bald Eagles

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Red-shouldered Hawk

Fox Sparrow

Oxbow

Peregrine Falcon (a first for me)

Great Egret

Date: Saturday, November 23, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge, Shawnee Lookout

Reporter: Lenny Beck

Highlights

Lost Bridge - Mature Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Kestrel

Shawnee Lookout boat launch on river - Immature Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk

Date: Saturday, November 16, 2013

Location: Oxbow,

Reporter: Darlena Graham

Other Birders: Oxbow bird walk participants

Pretty quiet day but enjoyable. The bird of the day was a Peregrine on a power tower. We also had numerous Mallards, a dozen or so Black Ducks, Wood Ducks, and Gadwall.

Date: Sunday, September 29, 2013

Location: The Oxbow

Reporter: Wyatt Westerkamp

Found a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers, a Black-crowned Night-heron, and an extremely bold Merlin that did not care about me approaching it at all. Lost Bridge and Shawnee Lookout were fairly quiet today, with Lost Bridge only having a Spotted Sandpiper and a Greater Yellowlegs, and Shawnee Lookout only having a Tennessee Warbler, a Black-throated Green Warbler, and a pair of noisy Scarlet Tanagers.

Date: Sunday, September 22, 2013

Location: Shawnee Lookout

Reporter: Jack Stenger

Other Birders: Harris Abramson, Chris Moran, Jay Stenger, Jim Stinchcomb, Gale Wulker

Yesterday morning, the Oxbow Inc. field trip experienced a wonderful day of migration. We spent 4 hours at Shawnee Lookout. There were amazing concentrations of migrants at the boat ramp and Miami Fort trailhead. Outside of those areas there was very little activity. Below is our list. I apologize to the other participants if it is missing a few birds (which it probably is).

Wood Duck 8

Turkey Vulture 4

Osprey 1

Sharp-shinned Hawk 1

Bald Eagle 3

Broad-winged Hawk 1

Red-tailed Hawk 1

Killdeer 2

Mourning Dove 10

Belted Kingfisher 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker 7

Downy Woodpecker 10

Hairy Woodpecker 2

Northern Flicker 2

Pileated Woodpecker 2

Eastern Wood-Pewee 9

Acadian Flycatcher 2

Empidonax sp. 2

Eastern Phoebe 3

White-eyed Vireo 4

Yellow-throated Vireo 2

Red-eyed Vireo 4

Blue Jay 20

American Crow 10

swallow sp. 60

Carolina Chickadee 15

Tufted Titmouse 8

White-breasted Nuthatch 6

House Wren 1

Carolina Wren 5

Eastern Bluebird 3

Gray-cheeked Thrush 2

Swainson's Thrush 10

Wood Thrush 14

American Robin 40

Gray Catbird 12

European Starling 50

Cedar Waxwing 80

Ovenbird 2

Blue-winged x Golden-winged Warbler (hybrid) 1 It had the gray body and golden wing patch and crown of GWWA. However, it had the narrow black eye-line of a BWWA without any black or gray extending onto the auriculars. Thanks to Harris Abramson for getting everybody on this cool bird.

Black-and-white Warbler 1

Tennessee Warbler 45 The most common warbler on a fantastic day of migration. 45 is a conservative count.

Common Yellowthroat 8

American Redstart 12

Northern Parula 1

Magnolia Warbler 5

Bay-breasted Warbler 17

Blackburnian Warbler 2

Chestnut-sided Warbler 5

Blackpoll Warbler 4

Pine Warbler 1

Black-throated Green Warbler 1

warbler sp. 35 (can't get em all)

Eastern Towhee 5

Song Sparrow 9

Summer Tanager 4

Northern Cardinal 30

Indigo Bunting 50

Bobolink 3 Flyover only

Red-winged Blackbird 10

American Goldfinch 5

Date: Friday, October 18, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Maddie Varias

Other Birders: mom

Highlights include:

Northern Pintail- a little bit early

Pectoral Sandpiper- 2

Semi. Sandpiper- 1

Bald Eagle- mostly immature birds but 1 adult

Belted Kingfisher- 1

Double-crested Cormorant

A few migrants at a nearby forest:

Yellow Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Tennessee Warbler

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2013

Location: The Oxbow

Reporter: Jay Stenger

Other Birders: Harris Abramson

After the Oxbow Inc. field trip to Shawnee Lookout (Saturday, September 21) broke up, the one that Jack Stenger previously reported, Harris Abramson and I went over to the Oxbow for an hour.

     Some of the species we saw there from about noon until 1 PM included: Wood Ducks 15, Blue-winged Teal 14, Northern Shoveler 12, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Double-crested Cormorant 25~, Great Blue Heron 25~, Great Egret 18, Black Vulture 1, Bald Eagle 1, an empidonax flycatcher 1, Gray Catbird 1, Palm Warbler 7+, Yellow-throated Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 1, and Indigo Bunting 10~. We also saw a group of 4 river otters cavorting at the south end of Oxbow Lake.

The Martin-Marietta sky pools just west of Lost Bridge held decent water from recent rains but all we found there were 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper and a flock of 15 Horned Larks and the ubiquitous Killdeer (20~).

     In his Shawnee Lookout post, Jack suggested that the list might be missing a few birds. No big deal but I think the (male) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (that Jack pointed out himself) and a Nashville Warbler that at least two participants saw are worth mentioning on such an outstanding day.

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge- correction

Reporter: Maddie Varias

After looking at the pictures, I am going to change my Semi. Sandpiper sighting to a Least Sandpiper.

Date: Monday, August 26, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: David Brinkman

Lost Bridge (1:45-2:17 p.m.) - highlight was a STILT SANDPIPER. Also 6 Least, 3 Semipalmated, 1 Solitary and 3 Spotted Sandpipers. Also 50 Killdeer counted, but could not find any Semipalmated Plovers. Other birds of note - no Cliff Swallows, but had 2 Northern Rough-wingeds. A pair of Cooper's Hawks visiting probable nest site on south side of bridge.

Date: Sunday, August 25, 2013

Location: Aurora, Indiana

Reporter: eric burkholder

Other Birders: Kirk Westendorf

Kirk and I easily found the SWALLOWTAIL KITE this morning at 8:15 p.m. perched on a dead tree on Dutch Hollow Road, It was seen in perfect morning light. We watched for about 30 minutes as it stretched, preened and regurgitated pellets from yesterday's dinner. Never did see it fly. What a beautiful bird. Posted a few photos on my flickr page including a photo of the kite being buzzed by a hummingbird.

Our next stop was at The Oxbow. The highlight was an adult and immature Black-crowned Night-Heron.

Also stopped at Lost Bridges. Ran into Frank Frick. No unusual shorebirds. Want to thank the birder who we met on Dutch Hollow and then showed us were to find the Night-Herons at The Oxbow. He reported seeing the early Rusty Blackbird today at Lost Bridges. We looked but couldn't find it.

Date: Sunday, August 25, 2013

Location: Aurora, IN / Oxbow area

Reporter: Kirk Westendorf

Other Birders: Eric Burkholder, a few others

Aurora, IN

1 SWALLOW-TAILED KITE at the top of a dying tree at the bend between Elm Circle and Trevor between 8 and 9am. We watched the bird for about an hour preening, stretching, sitting there and uh... regurgitating. We were hoping to watch it fly but decided to go elsewhere rather than wait it out.

Oxbow/Lost Bridge

2 Black-crowned Night-heron in a tree on the east bank of Juno pond.

24 or so Great Egret

1 Osprey

4 River Otter that people other than me saw :(

Lost Bridge had a few species of common shorebirds.

Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Jonathan Frodge

Other Birders: Les Houser

On the gravel bars below we had about 15 Least, 4 Semipalmated, 1 Pectoral, 1 Yellowlegs, 2 Spotted, 1 Green Heron, 2 Osprey

Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013

Location: 10662 Trevor Drive, Aurora, IN

Reporter: Jonathan Frodge

Other Birders: Les Houser

Swallow-tailed Kite perched and preening this morning. Still present when we left.

Date: Friday, August 23, 2013

Location: Aurora, Indiana

Reporter: David Brinkman

Other Birders: None, surprisingly

3:52-3:54 p.m.

I put the intersection of Trevor Rd. and Dutch Hollow Rd. into my GPS and went there first, turning onto Trevor Rd. and turning around, looking for birders and/or the Swallow-tailed Kite. Then I pulled over on Trevor Rd. to look at detailed information from the internet reports that I printed out. One good report mentioned that the bird has been seen along Dutch Hollow Rd. between Trevor Rd. and Elm Circle Dr. So I decided to drive to Elm Circle Dr. with the plan of traversing back and forth between Elm Circle Dr. and Trevor Rd. until I either located the kite or a group of birders. When I pulled onto Elm Circle Dr., I drove slowly, scanning the sky and looking for birders too. I didn't find any other birders but, lo and behold, there it was, the SWALLOW-TAILED KITE circling low over two houses with numbers on the mail boxes: 10847 and 10867. I stopped the car between these two houses, put my hazard lights on, popped the trunk to retrieve my binoculars, and enjoyed the kite from the middle of the road (this road ends in a cul-de-sac) for about two minutes, before it glided off to the north and disappeared behind the trees and the houses. At one point the bird glided right over the road and directly over my head, no more than 100 ft. up. Best looks I've ever had of this species!!!

Date: Thursday, August 22, 2013

Location: Aurora Ind

Reporter: Allan Claybon

Kite present 2:45 above turn around circle Amity Rd and Harmony Hills, off Trevor. Room for several cars in middle of circle without blocking. Spoke to homeowner and told her not to worry about strange people with bins pointing out their car windows.

Date: Thursday, August 22, 2013

Location: Aurora IN

Reporter: James Lundberg

Swallow-tailed Kite. I arrived in the area first light. Looked around for about an hour. Saw Kite fly to the dead tree (previously described) on Trevor (overgrown lot on left). Kite preened for about an hour then flew to another dead tree in a property on the south side of Dutch Hollow, on the bend between Elm Cir. and Trevor.

Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Location: lost bridge up river side

Reporter: Frank Frick

about 4pm 5 least,2 semipalmated,2 pectoral, 1 solitary,and 2 stilt sandpipers,1 lesser and 2 greater yellowlegs. also spotted sandpipers and killdeer.

Date: Monday, August 19, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: David Brinkman

Other Birders: Frank Frick

Frank had been there about 20 minutes before my arrival. Together, we birded from both sides of the bridge from 6:35-7:35 p.m.

We had the BAIRD'S SANDPIPER on the south side of the bridge. We also had 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 3 Least Sandpipers, 3 Spotted Sandpipers, 1 Solitary Sandpiper (David only), 1 Semipalmated Plover and 40+ Killdeer.

Also of note were 1 Great Egret, ~ 10 Cliff Swallows, 100's of mixed blackbirds (starlings, grackles, red-wingeds) but could not locate any rusty blackbirds. Also 1 Belted Kingfisher, and 1 Baltimore Oriole at the parking area as I was walking back to the car.

Date: Monday, August 19, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Kathi Hutton

I was there at about 10:30am or so, after leaving the kite. 5 species of shorebirds - Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover; Spotted, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers. I didn't find the Baird's but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. Habitat looks good, just no birds.

Also had 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Great Egret, 1 Belted Kingfisher, and a murder of crows.

How does anybody bird here for long enough to see things? I hate standing on that bridge, with all the big trucks rumbling past and no one to help me watch for traffic.

(Not exactly the Oxbow but close enough so it might show up there. Keep your eyes open!)

Date: Monday, August 19, 2013

Location: Trevor Dr, Aurora, IN

Reporter: Kathi Hutton

SWALLOW-TAILED KITE present, 9:45am, perched in a dead tree in an overgrown field on the south side of Trevor - the left side after you turn. The nearest address is 10673 Trevor. There is a grassy berm on which you can park and observe the bird from your car with your naked eyes It has been preening for the last 15 minutes. Very foggy, so photos won't be great. Mosquitos are bad.

Date: Sunday, August 18, 2013

Location: Elizabethtown Bridge, Hamilton Co., OH

Reporter: Neill Cade

Other Birders: Frank Frick (earlier visit)

Made two visits to Elizabethtown (Lost) Bridge: one at 8:15 AM and one at 10:30 AM. The Baird's Sandpiper was present at the second visit, but not the first (sorry Frank). Other shorebirds included the usual suspects: Least, Semipalmated, and Spotted Sandpipers, Killdeer, and Semipalmated Plover. Other less common finds were Great Egret (early), Bald Eagle (late), Cooper's Hawk (early), juvenile Horned Lark (early), Rusty Blackbird (early), and Blue Grosbeak (late).

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2013

Location: Dutch Hollow Rd near Trevor Dr, Aurora, IN

Reporter: Patricia Lee

Other Birders: Justin Lee

At 9:45am, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was still present. Had a great look as it sat perched the whole time in a dead tree top. Never thought it'd be so close, so of course, I left my dSLR at home. Bad cell via bins photo here: http://t.co/VtUjCniY4s.

Date: Friday, August 16, 2013

Location: The Oxbow Area

Reporter: Jay Stenger

Other Birders: Oxbow Inc Field Trip 24 participants

Twenty four people participated on an evening Oxbow Inc field trip on Friday August 16 that began at 6:30 pm and ended at dusk. Shorebirds were the main billing for the trip when we originally planned it back in late May, but a wet summer has kept water pretty high in the Oxbow proper and little shorebird habitat (shallow water, exposed shoreline, mud flats) is currently present. On the other hand the shallow ponds on Lawrenceburg Road just west of Lost Bridge have nearly dried up, with only a few puddles remaining. We found no shorebirds in either location.

The good news is the sand and gravel bars in the Great Miami River at Lost Bridge are now exposed and we did find a smattering of shorebirds there. Our highlight was a juvenile Baird’s Sandpiper which gave us a pretty good look as it was seen almost directly below the north side of the bridge, giving us even good binocular views. There weren’t too many shorebirds present, but the habitat looks great and it should be a productive spot over the next several weeks. In addition to the Baird’s we also saw a Semipalmated Plover, 3 Semipalmated Sandpipers, around 10 Least Sandpipers, 2 Solitary Sandpipers and several Killdeer. We didn’t arrive until sunset, about 8:30 pm, and stayed until just before dark, so it should be better in daylight. When we arrived at Lost Bridge, a very large flock of mixed blackbirds (Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds) were continuously streaming south at tree-top level and continued for five minutes. I have no idea how long this was happening before we got there, but I believe a low estimate while we were there was 10,000 birds, about evenly distributed among the three species.

Some of the species we saw in the Oxbow included; an adult Black-crowned Night-Heron, Great Egrets 25~, Great Blue Herons 30+, Wood Ducks 6, Double-crested Cormorants 40~, a Cooper’s Hawk (perched among several cormorants), Belted Kingfisher, and a large kettle of a 100 mixed vultures in the distance. Several Cliff Swallows remain at Lost Bridge. A male Baltimore Oriole and a small flock of 4 Eastern Kingbirds seemed to stand out among the more common songbirds we saw.

Date: Friday, August 16, 2013

Location: Aurora Indiana

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Other Birders: Not my sighting

Passing this along from IN-birds and the IN birding facebook page yesterday. This is all I have seen of this report so far.

From Brad Bumgardner: "IAS received an email from a birder in Aurora, IN reporting a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE in flight with some Turkey Vulitures. The bird has been seen multiple times on multiple days now. The observer seems quite certain in the ID, and given the two reported birds thus far this year, it seems credible. The sighting occurred near Elm Circle Drive."

Date: Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge, Shawnee Lookout

Reporter: C Emerson

Juvenile Bald Eagle on mud flats on Great Miami River along with American Crows, Solitary Sandpiper, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron. 4 Wild Turkeys in open along Mt. Nebo road. Indigos and Field Sparrow, Goldfinches. Blue-winged Teals at boat ramp. Parked at Tomahawk Ridge and spotted a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Summer Tanager, Acadian Flycathcer, Flicker, Towhee, Turkey Vulture Heard a White-throated Vireo.

Date: Monday, August 5, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Jim Rettig

One osprey. As you enter the Oxbow there is a lake on the left. This bird made three plunges before a successful forth plunge rewarded him with a fish. Must be a juvenile.

Date: Sunday, August 4, 2013

Location: lost bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Other Birders: rick asamoto, john habig, jay stenger, harris abramson, gary stegner gale wulker

Rick and John spotted an UPLAND SANDPIPER in the back of the top soil mudflat. Buffy still here too.

Date: Sunday, August 4, 2013

Location: lost bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

1 buff breasted sandpiper. Few peeps

Date: Saturday, August 3, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Dino Costanzo

The Buff Breasted Sandpipers were still present at the soil bank at Lost Bridge at 7PM.

Date: Saturday, August 3, 2013

Location: mud flat near lost bridge

Reporter: Frank Frick

Between 10 and 10:45am 2 Buff-Breasted Sandpipers, 2 Pectoral Sansdpipers,3 Semipalmated Plovers,a mix of least and semipalmated Sandpipers, about 15 peeps total.

Date: Friday, August 2, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge area

Reporter: Jack Stenger

The Lawrenceburg Rd. mud flats just west of Lost Bridge continue to provide quality shorebird habitat, although they are rapidly drying. Another hot, dry week and they will be mostly gone.

Yesterday morning I had the following there:

15 Killdeer

1 Greater Yellowlegs

3 Semipalmated Sandpiper

12 Least Sandpiper

3 Pectoral Sandpiper

1 Stilt Sandpiper

1 Solitary Sandpiper

2 Blue Grosbeak (1m,1f)

However the sandbars in the Great Miami at Lost Bridge are exposed and will only be getting better for shorebirds. The Oxbow is still high and doesn't look good for shorebirds in the immediate future.

Date: Thursday, August 1, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Jeff Foster

Other Birders: My son

We stopped by Oxbow on the way home. Nothing unusual there but I did see 5 Double-Crested Cormorants on Jackpot Pond. Something spooked them and a Great Blue Heron and they all flew off in the direction of Oxbow Lake. Oxbow certainly looked different than the list time I was there a few months back. Most of the corn is now well over 6 feet tall and the weeds and grasses near Jackpot Pond were much shorter, which made for much nicer viewing of that area from the road than the last time I was there.

Date: Saturday, July 27, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Also stopped by Lost Bridge this evening. All previously reported shorebirds were still there except for the stilt sandpipers. Additions include 5 Black Terns feeding on the Martin Marietta Gravel Pit, an immature Pied-billed Grebe on the same pit, and a Black-crowned Night-heron called from the wooded area between the river and the gravel pit.

Date: Saturday, July 27, 2013

Location: mud flat neer lost bridge

Reporter: Frank Frick

Between 12 and 12:30 Greater Yellowlegs 3, Lesser Yellowlegs 23, Semipalmated Plovers 3, Pectoral Sandpipers 2, Stilt Sandpipers 2, Bairds Sandpiper 1, Short-Billed Dowitcher 3,. About 20 peeps,some Semipalmated's mixed in with the Least.

Date: Monday, July 15, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

All birds on the top soil operation, which is looking really good right now. Gravel bars on the river will probably form by the end of the week if we don't get any more rain.

13 Killdeer

5 Spotted Sandpiper

1 Solitary Sandpiper

3 Lesser Yellowlegs

1 Greater Yellowlegs

8+ Least Sandpiper

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Location: Boone County, Oxbow, Lost Bridge, Kilby Rd

Reporter: Jonathan Frodge

Headed to the Oxbow where we saw Great Egrets, 1 SNOWY EGRET, Prothonotary Warbler. Egrets were circling out over the lake near the Shell Station entrance and one noticeably smaller was in the mix. They all perched in a tree and scope views in flight and perched revealed the black bill and yellow feet on the Snowy. Lost Bridge was basically dead with some mud showing but no birds of interest present.

Date: Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Location: Western Hamilton Co.

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Stopped at a few locations on my way out of work this afternoon.

Lawrencburg Rd Gravel Pit north of US 50: Hit this spot just as the storms were coming in... 3 Common Terns feeding over the water and 35 Semipalmated Sandpipers along the shore. Few Semipalmated Plovers and Spotted Sandpipers were the only other shorebirds.

Lost Bridge: Nice little fallout here after the storms. 162 Semipalmated Sandpipers were all in the closest pool of the topsoil operation. Also a few Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers, and Spotted Sandpipers. I tried to find something different in the flocks of semi sands, but had no luck. Body and bill shape and size all looked pretty uniform feeding and in flight. This is by far the most Semipalmated Sandpipers I have ever seen in this area. I also had another Osprey flyover the bridge, but it disappeared quickly. The river is low enough some gravel bars are starting to form.

Date: Sunday, May 19, 2013

Location: Shawnee Lookout and Vicinity

Reporter: C Emerson

A Nashville Warbler as well. Stopped along Lawrenceberg road mud flats just before the river. Had some shorebirds in my binos when the Canadain Geese with ducklings started to sound the alarm. A 4 year old Bald Eagle was swooping above harrasing the Geese. A minute later a younger Bald Eagle with a dark head flew into view and landed with the older juvenile Eagle. Both eagles were on the ground on the far side of the flats. Spotted the Blue Grosebeak along Mt. Nemo road. Heard Wild Turkeys as I pulled into the boat ramp at Shawnee. Great Crested Flycatcher, Prothonotary Warlber, Eastern Wood Pewee, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Red-bellied Woodpeck, Pileated Woodpecker, Gray Catbird, Baltimore Oriole, Solitary Sandpiper. Parking lot at Fort Trail, American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-breasted Chat, Willow Flycatcher, Downy Woodpecker Parked at Tomahawk Knob, Common Yellowthroat, large Wild Turkey spotted in open area, Turkey Vulture, more Chats, female American Redstart. Spotted several Least Sanpipers and Killdeer at the muds flats on Lawrenceberg road on the way home. A great day for birding.

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013

Location: Oxbow, etc

Reporter: Kathi Hutton

Other Birders: Ann Oliver, 7 others

It was a very birdy morning. I tallied 57 species from 5 stops: Shawnee Lookout boat ramp, Mt. Nebo Road, Lost Bridge, the Oxbow, and Fernald. Ann had at least 3 others by ear that I missed.  Ann leads a lively walk. We had a mom with 3 kids, a married couple, and another woman with us. She and I kept busy pointing out songs and trying to get some uncooperative birds to show themselves.

Highlights included singing BLUE GROSBEAK perched on a wire along Mt. Nebo Rd, both orioles, 4 swallows (Tree, Barn, Cliff, and Northern Rough-winged), 6 flycatchers (E. Phoebe, E. Kingbird, Great-crested, Acadian, Willow, and Least), brilliant Prothonotary Warblers, 1 Great Egret, 2 Green Herons, baby Killdeer and a Semipalmated Plover for comparison, and Indigo Buntings at every stop.  I bailed out at 12:30pm, but the rest of the group looked like they could go all day.

Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Jay Stenger

It was quite a good day for migrant shorebirds in the lower Great Miami River Valley today. The highlight was a small flock of Red Knots that I saw between 11:45 AM and 12:15 PM. But unfortunately they had left by 2:00 PM. See more details on this sighting below.

There were 4 Black-bellied Plovers on the shallow Martin-Marietta pond, located just west of Lost Bridge this morning at 8:45 AM but little else. When I returned at 11:00 AM, the Black-bellied Plovers had apparently left, but were replaced with a variety of other species. The shorebirds present from 11:00 through 12:15 included Red Knots 9 (see details below) Sanderlings 5, Short-billed Dowitchers 15, Semipalmated Plovers 28, Semipalmated Sandpipers 5, Least Sandpipers 10, Greater Yellowlegs 3, Lesser Yellowlegs 8, Spotted Sandpipers 2, Solitary Sandpipers 2 and a few Killdeer. An immature Bald Eagle made an appearance and disrupted the sandpiper party for several minutes. After his departure things settled down again, but I never did relocate the dowitchers. About 40 Cliff Swallows were continuously gleaning mud from the edge of the pond, presumably for their nests under Lost Bridge.

After my visit I immediately called Paul Wharton and Joe Bens about the Red Knots and they went down around 2:00 PM to have a look. Joe told me the only birds that remained at that time were the Semipalmated Plovers and Spotted Sandpipers.

So during four separate visits (8:45, 11:00, 11:45, and 2:00) to the Lost Bridge pond today there was an obvious turnover of species, which suggests a lot of birds were on the move today.

About the Red Knots. First off, I realize how rare and unprecedented this sighting is. In fact Red Knots are considered accidental migrants in Ohio (and Indiana) away from the Great Lakes, especially during spring migration. I think all of our local records are from the fall. They are usually seen as individual birds, but small flocks are occasionally reported away from Lake Erie. Because of the extraordinary nature of this sighting, I feel I should include some supporting details in this report.

At the Lost Bridge pond today I noticed a small group (9) of fairly large sandpipers grouped tightly together facing into the wind on a spit at the very back of the pond. The steady 25 mph wind and 250 yard distance didn’t make for the best viewing (scope shake). A bulldozer was working along the back of the pond the entire time I was there, putting considerable dust in the air.

My immediate thought was more Sanderlings (having seen 5 earlier relatively close), as I was picking up shades of red/rufous color on some of the birds necks and breasts. But these birds were considerably larger than Sanderlings. I was able to get a good size comparison because there were several Semipalmated Plovers standing just a few feet to their left. These birds were longer than the Semipalmated Plovers, but more importantly, they dwarfed them from a body mass perspective. Their body mass was easily 2 or 3 x larger than the Semipalmated Plovers. For the most part the upperparts were dark grayish and scalloped, the primaries dark, the breasts a lighter gray and the bellies whitish. Most of the birds I could see clearly seemed to have some reddish or rufous tones in the breast and/or neck area. They had round, plump bodies and a short or no- necked appearance. The legs were dark and the bills were black, of medium-length, stout and tapered. For the 30 minutes I watched them they remained hunkered down facing into the wind. At this point I felt they were Red Knots, but I also thought that Red Knots would be in full adult breeding plumage by mid-May. When I got home I called Paul Wharton & Joe Bens and they went looking for them. When they got to Lost Bridge at 2:00 PM the birds had apparently left. I’ve since read several resources and found the following passage on “Birds of North America”:

<<< One-year-old knots, which replace few feathers, appear as winter, Basic-plumaged birds during their first boreal spring and summer (Belton 1984, Blanco et al. 1992) but typically have highly worn and frayed primaries. Individuals that molt more extensively show rufous feathering below (Paulson 1993) but are generally intermediate in appearance between Definitive Basic and Definitive Alternate plumages (Cramp and Simmons 1983).">>>

So if I understand this correctly, immature birds entering into their first spring are likely to still be in their immature plumage or some type of intermediate plumage. Based on this I believe this flock was comprised solely of immature/1st year (hatched last summer) Red Knots.

On a hypothetical note, I could see where a flock of immature birds (birds which have never made a northward migration before) might end up a bit off course.

Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge & Shawnee Lookout

Reporter: Joe Kappa

SL at the bottom of the boat ramp had 1 G Yellowlegs, 2 Pectoral Sandpipers & 1 Solitary SP.

Lost Bridge had 28 Semipalmated Plovers, 5 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, several peeps & Spotted Sandpipers

Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge, Oxbow

Reporter: Ann Oliver

Found two Caspian Terns (Lost Bridge gravel pit operation), Prothonotary Warblers (Oxbow).

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2013

Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg

Reporter: Jon Seymour

At the end of the Birdathon I walked out to view the flood pool south of Mercer Pond. I found about a dozen Black-bellied Plover, 25 Lesser Yellow-legs, several Pectoral Sandpipers, and 3 Ruddy Turnstones. A flock of 30 Caspian Terns with a few Forester's Terns, and Two Great Egrets. Throw in a Horned Lark and it was a perfect finish to the Birdathon.

Date: Monday, April 15, 2013

Location: Oxbow Avocet

Reporter: Jeff Rowe

Other Birders: Andy Bess

The American Avocet was spotted in the flooded fields east of the main Oxbow Lake feeding with about 8 Greater Yellow Legs and two Lesser Yellow Leggs. The Avocet and Yellow Leggs were feeing on a narrow strip of flooded grass best viewed from the road to the overlook. We left when the Avocet flushed and flew to the east side of the large finger of green land between two flooded areas and landed out of sight. The road straight into the fields (toward Mercer Lake) is flooded so unless you have a boat or if it relocates, seeing the Avocet may be difficult. I also had two Green Herons and one House Wren (investigating one of the new nest boxes).

Date: Monday, April 15, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Frank Frick

Just got a call from Andy Bess. Andy and Jeff Rowe are at the Oxbow now and are seeing an American Avocet also Caspian Tern and Great Egrets.

Date: Friday, April 5, 2013

Location: lost bridge gravel pit

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Looking at a Red-throated Loon right now. Details to come when I'm home

Date: Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Location: Jackpot Pond, Oxbow

Reporter: Jim Rettig

One D-C Cormorant at Jackpot Pond at the end away from casino. And 70+ Tree Swallows perched and several dozen more flying about. (Go beyond the "Keep Out" tape.

Date: Saturday, March 23, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Jeff Foster

Other Birders: Total of 13 of us led by Joe Bens

It was very muddy but it was worth it! I got 9 lifers this morning! Joe said it was not a great day but we did see some good ones this morning. We were able to go just a little past the overlook but had to stop because the road became impassable. My car got stuck in the mud and had to get pushed out by the others. Joe was going to take everyone else around to the casino side and try to access Jackpot Pond from there but my son and I decided to call it a day at that point.

Here is a list of the ones that I know for sure that we saw this morning. Some of the other folks may have more than this.

Pied-bille Grebe - Lifer

American Coot - a couple dozen at various points

Bald Eagle - 2 immature

Northern Flicker

Green-winged Teal - Lifer

Northern Pintail - Lifer

Wood Duck - Lifer

Red-winged Blackbird

Red-tailed Hawk - Lifer

Ring-billed Gull

Great Blue Heron

Hooded Merganser - Lifer

Mallard

Canada Geese

Lesser Scaup - Lifer

Gadwall - Lifer

Northern Shoveler - Lifer

Thank you to Joe Bens for guiding this one! I doubt I would have had such good luck on my own!

Date: Friday, March 8, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley Lake Beach & Boat Ramp (nearby to Oxbow)

Reporter: Susan & Linda Osterhage

White-winged Scoter first seen at beach around 8:30 a.m. It then moved toward the boat ramp, but was later found between the beach and the boat ramp around 9:30. Also saw Red-breasted Merganser, Red-necked Grebe, Buffleheads, Redheads, Coots, Ring-necked Ducks, Scaups, and a female Common Golden-eye. Video of Scoter -http://www.flickr.com/photos/92254657@N06/

Date: Thursday, March 7, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge ~8:30

Reporter: William Hull

Did not find previously reported White-winged Scoter.  Did find 11 Common Goldeneye (river), 1 Common Loon, 1 American Pipit, 1st year Bald Eagle, etc.

Date: Monday, March 4, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge/Oxbow

Reporter: David Brinkman

Lost Bridge: On a slow drive-by, I was able to see the WW Scoter recently reported by Neill Cade, close to the shore near a No Trespassing sign (so I didn't stop). There were 3 unID diving ducks which could have included the female goldeneye but I didn't want to get in trouble for trespassing. The scoter was easily ID by silhoette as a scoter, at least, after recent review of Sibley's scoter ID page at http://www.sibleyguides.com/2011/02/identifying-scoters-by-shape/

Oxbow: Two 2nd-winter Bald Eagles at Oxbow Lake from the viewing area, over 100 RB Gulls, one of which was chased by one of the eagles when it had a fish.  Ducks included Mallard 15, N. Shoveler 28, Wood Duck 1 drake, Ring-necked Duck 9, Hooded Merganser 2 (a pair). Also 4 Am. Coots, 2 GB Herons and 1 YR Warbler.

Date: Sunday, March 3, 2013

Location: OH, Elizabethtown Bridge, Hamilton Co., OH

Reporter: Neill Cade

Time of Visit: Seen 10:30 AM

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER - 1 adult male in gravel pit lake (scoped from bridge). Accompanied by a dark brown-headed female goldeneye with a stubby-looking bill that had a lot of yellow on it. This is a good enough candidate for BARROW'S GOLDENEYE that I'll even mention the name. Please examine this bird carefully. I saw it flap it's wings a couple of times but can't say anything definitive about the white wing patches. Let me know what you think!

Date: Friday, February 22, 2013

Location: Oxbow region

Reporter: Paul Wharton

I did a quick afternoon drive-through of the Oxbow region and it was very productive with 17 species of waterfowl. Approximate numbers were Canada goose 50, Mallar,40, American Black duck 10, Pintail 40, Gadwall 60, N. Shovelor 80, American Wigeon 4, Wood Duck 2, Green-winged teal 6, Redhead 60, Canvasback 25, Ringneck duck 75, Lesser Scaup 50, Greater Scaup 4, Hooded Merganser 60, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Ruddy Duck 3, along with 4 Pied-billed Grebes, Coot 60, Great Blue Heron 6, Ring-billed Gull 300, Bald Eagle 1, and 1 N. Harrier. The road through the Oxbow was passable in a VW Jetta, but be prepared for a muddy car when you are done.

Date: Saturday, February 16, 2013

Location: Campbell Lakes to Oxbow

Reporter: John Hill

Other Birders: MaryAnn Morris

The Bald Eagle nest along Miami Whitewater has grown in size, no sign of it's inhabitants, no birds in the air but seagulls. Lost Bridge was also vacant. Oxbow gave us a not oft seen Redheaded Woodpecker, 50+Coots, 30+Shovelers, 6 Ringecks, 1 Piedbill Grebe, 50+ Mallards. The lake along Action Lane adjacent to I-275 was watched by an adult Bald Eagle and 2 immatures.

Date: Friday, February 15, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Susan & Linda Osterhage

The Horned Grebe is still present. Also found a Pied-billed Grebe, Shovelers, Coots, and a single female Ruddy.

The lake at the campground on State Line Road had Canvasbacks, Scaups, Shovelers, Redheads, and Coots.

Date: Monday, February 11, 2013

Location: I-275 in Indiana at the Ohio River

Reporter: David Brinkman

Adult Bald Eagle gliding over I-275 on Indiana side near the bridge.

Date: Monday, February 11, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Helen Wright-North

Trip List: Canada Goose 16, Wood Duck 2, Mallard 25, Northern Pintail 6, Ring-necked Duck 16, Horned Grebe 1, Great Blue Heron 2, Bald Eagle 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Coot 26, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker 1, Carolina Chickadee 1, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, American Robin

Date: Saturday, February 9, 2013

Location: Oxbow

Reporter: Patricia Lee

Watched two young red-tailed hawks for about 15 minutes as they danced and soared about the sky. Courtship?

Date: Friday, February 8, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley Lake Boat Ramp

Reporter: Susan & Linda Osterhage

Other Birders: Andy Bess

1 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 female Golden-eye, Coots, Scaups, Ring-necked, Killdeer, lots of Bufflehead, and the Red-necked Grebe is still hanging around. Susan and I then went to the Oxbow and saw a Horned Grebe, Yellow-rumped Warblers, and 4 Bald Eagles (2 adults and 2 juvenile). 2 Hooded Mergansers in the lake behind the Greendale Cinemas.

Date: Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Location: Elizabethtown Bridge, Hamilton Co., OH

Reporter: Neill Cade

Other Birders: Kim Cade

Still no joy with Greater White-fronted Geese despite several attempts this year. Consolation prizes included ~70 Wild Turkeys in a field well north of the bridge, both Scaup and Redheads in the gravel pit lake, and a variety of dabblers, including Northern Pintails, in the flooded fields south of the bridge (just past Mt. Nebo).

Date: Monday, February 4, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge Gravel Pits

Reporter: Susan & Linda Osterhage

Other Birders: Andy Bess

4 Greater White-fronted Geese mixed in with a lot of Canada Geese. Last seen around 9:30 a.m. swimming toward the middle of the gravel pit. Could be seen with binoculars, but better looks with scope. Distinctive white undertail coverts, white patch on face, and pink bill. Juvenile Bald Eagle flew over, as well.

Date: Sunday, February 3, 2013

Location: Elizabethtown Bridge, Hamilton Co., OH

Reporter: Neill Cade

At 9:15 Am, an adult Peregrine Falcon was sitting in a tree on the west bank of the Great Miami River completely surrounded (but not being mobbed!) by American Crows. There were virtually no other birds present.

(While not technically the Oxbow, HVL overlooks the oxbow area and drains directly into the floodplain along Double Lick Creek.)

Date: Sunday, January 27, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley Lake, Dearborn Co., OH

Reporter: Neill Cade

The parade continues at the Beach: Red-necked Grebe, Common Merganser, and Dunlin were joined by a large number of more expected species. A secondary highlight was provided by a Cooper's Hawk chasing (and just missing) a Belted Kingfisher.

Date: Sunday, January 27, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge gravel pit

Reporter: Ned Keller

Other Birders: Neill Cade (in part)

Besides the usual suspects, the gravel pit next to Lost Bridge (which has some of the only open water around here at present) held a Cackling Goose and a Greater White-fronted Goose early this morning. This spot seems to be best early or late in the day, as many of the waterfowl disperse through the Great Miami and Whitewater Valleys through the rest of the day.

Date: Saturday, January 26, 2013

Location: Lost Bridge

Reporter: Brian Wulker

Other Birders: Gale Wulker

As the groups of Canada Geese were flying out, we had 1 Greater White-fronted Goose around 10:45 this morning. There were also at least 2 Cackling Geese, Gadwall, Black Duck, Mallard, Pintail, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Goldeneye, and Hooded Merganser.

Date: Thursday, January 24, 2013

Location: Simonson Rd

Reporter: William Hull

Stopped after Lost Bridge to look for field birds. 2 Horned Larks,~70 American Pipits.  When the pipits flew in I was kinda hoping they were mixed with larks and longspurs but it was a pure flock as far as I could see.

Date: Thursday, January 24, 2013

Location: Lost bridge

Reporter: Robert Foppe

Other Birders: Bill Hull

Bill asked me to post that at 230 today he has 5 Common Mergansers downriver from the bridge

(While not technically the Oxbow, HVL overlooks the oxbow area and drains directly into the floodplain along Double Lick Creek.)

Date: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley Lake Beach & Boat Ramp

Reporter: Susan & Linda Osterhage

Other Birders: Just Linda

1 Dunlin, 1 Common Merganser, 1 adult Bald Eagle, 1 Red-necked Grebe, 5 Scaups (not sure if they were Lesser or Greater), 7 Bufflehead, 2 Golden eye, 2 Killdeer, 5 Coots, 7 Mallards, 10 Canada Geese, 1 Belted Kingfisher

Date: Saturday, January 19, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley

Reporter: Matt Adams

The Red Necked grebe is still here at 4:46pm. It is moving around but stays between the boat ramp and Willie's. there are six pied billed grebes as well - just look for the grebe with the longer yellow bill. Also saw four buffleheads up the lake.

Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley

Reporter: Jay Lehman

The Red-necked Grebe with its head tucked :was observed from the beach at great distance with scope but was identifiable. Better views from the dam at the base of the hill below Willie's. This was between 11:30 am & 12:00. When I reached the base of the hill on the paved path between Willie's and the community center, the grebe started swimming out toward the middle of the lake following a Pied-billed Grebe. This bird seems a bit skittish.

Date: Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley, Oxbow, Lost Bridge

Reporter: Allan Claybon

The Red-necked Grebe continues at Hidden Valley as Deborah reported earlier. Was there just before noon. If it is far across the lake from the beach or dam, there is a closer view from the lower parking lot behind Willie's, the large building up Alpine Way. Photos at http://www.flickr.com/nsxbirder.

At Lost Bridge a Peregrine Falcon and a pair of Red-tailed Hawks engaged. No clear winner.

The roads are flooded at the Oxbow in at least the 2 culvert locations that block access to the observation area from both directions. Corn fields to the West are flooded along Oxbow Lake and 100's of Mallards and Geese were present along with a few Shovelers and Coots. No eagles seen late this morning.

Date: Monday, January 14, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley

Reporter: Debra Hausrath

Red-necked Grebe near the boat ramp/marina.

Date: Sunday, January 13, 2013

Location: Hidden Valley Lake

Reporter: Allan Claybon

Could not locate the Red-necked Grebe reported earlier. Saw 3 PB Grebes, a male Bufflehead, Mallard, dozens of Coots, and 6 Common Goldeneyes, 2M/4FM from the parking lot above the beach in a hard rain around 4PM. Images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsxbirder/8377624875/in/photostream/

Date: Sunday, January 13, 2013

Location: hidden valley lake

Reporter: Andy Bess

There is a Red necked Grebe being seen from the boat ramp and the beach. The bird was first seen yesterday and it is very active.