Winter Birding: Rafts and Rafts of Gulls

White-breasted Nuthatch

Winter birding may not be as glamorous as the spring migration, but colder weather brings with it some unique opportunities for birds and bird watchers.  Winter introduces a new cast of characters to the woodland stage.  Northern migrants start popping up in unexpected places—a snowy owl on a barn roof, redpolls at the lakefront, or red-breasted nuthatches at the bird feeder.  Old faces often take on new appearances, making their identification as difficult (or as exciting) as a new species.  As the bright greens of the landscape fade into dichromatic colors of black and white, birds retire their bright breeding plumage in favor of more cryptic colorations.  Yellows and reds turn to mottled browns; distinct stripes and patches blend into broken striations.  As the northern wetlands prepare for winter, birding becomes a whole new challenge.

Juvenile Ring-billed Gull

Some species like ducks and gulls form immense congregations, rafting together by the thousands.  A trip up to Lake Erie had my ornithology class scanning the swaths of ring-billed gulls for one lone kittiwake (that we did not find).  We scrutinized over each mallard, trying to create a long-tailed duck or a pintail.  Much of our efforts were for naught.  That’s just how winter birding goes.  A rare species may appear one day, then disappear the next.  There is no predicting exactly where something will turn up, or when.  It takes persistence and dedication to discover something special.  After being spoiled in South Carolina with rarities at every turn, I had to remind myself that northern Ohio birding takes a bit more effort and discomfort.  

While not quite cold enough to snow, the weekend was certainly cold enough for the freezing rain to dampen our spirits.  Thankfully, unlike South Carolina, this trip we were staying in the heated, dry dormitories of Old Woman’s Creek.  The cozy dorms were our home base as we set out to explore the diversity of wetlands along Lake Erie. 

Ring-necked Duck

Saturday morning we scanned the lake front behind our dorms, surprised that the usual rafts of mergansers were absent.  Dr. Miles then directed us to Huron Pier where we saw more ring-billed gulls (a lot more).  With two prime birding spots a bust, we headed to Sheldon Marsh—a preserve I have visited on my own several times.  It’s an attractive wetland with a boardwalk and a lakefront beach.  There are always a few interesting waterfowl species no matter the season.

Tufted Titmouse

White-breasted Nuthatches and tufted titmice danced along the trails as if to great us.  These year round residents are so abundant that I've come to think of them as birding along with me—locals just as surprised as myself when a rare species turns up in their wetland.  The nuthatches yank-yanked their nasally calls as they crept in winding circles down the trees.  Nuthatches form mixed-species flocks in winter, joining up with chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers as they scour the woodland for food.

I was enjoying the familiar species we were seeing, but by the end of Saturday, I was craving something new to photograph.  We had made our way to the Lorain Impoundment, another spot I've had the privilege to bird (of a sort) in the past.  We walked around the pond, Lake churning behind us, the sky darkening with storm clouds.  Mallards, Buffleheads, and Hooded Mergansers drifted away as we past by.  Sparrows flitted from the trail, grabbing loose seeds before disappearing into tall grass.  My mind was back at the dorms with dinner and a warm bed.  Just as we were concluding our hike, a little brown bird popped up in a tangle of brush in front of us.

Grasshopper Sparrow

I knew instantly it was something we hadn't yet seen.  The feather pattern was complex, a mixture of light grays, browns, blacks, and tans.  It hopped from branch to branch, mere feet from where we stood.  I was able to snap a number of photographs for comparison with our field guides.  Our initial identification was swamp sparrow, a much more common species than I had first thought.  Upon later inspection, however, I learned it was a grasshopper sparrow.  I've seen these birds only a handful of times in southern Ohio, where they inhabit open fields.  This was the first time I have identified one in northern Ohio despite years of birding the Lakefront.  The grasshopper sparrow has been classified as a "common bird in steep decline," as their populations have dropped by some 72% across the country.

Ornithology Class 2018 Lake Erie birding trip.

The next day, we did what I call “moving van birding.”  With the freezing rain streaking down the windshield, none of us were getting out of the vans if we could help it.  We drove from nature preserve to nature preserve, slowing just enough to scan the open fields and waterways with our binoculars.  “Canada geese, mallards, maybe some tundra swans,” we rattled off.  Northing new that would make us leap from the vehicle.  We all wanted to see something rare and exciting, but the prospect of heading out into the frigid weather kept us content with the usual suspects.  

We birded in this fashion through East Harbor State Park and Howard Marsh, only getting out of the vans at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge so that Holly could buy some more bird earrings at the gift shop.  By lunchtime we were ready to head home.  It was not the most climactic way to end the trip, but I was content.  Birding can’t always be an extravaganza.  It’s hard work and perseverance.  I’ll be back up in Cleveland next week for Thanksgiving, and will almost certainly return to a few of the same locations to bird.

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Upon arriving back in Athens, we were surprised and a little peeved to find the day pleasantly clear and in the low 60s (the next day it would drop back into the 30s).  My ornithology class is ending soon.  I want to extend my endless thanks to Dr. Miles (DOMI) and Holly Latteman for making this class the best it could have been.  I have a renewed appreciation for the avifauna of Ohio and beyond.  I hope that the friends I have made will continue our adventures into the field whenever our busy schedules allow.  Soon I will be traveling to Ecuador.  With any luck, I will have the chance to observe birds like I have never before.

More soon!

Keep living the field life.

RBW