Greetings,

Yesterday morning (10/3/20), Ben Morrison and I spent a few hours birding the mudflats of the Mahoning RIver/Berlin Lake area of eastern Stark Co.  The heavily flooded conditions of several weeks ago are now back to “normal” and good conditions exist all the way from Greenbower Rd. and the Deer Creek Reservoir spillway area all the way to the Mahoning Co. line east of the new boat launch at the east end of German Church Rd.  The best area of shorebird activity was accessed by walking south through the woods across from the small parking lot on Price Rd. 1/4 mile west of SR 225.  Walking south, we walked along the shoreline and followed it as it turns west towards the Deer Creek spillway and bridge.  The best scoping was at that west end.  Many of the species were the same as had been there, but in larger numbers and with the addition of 3 Stilt Sandpipers.  There were 55+ Pectoral Sandpipers, over 25 Lesser Yellowlegs, 5 Greater Yellowlegs, and a few Least Sandpipers.  We also had a Merlin creating some chaos, so the birds were lifting up regularly giving us the chance to observe many of these birds in flight and look for anomalies.  As usual, there were also several Great Egrets wading in the area.

The areas to the north did not seem to have many birds except Killdeer.  We did, however, have a really great group of migrant warblers and others at the parking lot of the new boat launch at the east end of German Church Rd.  Our mixed flock included 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, White-throated Sparrows, and Warblers that included Black-throated Green, Magnolia, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Tennessee, and our first group of at least a dozen Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warblers of fall.  

The weather was perfect early fall conditions.  Shorebird species dynamics are likely to change day to day, and generally the action moves from south to north in most years, but the recent flooding rains may have changed that dynamic, so being flexible on where you look can pay off.  As always in this area, scopes are a must and mud boots are recommended.  Be careful when walking on the mud!  Losing a boot or getting stuck is not fun! 

Happy birding!

Jon Cefus
East Central Ohio Director, Ohio Ornithological Society
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