After having been in 48 of the 50 states, I decided to take a drive out to the one remaining state of the 'Lower 48' that I'd never been in. I left in the early afternoon on Thursday and headed out I-80 through western PA and into Ohio, stopping in Milan, OH for the night.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Friday morning, I drove to Magee Marsh, a place that I'd eventually like to see some year during Spring migration. Despite the cloudy and windy conditions, there were several small groups of birders on the boardwalk, but nothing like the masses of birders that I've heard about during Spring.
A Great Egret stood in the marsh.
Halfway across the boardwalk, I came across a small group of migrants that included Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Swainson's and Wood Thrush, Pine Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
While there, 3 Bald Eagles (one adult and 2 immatures) circled overhead and two Sandhill Cranes called as they flew by.
I left the boardwalk and walked over to the Lake Erie shoreline with West Sister Island visible about 8 miles off to the north.
A pond along the way back out to Route 2 held a family of Trumpeter Swans.
Thanks to a strong cold front, the temperature dropped about twenty degrees as I drove through Indiana and Illinois. By the time I crossed the Mississippi River into Davenport in the late afternoon, it was in the upper 40's. Just inside the Iowa border is Nahant Marsh.
Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, and Wood Ducks were obvious. A couple Sandhill Cranes flew in from the direction of the Mississippi; and a Pied-billed Grebe swam and dove at one end. Around a hundred swallows were zooming over the water. At dusk, they were replaced by about 30 Common Nighthawks. I spent the night near Davenport.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Saturday morning, I returned to the marsh.
About 40 Great Egrets were present along with good numbers of Wood Ducks.
The majority of the swallows were Cliffs, with Tree and Barn Swallows in smaller numbers, and a few Northern Rough-wingeds.
Other birds seen there that morning included Gadwall, Double-crested Cormorant, Cooper's Hawk, American Kestrel, American Coot, Cedar Waxwing, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Cardinal, and American Goldfinch.
Early afternoon, I learned about the Crested Caracara sighting back in PA, so I began the long drive back east and spent the night in Washington, PA.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
I spent Sunday morning with Geoff Malosh and several other western PA birders looking for the Caracara that had unfortunately moved on to parts unknown. I got back home in the late afternoon, 1482 miles later. More photos can be found in my Ohio Photos Album and my Iowa Photos Album. Hawaii is my next target.
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