December 3, 2017

We visited Lakeside Landing in Lorain, Ohio today after hearing of great sightings in that area. We got a lot of first-time views of different species, with one being particularly exciting!

A coot

Martin in his element

Our first verified sighting of a Bufflehead, this one a female.

Another first verified sighting, this time of a female Lesser Scaup

Our first sighting of a Common Redpoll

A group of coots

A group of mergansers

Our super exciting view of a Snowy Owl!

Given the markings, we think this is an immature female

She drew quite a crowd of birders on the pier near where she was sitting

Until next time!

November 25, 2017

We visited Sandy Ridge Reservation on Saturday and had a great birding day!

This was our first sight when we got to the lagoon--a gorgeous bald eagle

A northern shoveler, next to a couple of mallards

Another shot of the shoveler

The bald eagle stayed put for most of our walk

A group of shovelers, "shoveling"

Our only great blue heron sighting of the day

A group of ring-billed gulls

A pair of bald eagles, likely the mates whose nest is off the lagoon

We also got an amazing up-close view of a Cooper's hawk

Our first confirmed sighting of a gadwall

A pair of hooded mergansers

Until next time!

October 1, 2017

We visited Sandy Ridge Reservation again today and it's now just turning cold in Northeast Ohio. 

The water was very low, but this egret was still doing its best to find lunch

A spotted sandpiper

An egret

A whole pack of mallard

A song sparrow

A nonbreeding adult goldfinch

Another goldfinch

A pair of egrets

Our first sighting of a Northern Shoveler!

A pair of Northern Shovelers

A cormorant enjoying the sunshine

A red-bellied woodpecker

Until next time!

September 9, 2017

On September 9, we visited Sandy Ridge Reservation in North Ridgeville, Ohio. We saw new species and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

A pair of wood ducks

An egret

A great blue heron

Another heron

Our first sighting of an American Kestrel in the wild!

Our first sighting of a spotted sandpiper

An egret

Another spotted sandpiper

A few least sandpipers

A killdeer

Gorgeous flowers in bloom

An egret

A great blue heron

A monarch butterfly

A group of cormorants

An egret

A Cooper's Hawk

An immature gold finch

Until next time!