Hello, all. I took this week off from my one job to focus on doing Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas sureying for Region 37. Today I spent the morning in Sandusky County, mostly around Gibsonburg. For those who have never been there, I recommend paying a visit to White Star Park just south of G-burg. Away from the quarry, it has a very nice variety of habitat. In particular, there are some great wetlands to be found off of CR 66, 1/2 mile northe of CR 65.
For a few highlights, the parking lot had a persistenly singing Least Flycatcher who went absolutely crazy when a Grackle got too close. Wierd seeing a Grackle getting chased by something a third its size. For OBBA volunteers, I went safe and called this "AB" (agitated behavior), rather than "DD" (distraction display/ dive bombing).
In the wetland, I hear at least two scounter-singing Prothonotary Warblers, and was very suprised to flush an American Bittern. Rather, it wasn't I that flushed the Bittern, but a Great Blue Heron seemed to, after I scared the heron. Both of these species were roughly 150 yards straight back on the trail from the parking lot.
Bobolinks and Eastern Bluebirds were plentiful in the grasslands in the park.
