Ohio Statewide RBA - February 8, 2010

NOTE:  I have heard from some of you that the strange formatting errors that have plagued my own and others posts recently have also rendered the RBA unreadable.  If this is the case, you can read view it in plain English over at rarebird.org.  And, of course, if anyone has a solution to these wacky happenings, please send it my way!
 
- RBA
* Ohio
* Statewide
* February 8, 2010
* OHST1002.08
 
- Species Mentioned (Caps denote a review list species):
 
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Cackling Goose
Red-necked Grebe
Black Vulture
Golden Eagle
Merlin
Least Sandpiper
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Cape May Warbler
Northern Shrike
“Gambell’s” White-crowned Sparrow
“Oregon” Junco
Indigo Bunting
 
- Transcript
 
This is the Ohio Rare Bird Report for February 8, 2010.  Compiler: Gabe Leidy. Email: nparula@yahoo.com
 
Species in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE REVIEW LIST SPECIES. Details of these sightings are desired by the Ohio Bird Records Committee. Careful observation, not ornithological expertise, is the only qualification for submitting your data. For details and pointers see: http://www.ohiobirds.org/records/documentation.php
 
Greater White-fronted Goose: A loner was among 3000 Canadas at Killdeer Plains WA 31 Jan (Mark Gilsdorf, Jack & Jay Stenger).
 
Snow Goose: Terri Norris photographed a blue-phase at Old Reid Park - near Buck Creek SP, Clark Co - 2 Feb. David Russell’s ornithology class found one in McGonigle, Butler Co. 3 Feb.
 
Cackling Goose: Killdeer Plains hosted three 31 Jan (Mark Gilsdorf, Jack & Jay Stenger), M.J. Thurston SP, Wood Co. at least one 4 Feb (Joe Hildreth, Tom Kemp), and Armleder Park, Hamilton Co. one 7 Feb (William Hull).
 
Red-necked Grebe: One was a nice mid-winter surprise 6 Feb off North Perry, Lake Co. (John Pogacnik).
 
Black Vulture: A flyby, harassed by local Peregrines, at E. 72nd St., Cuyahoga Co. 7 Feb was one of the more exceptional records of the past week (John Pogacnik). Even stranger is the likeness that it bears to a nearly identical sighting December 22, 2008 from the same location. This bird was also harassed by a Peregrine as it headed westward parallel to I-90.
 
Golden Eagle: The immy at The Wilds was Jay Lehman’s final tick for January; on the 31st, he viewed it from the overlook on Coal Hill Rd, near the Rural Dale Rd. intersection.
 
Merlin: Numbers have built to three at Caesar Creek SP, around the water tower near the park office 7 Feb (Shane Egleston fide Rick Asamoto). One zipped through Armleder Park, Hamilton Co. 7 Feb (William Hull).
 
Least Sandpiper: At least one remains on the gravel bar visible from Hamilton Riverside Natural Area, Butler Co., 7 Feb (Mike Busam). A troop of up to three have been present here since November, disappearing and reappearing in accordance with the Great Miami River’s water levels.
 
Iceland Gull: East 72nd St. hosted both an ad and a first-cycle 7 Jan (Emil Bacik, Gabe Leidy, John Pogacnik).
 
Glaucous Gull: Adults were seen from E 55th (Emil Bacik, Gabe Leidy) and E 72nd (John Pogacnik) Streets 7 Feb.
 
Northern Saw-whet Owl: Sally Isacco found a bird at Chagrin River Park, Lake Co. 3 Feb; it could not be relocated on subsequent days.
 
Northern Shrike: Mark Gilsdorf, Jack & Jay Stenger reported a cooperative one at Delaware WA, Delaware, Marion & Morrow Cos. 31 Jan, and Ben Warner found it to be equally obliging 5 Feb. Look in the large field in Area G, south of US 229. The Killbuck Marsh bird, was observed along Valley Rd. near Clark Rd. as recently as 4 Feb (fide Bobolink Area RBA.
 
Cape May Warbler: The Hocking Co. bird remained 1 Feb (Jim Fry).
 
“Gambell’s” White-crowned Sparrow: Shari Jackson and Ronnie Macko reported that a White-crowned of this subspecies was a feeder guest at their Stark Co. home 6 Feb. We hold no winter records for this subspecies, that I’m aware of; hopefully this rare guest sticks around.
 
“Oregon” Junco: One was a pleasing feeder visitor 6 Feb in Tuscarawas Co. (Hallie Mason).
 
Indigo Bunting: Joe Faulkner and Vicki Derr checked in to report that the Perry Co. male is still present as of 6 Feb.
 
- End transcript
 
Good birding -
Gabe Leidy
Cleveland, OH

Thanks dude.  I do my best to stay on the cutting edge of 'avian ebonics...'