My recent trip to Ohio was nothing less than revelatory for me. Not only did I have an incredible time at the 2009 Midwest Birding Symposium but I also gained a new appreciation for the natural beauty of the Buckeye State. The biggest surprise in terms of the latter was definitely Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge; who knew that northwest Ohio was so sweet for shorebirds?
Everything about Ottawa NWR is gorgeous, from its opulent visitor center to its vast holdings of varied habitat. We, and by we I mean me, Birdchick, and our friend Hugo Haroldo Enríquez Toledo, were fortunate enough to receive an exclusive invite to observe shorebird banding in an otherwise off-limits parcel of the refuge. I was thrilled to run into a mixed flock of birders I have a lot of respect for like Alvaro Jaramillo, Paul Baicich, Wayne Petersen, Arthur Morris and a whole host of guides. However, the real stars of this show were the two Toms managing the banding station and the shorebirds themselves. While herons, egrets, and eagles soared overhead, Tom and Tom collected birds from the nets, bagged them, measured them, banded them, and realeased them before our amazed eyes. No doubt, the Wison’s Snipe, Semipalmated Plover, and Least, Semipalmated, and Pectoral Sandpipers processed while we attended appreciated their hosts’ gentleness and solicitude.
Accompanying Tom Bartlett to empty the nets offered the opportunity to scope out more of the refuge while spotting flocks of Canada Geese and mixed ducks, mostly Mallards, American Black Ducks, and Green-winged Teal. We also encountered Stilt Sandpipers, both yellowlegs, and more snipe than I’ve ever seen in my life. Best of all, I identified my life Buff-bellied Sandpiper. Still, I learned the most back at the banding station:
The namesake semipalmations of a Semipalmated Plover
ID these two peep lookalikes
A pec sand in the hand is worth two in the bush
See how flexible is the snipe’s bill
All in all, I had an awesome morning and can’t believe I’m looking forward to returning to Ohio. If you’re passing through upper Ohio, invest a few hours in Ottawa NWR. If you’re interested in further analysis of how cool shorebird banding can be at Ottawa NWR, Birdchick has much to share on the topic.
Least on the Right, Semi-Palmated on the Left.
That snipe looks sort of indignant.
Hey Mike, Thanks for the shout out to Ottawa NWR. The refuge sometimes gets overlooked by birders because the very famous Magee Marsh is right next door, but I love birding on the refuge as well. It has great variety of birds every day of the year, and the refuge staff are outstanding people, totally dedicated to bird conservation.
Mike, the problem with Ottawa is that it is largely off-limits to the birding crowds, as you have mentioned. I am however slightly surprised you mention your surprise in the first paragraph of this post.
It seems I must have done a very bad job blogging about the birding wonders of the Great Lakes?
🙂
@Will, your use of the term “Semi-Palmated” causes me to wonder what 18th century ornithology text you consulted.
@Carrie, wouldn’t you be?
@Kenn, my pleasure!
@Jochen, you have to understand that as a native New Yorker, my basest nature urges me to mock other states, especially Midwestern ones and New Jersey. I should know better but sometimes I can’t help it! I live on a Great Lake too and anyway, I consider you a Michigan blogger (by way of Germany of course.)
Hi Mike-
That certainly was a memorable morning! Thanks for the great post and kudos to the Toms.
Even with all the extra talent in town for Midwest Birding, this trip was one of my highlights too. http://cherylharner.blogspot.com/2009/09/sky-fishing-at-ottawa-national-wildlife.html
Hope you’ll visit Ohio again soon; Magee is not to be missed in May!
Mike, I may be a Michigan blogger but within the Birding Brotherhood of the Great Lakes, we are all the same, in very much the same way as the migratory birds that make the Lakes so Great don’t distinguish between Ontario, Ohio or Michigan, or elsewhere.
You know what? It seems as a Michiganer (by way of Germany) I start to develop an urge to mock other states just like the NYers do, particularly the states where a 20+ warbler day in May is considered unusual.
😉
Great post Mike. It looks like the Midwest Birding Symposium was a great success by all accounts I have read.
Nice shot of the Snipe and yes, I would be!