50. Brown Creeper

Date          October 9, 2002
Location     Nationwide Plaza 1, Columbus, OH

My breaks at work became something I really looked forward to. Cold weather would only be a small nuisance.

I heard him first and saw his undulating flight. Then I saw him creep up a tree trunk and out onto a tree limb. He was almost upside down on the limb.

Cornell: Brown Creeper

49. Black-throated Blue Warbler

Date          October 9, 2002
Location     Nationwide Plaza 1, Columbus, OH

This one led me on a merry chase through the walkways of "Jeffers Park." Here is how I described it:

I spotted him on the ground making his way toward me. I stood still, and he came at me from behind one of those light posts. He emerged, hopped by me not two feet away, crossed the sidewalk, and continued on the other side. No binoculars needed.

While it certainly wasn't hard to identify him, I remember keying on the little white wing patch. I mean, I felt pretty awesome about myself that I noticed it and used it to confirm the identification.


Cornell: Black-throated Blue Warbler

48. Eastern Phoebe

Date          September 28, 2002
Location     Chief Logan Scout Reservation, Ray, OH

This was in the heat of the afternoon, and I was pretty tired by this point. I was back by the archery area. I heard the "fee-bee" song and noted that there was no eye ring. This was my first flycatcher.


Cornell: Eastern Phoebe

47. Wood Duck

Date          September 28, 2002
Location     Chief Logan Scout Reservation, Ray, OH

These birds really made me work for this one.

There was more than one, but I never got a good look at the whole "group" of them. I chased them all day long. They were always just out of sight in the beaver pond but frequently making noise. The call notes were certainly diagnostic. But, being still relatively new at this, I really wanted to see them too.

I finally did see one well enough to confirm the identification, but it was certainly a less-than-satisfying look. I pretty much knew what they were, but it took a lot of stalking to finally see one and feel satisfied that they were really Wood Ducks. They were incredibly shy, flying off whenever they figured out I was around.

Fortunately, in the future I would get great looks at this incredible bird.


Cornell: Wood Duck

46. Chipping Sparrow

Date          September 28, 2002
Location     Chief Logan Scout Reservation, Ray, OH

I have no notes on this sighting. In my mind's eye, I picture some gravel around the bird, so I think I saw this one near the shower houses, which seems like a very plausible place.


Cornell: Chipping Sparrow

45. Pileated Woodpecker

Date          September 28, 2002
Location     Chief Logan Scout Reservation, Ray, OH

While watching the nuthatches I heard an unusual, short, noise behind me. I saw him almost immediately. There were so many birds buzzing around me, I actually didn't watch him for long. I saw two others later in the day. I remember that he was fairly high up in a tree not too far away in a classic woodpecker position on the tree trunk.


Cornell: Pileated Woodpecker

44. White-breasted Nuthatch

Date          September 28, 2002
Location     Chief Logan Scout Reservation, Ray, OH

Next, to my right, I saw this bird. There were at least two of them (not sure how many, I just know it was more than one from my journal entry for the next bird). I didn't watch them for long because I heard an unusual, short noise behind me.

To be continued . . .


Cornell: White-breasted Nuthatch