Some Hoover Shots

E-mail & photos from Gene Smith:

Good evening Frank.

Here are some shots I took from Hoover Boardwalk this morning. They include the osprey on the nest perch, a red tailed hawk on Old 3 C to the West, and the Little Blue Heron West of the boardwalk. Used my 100 mm x 864 scope and a Canon 550 in digiscope mode with a 20mm eyepiece.

Gene

Sixty-eight American Kestrels Fledge From Roadside Nest Boxes - Tuttle

E-mail & photo from Dick Tuttle:

Hello Everyone,

The last kestrel nestling fledged after 17 August 2007 to complete a 142-day season from the first egg laid on March 29. All 16 nest boxes claimed by "sparrow hawks" produced young -- 68 fledglings in all.

Since the project's beginning in 1993, 429 kestrels have been raised from roadside nest boxes. The Delaware County Bird Club and the Delaware County Health Department were the original cosponsors. Speakers from the health department and the bird club encouraged students to donate pennies and dollars from recycled aluminum cans to buy wood and other materials. Club members assembled ten nest boxes that were attached to the backs of traffic signs along Routes 23 and 36/37 east and north of Delaware, with permission from Ohio Department of Highways. Five club members began monitored segments of the roadside box trail in 1993.

The first successful falcon nest produced five fledglings in 1995 and the population started to build along the busy highways. Kestrels nested within 15 feet of the white berm lines, and they accepted boxes as low as eight feet above the ground. Still, after two nest box signs were hit by sleepy motorists in 1999, all partners agreed that the boxes should be moved to safer habitats for the welfare of the birds — and sleepy motorists.

Starting in 2000, Consolidated Electric Cooperative stepped up to the plate and has since allowed us to hang boxes from their poles along rural byways.

Due to excellent rural habitats, during the 2007 season, 69 (87.3%) of 79 eggs hatched and 86.1% fledged with 98.6% of the hatchlings flying from their nests. Only two of the 18 boxes were snubbed by kestrels. Of course, the extremely high success rates will be adjusted if Dick Phillips and I find kestrel remains buried in the caked waste during nest box cleaning during the upcoming weeks. We always lower the boxes before winter to remove several inches of caked feces matted with regurgitated pellets containing fur, feathers, and bones from mice and meadow voles. Other refuse includes individual bird bones, insect wings, and occasionally, frog remains. Once excavated, we cover the nest chamber floor with three or more inches of commercial white-pine livestock bedding so kestrels can have safe and snug winter roost sites--an important wildlife management strategy for this species.

All nestlings were tagged with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aluminum leg bands which bear nine-digit identification numbers. During the banding process, healthy nestlings are frisky, feel plump, and behave like birds of prey as they try to bite and grab with sharp beaks and talons.

During the season, only one nest held remains from a dead nestling and the other nest mates were underweight. However, the family recovered to fledge, possibly because the parents found an additional prey source. We never bother the adult birds on the nest, except to photograph them from above. I was fortunate on May 30 to photograph a male kestrel guarding eggs. Male wings are slate-colored, whereas a female's wings are reddish-brown, or rufous.

We credit this year's phenomenal nesting success to several new management practices. First, before the season, we added aluminum flashing below the nest boxes to stop climbing raccoons, and we moved several boxes so all hang from poles at least one pole beyond field driveways. We suspected that newly parked farm machinery and associated activity spooks kestrels from the nest sites which can cause nest failure, especially during the incubation period.

The 18 nest boxes are no closer than one-half mile apart, along a route that is slightly longer than fifty miles. Also, we have always placed our boxes near wires in habitats where kestrels can see their nests from all directions, hundreds of yards away.

Years ago, we learned not to remove starling nests. We only remove starling eggs during regular monitoring visits every two weeks. Many times, single kestrels have usurped starlings by decapitating them, then they use the grass nests for future falcon families once they win partners. Monitors know starlings have become history once the three-inch-wide "starling (nest) cup" is reshaped into an oblong "kestrel cup." Also, since European Starlings are so abundant and persistent, any grass nest found without starling eggs between the first weeks in April and June, belongs to a kestrel, so let it be.

We believe the project failed "to keep" interested kestrels during its first two years because (we) monitors mistakenly removed startling nests and added white-pine bedding. We have learned that kestrels are extremely sensitive when it comes to investing in new nests. How would you like to come home to find different furnishings in your house?

As a proven wildlife management practice, we try to pamper our finicky raptors by supplying them with irresistible housing, then we keep our interruptions to a minimum.

Raptor on, Dick Tuttle

Alum Creek Osprey Youngster Go Fishing!

E-mail from Jim Martin:

Howdy:

For the first time this breeding season, last evening, I saw one of the young Osprey along the Hogback Rd., platform #1, site swoop down & snatch a small fish. The Alum Creek water level was/is very shallow, but this little guy got his late evening snack. Let the migration to Brazil begin. It happened near sunset, so I could not get a photo for our portfolio. I'll try again this evening (Aug. 23rd, 2007).

Best Wishes,
Jim Martin

Masked Spoiler Scares Chimney Swifts to Seek Shelter Elsewhere - Tuttle

E-Mail from Dick Tuttle:
Photos from Frank Germann

Hello Everyone,

During three of four evenings this week I have counted Chimney Swifts entering a two-story brick chimney at the south end of the Ohio National Guard Armory at 79 West William Street in Delaware, Ohio. Swifts did not hold back as 661 entered the chimney Monday, and 676 birds were counted the next evening.

On Wednesday, I drove around the city to check four chimneys that had been swift roosts in past years, but found no circling flocks to cause me to stop for a count. As I drove around town, I passed the armory three times to see hundreds of swifts circling but I did not stop to count them. I decided to return to armory on Thursday for an accurate observation.

Thursday, I watched more than Chimney Swifts. I was sitting in my chair in the tree lawn along the parking lot at Tim Horton's Restaurant when at 15:55, a raccoon's head emerged from an eight-inch square clay tile at the corner of the armory. I suspect that the tile leads to an air intake vent. The raccoon took a peak, saw me, and sunk back into its hiding place. Circling swifts also detected the rascal, dispersed, but soon returned.

The first swift entered the large chimney at 20:04. Soon after, the three-quarter grown raccoon emerged to stretch out on the concrete collar surrounding its clay cave. It proceeded to groomed itself and scratch a few fleas as the swifts freaked out to fly higher in the sky. The masked rascal grew tired of me watching it and returned to its tile abode.

Seven minutes later, Frank Germann arrived and hurriedly set up his camera just before the raccoon decided to become a celebrity and emerged to pose for the camera. Unfortunately, the raccoon decided to climb up the roof's gable to the top of the swift's chimney where it spent several minutes. As the raccoon burned up value minutes trying to descend into the large chimney, circling swifts became frustrated and started to leave the area in search of a safer sanctuary without furry threats. I am sure many flew to the old jail, now the Delaware County law Library at 20 West Central Ave., several blocks away. For the swifts, spending the night in the retired slammer was the safest alternative. As for the raccoon, it walked to the unseen side of the roof where, most likely, it descended to hunt the Delaware Run, a small stream that flows along the armory's boundary. Or, the hungry mammal might have dined on cat food offered to free- roaming pets and feral disease vectors that are commonly seen in most urban neighborhoods.

Tonight, I will start my observations at the armory. If the raccoon reappears, I will quickly move to the old jail to test my hypothesis that threatened swifts quickly adjust to exercise their options. Come see the furred and feathered wildlife at the armory.

I offer the following observations without editorial comment:

• Monday, 13 August 2007. 78 degrees F., clear sky - 661 swifts entered between 19:53 and 21:08.
• Tuesday, 14 August 2007. 75 degrees F., clear sky - 676 swifts - 20:23 - 21:01.
• Thursday, 16 August 2007. 82 degrees F., overcast - RACCOON - 320 swifts - 20:04 - 20:52.

On Sunday evening, 19 August 2007, swift-watchers will gather near the United Methodist Church in Galena at 7:55 PM for a nightcap of funneling swifts.

Swift on, Dick Tuttle

Odd Evening At Alum Creek - Hogack Rd.

E-mail from Jim Martin:
What, No Photos?

Gents and Ladies:

Just for the record: This evening was a bit different at the Osprey site along Hogback Rd. I was there about one hour+ and there were no Osprey (0:9), no White Egrets, no GB Herons, no Humans, no C. Geese and no traffic.

A few (much less than normal) shore birds. A strange setting versus the past few evenings.

Best Wishes, Jim Martin

WHERE ARE WE, IF . . . ?

Where are we if in a 3 hour period on a beautiful Monday morning and observed and photographed:

• Many Geese
• Ducks
• Song Sparrows taking insects to their nest
• Ceder Wax Wings
• A very large bald face hornets nest
• Whitetail Doe and her Fawn
• 5 Great White Egrets
• 6 Great Blue Herons
• Little Green Heron
• Sharp Shinned Hawk
• Red Tail Hawk
• 2 Belted Kingfishers
• 5 Adult Osprey and 5 youngsters
• Many Killdeers
• Turkey Vultures
• Many Shorebirds (Sandpipers)
• Seagulls
• Bald Eagle, (From 8:01 a.m. until 10:21 a.m., Dick Phillips estimates it at two and one-half years old)
• 2 kayakers that left their kayaks on the muddy shore to explore the west shore line, then stopped to eat their lunch with-in 20 feet of a eagle sitting on a low branch of a willow tree. (They were unaware that they scared the Bald Eagle away.) Every 10 minutes or so the female (WP) from nest #1 would dive at her. The male (TM) teased the eagle with a fish trying to have the eagle chase him, to no avail.
  
• 2 VERY HAPPY PHOTOGRAPHERS!

WHERE ARE WE?

Well, you would have been on Hogback Road, the bottoms along Alum Creek, Delaware County, Ohio, Monday morning, August 13th, 2007 ! ! !

Jim Martin & Frank Germann
All Things Wild!

P.S.
Other observed wild life seen recently:

Red Fox, Coyote, Bittern, Beaver, Musk Rat, Indigo Bunting, Cuckoo, American Gold Finch, Bats, Cliff Swallows, Wrens, Crows, Prothonotaries, Wood Ducks, Great Horn Owl, Tree Swallows AND MUCH MORE!

Chimney Swifts Pour into Church Chimney to thrill Watchers - Tuttle

E-mail from Dick Tuttle:
Photos by Frank Germann

Hello Everyone,

Three evenings of great weather and huge flocks of Chimney Swifts dazzled veteran and new swift-watchers alike as hundreds of swifts entered their roosting site to leave no doubt that their fall migration to eastern Peru and the Amazon Basin has begun.

The free, after-supper entertainment took place above a large, two-story brick chimney, that measures 78 by 48 inches and stands at the northwestern corner of the United Methodist Church in the small village of Galena in eastern Delaware County, Ohio.

Swift-watchers stood in a large parking lot at the Big Walnut Schools Administration Building and looked north to see swifts circling to descend into their roost for the night. The chattering birds had been hunting flying insects from above the wooded Big and Little Walnut Creeks that flank the small village to create Hoover Reservoir, another great source of sustenance for birds seeking flying prey.

Swift-watchers were alerted to the Swift Night Out activity through a post in Frank Germann's blog, www.osprey.rabbitquick.com, and an article in the Delaware Gazette. Good communication made good times possible.

Here are the statistics for three observations:

Friday, 10 August 2007.
84 degrees F. with clear skies.
1600 swifts entered the chimney between 20:25 - 21:03.
Twelve swift-watchers were in attendance.

Saturday, 11 August 2007.
78 degrees F. with clear skies.
1860 swifts entered the chimney between 20:14 - 21:04.
Seven swift-watchers enjoyed the show.

Sunday, 12 August 2007.
82 degrees F. with some clouds.
1890 swifts entered the chimney between 19:58 - 21:02.
Twenty swift-watchers enjoyed the birds, and like the previous two evenings, everyone enjoyed the company of fellow swift-watchers.

I will report my observations as I visit other chimneys in Delaware County until the swift migration concludes sometime after the first week in October. The next A Swift Night Out promoted by the Driftwood Wildlife Association of Austin, Texas is scheduled for September 14, 15, 16. Check with their website at www.chimneyswifts.org for information, updates and reports from across North America, and check with Frank's blog for local announcements and sightings.

Swift on, Dick Tuttle

A couple more shots "Hoover"-Gene Smith-

E-mail & photos from Gene Smith

Here are a couple of shots from the Boardwalk taken this morning, Aug. 12. Gene

New ONDR Web Site link

E-mail from Jim Martin:

Here is the link to the "new & improved" ODNR Osprey web site.

www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wild_resourcessubhomepage/ResearchandSurveys/
resourcesospreyosprey/ospreymigration/tabid/18261/Default.aspx

Jim M.

Wednesday at Hoover

I made it down to Hoover Reservoir Boardwalk in Galena Wednesday morning, before the heat of the day. The light was better Wednesday then it has been all week, but with the heat and humidity I knew I would not say long.

I found all three Osprey in trees near the empty platform. They looked content. I did see what I believe was the female chase a Blue Heron that got to close to her. (I bet she is related to Warrior Princess from Hogback Road.)

The boardwalk has no water under it, therefor no fishermen/women to be seen. There was a birdwatcher and a photographer who came out before I left. Besides the Osprey there were gulls, geese, herons, killdeers, ducks and sandpipers to be observed.

Frank Germann

Birds and pics --Gene Smith-- Hoover

E-mail & photo from Gene Smith:

Good afternoon Frank. I enjoyed talking to you and also looking at the osprey and other pictures on your site. Not real happy with the pictures I took today, but here is one of the better ones of the killdeer.

Some of my better shots are posted on the Ohio Birds forum:

http://www.ohiobirds.org/forum/viewforum.php?id=8

There are 3 pages, look for my name in the first column. The eagle of Westerville is the first one posted, and I have a dozen or so very much like the one posted. If you want to see them I can send you some thumbs or mail you a CD.

Good luck. Gene

Let's watch the Galena Chimney Swifts - Friday, 10 Aug. 2007 - Tuttle

E-Mail from Dick Tuttle:
Photos by Frank Germann

Hello Everyone,

On August 10, 11 and 12, I and others across the continent will be participating in A SWIFT NIGHT OUT sponsored by the Driftwood Wildlife Association in Austin, Texas (www.chimneyswifts.org ).

At one-half hour before sunset, I will arrive at a known Chimney Swift roost in Delaware County in order to count the number of birds that enter the chimney for the night. (The chimney at the (old) Galena United Methodist Church, 109 Harrison Street, Galena, Ohio, at 8:00 pm Friday, 8/10/07.)

For this event last year, during three evenings in mid-August, I counted 1132 swifts entering the chimney at the Galena United Methodist Church in Galena, nine swifts entered the National Guard Armory's chimney in Delaware, and 417 swifts used the chimney behind Grady Memorial Hospital, also in Delaware.

Modern Chimney Swifts have adapted to using chimneys instead of hollow trees during their migrations to South America. Swifts take twenty or more minutes to settle into their nightly stopovers and, like people, they have preferences. Last year, the National Guard chimney was neglected early in the season but became very popular in September until the migration season commenced on October 18. Whereas, other chimneys, like three on the Ohio Wesleyan University campus were used only in August until students arrived. Perhaps, fans and electric motors associated with the chimneys scared the birds into seeking other chimneys.

Nonetheless, the chimney at the Galena United Methodist Church (109 Harrison Street - the most eastern street in the village) seems to be reliable for scheduling swift watches -- it is used nightly, all season. Therefore, if you would like to see one of the wildlife wonders of Delaware County, a number of veteran Osprey watchers will meet south of the church (in the Big Walnut Schools Administration Building's parking lot) at 8:05 PM to watch the birds funnel into a two-story-tall chimney that measures 78 inches by 48.

Watching swifts arrive to form a large circle of chattering birds is mesmerizing. It is icing on the cake when they begin "falling" into the chimney.

Parents and Grandparents: Swifts entering a chimney ranks with rainbows, flocks of migrating waterfowl, and Osprey families on nests, as wonders of nature that every child should experience. I will have two books with me to tell you about.

I, and other Osprey watchers, will see you there.

Dick Tuttle

Mushrooms At Sunset

E-mail & photo from Jim Martin:

Hi:
Last evening the Osprey Observers waited for 2 hours in 84-90 degree temperatures to see if the youngsters at Alum Creek had begun to "fish" on their own. They did not show-up until around sunset and were far from the platform North of the site. We'll continue to pursue this milestone in their development. With ~3-4 weeks until expected migration fishing skill will be essential.

The attached photo of mushrooms was taken at sunset neat the Hogback Rd. observation site. Color is actual.

Best Wishes, Jim Martin.

Photos - Jim White - 8/4/07

E-mails & photos from Jim White:

• 2 young Osprey in the trees. Seen at 3:00 pm.
• Young Osprey hanging out at the nest, after a flight around the area. 3:30 pm
• Spotted Sandpiper in the mudflats, at Hogback rd.
• Belted Kingfisher hanging out at nest 1. Was shortly chased off by the young Osprey. 4:00 pm.

Delaware Lake/Route 229 Osprey

I went up to Delaware Lake, Tuesday at 4:45 PM, in the heat and humidity to get pictures of the last of the nesting Blue Birds on old Lenoardsburg Road Tree Swallow grid. The male came to the box just once with what look like was an inch worm in the 45 minutes I was there.

At the Green Tree Marsh a Hawk posed for 20 or so photos as well as a Redheaded wood picker.

Heading North on Horseshoe Road to St. Rt. 229 I saw, but did not get photos of a American Kestrel sitting on a power line and another hawk sitting on the ridge of a barn.

At the 229 Osprey nest I went down the short lane on the east side, to watch the nest from under the bridge. The nest was empty for 20 minutes, then one adult and the youngster showed up. They both looked happy and healthy!

On Hogback Road all 5 of the young have been testing their skills at flying and landings. There has been a good group of Osprey observers each of the last 7 nights. (From about 7:30 to dark.)
There is always at least 2 big spotting scopes set up to get a close-up view. Stop by.

There has been a few photographers there during the day, some traveling a bit of a distance to get their share of Osprey photos. Jim Martin has been making about 3 trips per day, while I am there at least 2 times a day. (We all take photos of not just the Ospreys, there is always many other birds, bugs and mammals posing for us.)

Note: the last photo is Jim Martin trying to get a preview on his camera of a adult Bald Eagle he got photos of just up the road. Yes, he was very happy!

Frank Germann