Birding was relatively quiet and mostly by ear but the highlight of the morning was watching one, then two, Mink cavorting along the banks of Clear Creek—I don’t believe I’ve ever seen mink in this park before. I also had no idea that mink can swim so I was dumbfounded when one swam across the creek and then not long after, swam back. 

I don’t think they were aware I was there so I was able to watch them for 15-20 minutes. I managed to get some decent photos in spite of the low light conditions. Wonderful experience!

I also heard a very odd bird call I couldn’t identify from the tulip trail. I managed to get a recording although the bird wasn’t close. If anyone can think of a bird that sounds reminiscent of the bark of an elegant trogon, please let me know. I’ve been racking my brain but I can’t think of anything in Ohio that vocalizes like that. Maybe I should download Merlin! Maybe a weird cuckoo call?

I heard both Black-billed and Yellow-billed cuckoos but could not spot them. 

The only warblers I managed to actually see were Louisiana Waterthrush, female redstart and common yellowthroat. The others were heard only. I had excellent looks at a perched & singing Blue-headed Vireo and good looks at a singing male Scarlet Tanager. 

Warblers
La Waterthrush 
Com YT
Am Redstart 
Yellow 
BT Green
Worm-eating
KY
Hooded
Ovenbird 
B&W 
N Parula
Cerulean 

Vireos 
Blue-headed
Red-eyed
White-eyed
Yellow-throated 

FCs
E Peewee 
E Phoebe 
Great-crested 
Acadian

Scarlet Tanager
Tree Swallows
Barn Swallow 
Rough-winged Swallows—I was happy to see them nesting again at the sandstone cliffs just past the HQ house/barn. I used to see them there regularly but not recently. 
Indigo Bunting
Lots of Wood Thrushes—family groups maybe
Veery
BG Gnatcatcher 
Brown Thrasher (2) brief but good looks

Drive added Killdeer & Black Vulture

Peggy Wang
Granville 


Sent from my iPhone
______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.


You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]