Mary's following post prompted me to mention that I did see Bobolinks and
Dickcissels at Huffman Prairie on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (near
Fairborn in Greene County and Dayton in Montgomery County). This was last
Saturday, June 1st.
A few Bobolinks were in the large central portion of the prairie, towards
the southwestern end. I never saw more than two or three at a time.
There was a handful of Dickcissels, many of them singing from the tops of
small tree and shrubs at the eastern end of the prairie near the shed.
In the area that Mary mentioned on the northern side of the prairie, there
was a lot of activity of more common species such as Common Yellowthroat,
Orchard Oriole, and Indigo Bunting. A pleasant surprise was a
Ringed-Necked Pheasant scurrying across the road and disappearing into the
grass.
Kevin
On Sun, Jun 9, 2013 at 11:49 AM, marys1000 <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> This morning I did some casual birding back by the little lake at the
> end of the runway to see what was up with the Bobolinks.
> Like previous drives there were an amazing and depressing amount of
> Cowbirds but actually even more today if possible. They sit on the
> airfield fence all around where I had seen what may have been 2 pair (or
> maybe 1 pr Bobolink flying in an out of the airfield grass as if
> nesting. Seriously, its like they are watching. That was I think
> weekend before last? Now its been mowed and I didn't see any
> Bobolinks. They may be on the Huffman Prairie side or I just missed
> them somehow. I have to wonder between mowing, normal ground predators
> like racoons and Cowbirds if there are ever any successful nestings
> there. If we see the same pair(s) drawn back every year and every year
> they fail. I know the state or FWS got permission to trap Cowbirds in
> Kirtland warbler territory, thinking it may be a good idea here too.
>
> A couple of nice birds for me, Thrasher an a pair of Blue Grosbeak, in
> addition to birds like Flicker, Orchard Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Rough
> Winged Swallow, House Wren, Eastern Meadowlark, Indigo Bunting. (No
> Dickessels) Didn't see the resident pair of RTHs though. A few weeks
> ago I saw 2 Horned Larks and no Killdeer, today it was the opposite.
>
> I hear stuff all the time that I can't identify but is familiar. Today I
> heard a call/song I had never heard (or noticed?) before. A "Wheet
> Now!" If you listened long enough it sounded a bit like someone saying
> Right Now! Right Now! in a slightly buzzy froggy voice. I finally
> located the bird, perched on top of a taller bit of vegetation in a
> grown up area of field. Sparrowish sized and look, had that dark head
> cap clear throat look that an Eastern Kingird has but browner, clear
> breast with some yellowish tinge to the abdomen? Cant remember if
> there were wing bars or eye rings, forgot to check. I was more into
> watching the way he threw his head up when he did his Right Now thing.
>
> Marie, Fairborn
>
> P.S. Mulberrys are about halfway in now, always good to scan those for
> birds.
>
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