Lake Hope

On October 7, 2015 we continued our birding lab trips by setting out for Lake Hope. Starting at 7:45 a.m.,  it was partly cloudy and cool as we stopped roadside along a lake and open mowed field to observe. We were hearing many songs such as the AMCR, CAWR, BLJA. Two BEKI were heard and seen flying along the pond, WODU ,and GBHE were also seen flying among the lake habitat and a flock of TUVU above. We also were hearing and seeing EABB, CHSP, CAGE, and EAPH flying and bobbing its tail among the trees. As we drove into marshy habitat we saw a large amount of WODU flocking and leaving the lake, a female BEKI on a dead snag and making its call, PIWO, and heard a juvenile SOSP who seemed to be learning its song. It was about 8:20 a.m. when we started along a trail hearing PIWO, SOSP and AMGO chip notes, EATO, EAPH, YBCU, TUTI and a Northern Flicker which was a newer one to see. Golden Kinglets were identified and we were able to go between the Ruby or Golden crowned based on eye line or eye ring. We were hearing WBNU, DOWO on a snag and a Herried Woodpecker. We stopped shortly roadside at 9:10 at a large pond seeing WODU, BEKI, and a hawk very far away seen by its silhouette on a snag. At 9:30 a.m. we arrived to the Lake Hope Nature Center is a forested, wood habitat where we saw a lot of birds. The Eastern Bluebirds were very active and abundant unlike previous weeks it seems. We also saw the slate colored of the Junco, DOWO and identified a few birds in a tree as flycatchers, and by its yellow belly and dark head, identified more closely as the EAPH. As we started down the roads more we were hearing RBWO, WBNU and searching for the Red headed woodpecker and the Red bellied Woodpecker that Alayna identified and were flying within the trees. Among a campsite along the ground we saw active EABB and PIWA (possibly a HOWA?) and an adorable black labrador:) Making our way back to the vans, we identified the Northern Flicker call which was a newer sound, but was hard to get our sight on it. We finished our day around 10:30/10:45, rather quiet and headed back to Ohio Unvieristy.