May 19, 2007 Lake and Marsh

I got to the Lake pretty early. I am so lucky to live so close to such a wonderful birding spot. The Headlands beach, dunes, Mentor marsh, Mentor Lagoons area is on of the great birding spots in North America. No hyperbole. The “Mentor” list rivals that of Magee-Ottawa, and Point Pelee. Yet it is hardly known to most birders. If you read the Ohio section of North American Birds, you will see HBSP cited as a location in issue after issue, but on a day like today, perhaps 30 people will bird the area.

The other wonderful thing about birding in this location is the birders. Almost every day 2 of the best birders anywhere, work the beach, dunes and Cottonwoods. Hike the edge of the marsh and the trails of the forest east of the lagoons. Ray Hannikman and Jerry Talkington are a joy to bird with. They are great at finding birds and very knowledgeable. Ray’s expertise on Gulls and Shorebirds found in eastern North America is unrivaled by anyone, and Jerry is an outdoorsman of uncommon skill. Jerry has fabulous ears and knowledge that make him better at finding birds by ear than anyone I have ever met. Jerry’s knowledge of non avian fauna is tremendous as well. Other people bird the area on a less regular basis. Many of them are the crème de la crème in terms of field identification.

I arrived pretty early but Ray was already off the beach and in the cottonwoods. He had found a Black-bellied Plover on the beach. Jerry showed up about 7 and he and I worked the dunes and the Cottonwoods. There was not much to be found. The Grand River Dock Co. property between the dunes and the Coast Guard station was more productive.

We hiked Zimmerman Trail, along the marsh and found nice pockets of birds. Jerry and Muggsie got on an Orange-crowned Warbler which Ray, Suzanne, and I missed in spite of being right there. Sometimes it is like that. Among experienced NE Ohio birders, Orange-crowned Warbler is one of the hardest of the expected species to get every year. We found Wilson’s and Canada in one pocket and I very much wanted a Hooded to complete a Wilsonia sweep in one spot. That is, all 3 warblers of the genus Wilsonia. But my desire went unfulfilled.

Being with such great birders was a joy. I was again astounded at the level of skill in that small group. For instance, assembled in our small group was the most combined experience with migrating Kirtland’s Warbler anywhere. This is the honest to god truth, because together we have seen more individuals of this rare species during migration than any other 5 people in the world. We could add 3 other people to that list, but they were not with us today.

Still on the subject of field identification I am astounded at how short a glimpse is required to identify a bird. I am not a talking about a flash card image here either. An oblique view of less than a second is all that is needed in many cases. A blue gray back, long tail, and a little yellow on the under part is easily a Canada. A flash of chestnut on the sides, either Chestnut-sided or Bay-breasted. A little white on the under parts, Chestnut-sided. This holds true for species other than warblers too. Sparrows are the same. Other types of birds require more study. Flycatchers of the genus Empidonax, require real study unless they are singing. Gulls, fall Shorebirds, and flying Hawks are other groups that cannot be identified in a flash. But as in anything human, mistakes are made. Something out of context or unexpected is the most common reason for this. We tend to see what we expect to see. Everyone is fallible. The only people who don’t misidentify birds are people who don’t identify birds. I pulled a real good one today. I saw a pair of Downy Woodpeckers in courtship, but I was thinking about how they resembled Brown Creepers, so what came out of my mouth was Brown Creepers. I committed the crime of not engaging my left brain before moving my mouth. Amusing to be sure, because I did not realize what I was saying as I said it.

Thinking about this, I realize birding is very much a right brain activity. No wonder so many people find it so challenging. No wonder so many great birders are excellent illustrators as well.

I ran out of gas around 10:30, so I did not continue after we finished walking Zimmerman. Collectively we had 17 Warbler species. I had 14 of those personally. Not bad for just a 10 mile drive from home.