Recent Sightings in the Oxbow

Date: Saturday, July 5, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Bob Hargrave
I'm visiting from SW Florida. This is a very helpful website. July 4th was too rainy and muddy. Today was too muddy to walk very far but highlight of the trip was a life first Prothonotary Warbler. Others: 10 Great Blue Herons, 7 Great Egrets, 3 Black-crowned Night Herons, 1 Green Heron, a mother Wood Duck with 8 ducklings swimming behind, Cardinals, Carolina Wren, Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers, Kingfisher, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Cormorants, Song Sparrows, Canadian Geese, Robins, Mallards, Flicker, Red-winged Blackbirds, Eastern Phoebe and a Brown-headed Cowbird.

Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Location: Oxbow, Lost Bridge, Campbell Lakes
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Other Birders: Michele Leonhardt
At Oxbow we spotted 2 belted kingfishers and 3 river otters. Cormorant's and GBH at the lost bridge. We saw the Bald Eagle soaring over Campbell Lakes. Absolutely exciting to see.

Date: Monday, June 30, 2008
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg, IN
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: Tom Sturgeon
Tom Sturgeon reports a pair of Sandhill cranes duet calling in the Juno Pond smartweed flats

Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg, IN
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: Lonnie Parker
Met Lonnie to show him some areas of the Oxbow. He is interested in photography so we were not really bird watching. However the Oxbow always provides. After telling Lonnie that June was usually the dullest month in the Oxbow we were presented with both a female Black Scoter on Oxbow Lake and a Cattle Egret in full breeding plumage in the Mercer Pond area. Other birds present were singing prothonatary warblers, warbling vireos, both male and female Baltimore Oriole, about 12 Great Blue Heron, 3 Great Egret, 35 Double-crested Cormorant, and a female Wood Duck with her brood. Nice day for a walk.

Date: Thursday, May 22, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Darlena Graham
Other Birders: members of Oxbow field trip
We had a nice evening if not exciting birds. Old friends joined us and some nice people whom I hadn't met. While the grounds in general were dry enough to walk easily, the waters were up enough to limit our access. We had great views of a gorgeous Prothonotary Warbler., Common Yellowthroat, dozens of Warbling Vireos, a few Baltimore Orioles, at least one Orchard Oriole and Indigo Buntings, BG Gnatcatchers, several Great Blue Herons were moving around as well as a pair of Green Herons apparently nesting there. We also had 3 sp. Swallows, Tree, Rough-winged, and Barn. The only shore birds we found were 2 Spotted Sandpipers in really nice plumage that seemed to be seriously bonded to a small runoff. 

Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Location: Oxbow Lake (by canoe)
Reporter: Joe Kappa
The fields were flooded creating a very large lake. Not many water birds to be found. Did, however, pick up a few:
Belted Kingfisher, 30+ DC Cormorants, 1 Great Blue Heron, 3 Bald Eagles (2 adult, 1 juvenile)

Also drove by the Lost Bridge and saw an adult Bald Eagle. (I suspect it was one of the eagles seen earlier). The Cliff Swallows are also nesting again beneath the bridge.
 
Date: Sunday, May 18, 2008
Location: Various Western Hamilton County
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: Jack Stenger
Jack and I birded several local spots today. Some of our highlights included the following.

Lawrenceburg Rd. near Lost Bridge: 3 Black-bellied Plovers, seen in a sky pool in the fields about 100 yards south of Lawrenceburg Rd.

Shawnee Lookout: Canada Warbler, from the Miami Fort Trail parking lot.

Oxbow Area. 2 Bald Eagles. One adult Bald Eagle flew low across US 50, just south of State Line Rd., and landed in a tree in a front yard of a suburban home where it leisurely ate a fish while being mobbed by the resident Mockingbird. Another Bald Eagle, this one a 2nd year bird, was seen soaring over the farm fields between the Great Miami River and I-275.

Date: Sunday, May 18, 2008
Location: Various Western Hamilton County
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: Jack Stenger
Jack and I birded several local spots today. Some of our highlights included the following.

Spring Grove Cemetery: 1 Alder Flycatcher, repeatedly singing in the extreme southwestern corner of section 131, which is located on the northwest border of the cemetery.

Lawrenceburg Rd. near Lost Bridge: 3 Black-bellied Plovers, seen in a sky pool in the fields about 100 yards south of Lawrenceburg Rd.

Shawnee Lookout: Canada Warbler, from the Miami Fort Trail parking lot.

Oxbow Area. 2 Bald Eagles. One adult Bald Eagle flew low across US 50, just south of State Line Rd., and landed in a tree in a front yard of a suburban home where it leisurely ate a fish while being mobbed by the resident Mockingbird. Another Bald Eagle, this one a 2nd year bird, was seen soaring over the farm fields between the Great Miami River and I-275.

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
Location: Shawnee Lookout & Oxbow Area
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: Jack Stenger
Jack and I birded Shawnee Lookout and several other sites in the lower Great Miami River valley this morning and early afternoon. The Ohio River is at 42 feet and the Oxbow proper is flooded and for the most part inaccessible. The forecast has the Ohio River level rapidly receding to 30 feet by next Thursday, so there should be plenty of shorebird habitat in the Oxbow through the end of May and shorebird migration.

One of our highlights was a 1st summer FRANKLIN’S GULL, which we saw in a skypool in the farm fields on the east side of the I-275 underpass behind the old Miller Cemetery, which is accessed off of US 50. The Franklin’s Gull, which is a very rare spring migrant though our region, was seen among a flock of 75+ Ring-billed Gulls.

We found at least 1, probably 2, Dickcissels in the fields at the Tanners Creek Boat Ramp, the same place several summered last year. We didn’t experience a tremendous warbler fall out this morning in terms of diversity of species but we did have large numbers of certain species, notably Tennessee & Blackpoll Warblers and American Redstarts.

Some of the species we found in and around Shawnee Lookout today included; Great Blue Heron 16, Black Vulture 1, Red-tailed Hawk 5, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Franklin’s Gull 1, Ring-billed Gull 75+, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 5, Chimney Swift 75+ (downtown Lawrenceburg), Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2, Belted Kingfisher, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee 4, Acadian Flycatcher 9, Willow Flycatcher 2, Eastern Phoebe 2, Great Crested Flycatcher 6, Eastern Kingbird 3, White-eyed Vireo 2, Yellow-throated Vireo 3, Blue-headed Vireo 1, Warbling Vireo 6, Red-eyed Vireo 20+, Cliff Swallows, Bank Swallows, House Wren 15+, Swainson’s Thrush 6, Wood Thrush 6, Gray Catbird 5, Brown Thrasher 2, Cedar Waxwing 7, Tennessee Warbler 23, Northern Parula 6, Yellow Warbler 8, Chestnut-sided Warbler 1, Magnolia Warbler 2, Yellow-throated Warbler 4, Prairie Warbler 1, Bay-breasted Warbler 1, Blackpoll Warbler 9, Cerulean Warbler 3, American Redstart 21, Prothonotary Warbler 2, Ovenbird 1, Louisiana Waterthrush 1, Kentucky Warbler 3, Common Yellowthroat 6, Yellow-breasted Chat 2, Summer Tanager 5, Scarlet Tanager 4, Eastern Towhee 12, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1, Indigo Bunting 40, Dickcissel 1+, Orchard Oriole 4 and Baltimore Oriole 15~.
 
Date: Monday, April 14, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Marco Dietrich
Other Birders: Jon Seymour
Jon introduced me to the area and we have made some good sightings. Around 2 hours we´ve been there in the early afternoon.  Mallard, Blue-Winged Teal, American Coot, Pied-Billed Grebe, D.-Cr. Cormorant. Herring Gull (1), Ring-Billed Gull, Bonaparte´s Gull, Red-Tailed Hawk, Osprey (1), Sharp-Shinned Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Great White Egret (10), Great Blue Heron, Killdeer (1), Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Purple Martin (1), Barn Swallow, Rough-Winged Swallow, Bank Swallow (1), Robin, American Crow, Car. Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Prothonotay Warbler, Yellow-Rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, E. Starling, Red-Winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-Headed Cowbird, House Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, A. Goldfinch, Blue Jay, Cardinal

Date: Sunday, April 13, 2008
Location: Oxbow / Shawnee Lookout
Reporter: Marcia Alexander
Other Birders: Mark Alexander
American Coots 50+, Black Crowned Night Herons 5, Blue Winged Teals 6+, Double Crested Cormorants 100+, Great Blue, Herons 10+, Killdeer 2, Osprey 2, Pileated Woodpecker 1, Prothonotary Warbler 1, Ruby Crowned Kinglet 1, White Throated, Sparrows 6, Wild Turkey Female & Male in Full Display, Yellow Throated Warbler 1, Yellow Warbler 1.

Date: Saturday, April 12, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Joe Kappa
Other Birders: Paul Krusling
Saw 9 Great Egrets land near the I-275 entrance. The road was still to wet to drive on. We were able to see water birds in the distance but they were too far to identify. Also saw Ring-billed Gulls, Herrings and Bonapartes.
 
Date: Friday, April 11, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Other Birders: Michele Leonhardt
Water is down. Spotted an Osprey, Pileated Woodpeckers (3), and a Kingfisher (1).

Date: Monday, April 7, 2008
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg, IN
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: Aullwood Nature Center Volunteers
Volunteers and staff from the Aullwood Nature Center north of Dayton made their yearly pilgrimage to the Oxbow. While I did not really count today here are some highlights. 2 Great Egret, 1 Great Blue Heron, 2 Bald Eagle(1 A, and 1 immature), 1 Osprey, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 2 Hooded Merganser, 1 Osprey, and 70 Bonaparts Gulls mixed with a flock of 500 Ring-billed Gulls. Had a real good long look at a beaver floating in the flooded forested area.

Date: Saturday, March 29, 2008
Location: Lost Bridge/Oxbow Area
Reporter: Paul Krusling
Other Birders: Joe Kappa
In addition to what Jay and Paula saw, listed in the previous post. We saw 12 lesser yellowlegs in the wet fields south of the Lost Bridge. These birds were visible from the first gravel road that crosses the RR tracks S. of Lawrenceburg Road. Also add 1 Northern Pintail, 1 osprey and 1 possible eared grebe, which was seen among a group of at least four horned grebes and two pied-biled grebes.

Date: Saturday, March 29, 2008
Location: The Oxbow Area
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: Paula Stenger
My wife Paula and I took a spur of the moment trip to the Oxbow area late this afternoon. The Oxbow proper is for the most part still underwater. Most of the farm fields from Lost Bridge south are still partially flooded and there are many sky pools and temporary ponds throughout the valley and most are covered with birds. Our highlights were 3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, 2 immature Bald Eagles, Common Loon, and many gulls and waterfowl, including 14 Greater Scaup.

The general area is attracting good numbers of waterfowl and water birds, particularly gulls, which numbered in the thousands. We ran into Paul Krusling and Joe Kappa at Lost Bridge and they told us they had a Bald Eagle when they first arrived there. I neglected to ask if it was an adult. Paul & Joe may also have had some different species and numbers as they were there longer than us. There were a lot of ducks of many species on both sides of Elizabethtown Rd. at Lost Bridge.

At least 1500+ Ring-billed Gulls, 300+ Bonaparte’s Gulls and 12 Herring Gulls were present and widespread throughout the valley this evening. I found the Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the flooded fields behind the old cemetery and under the I-275 underpass, which can be accessed from US 50. I saw these gulls around 6:00 PM on the sky pool closet to the expressway. The two immature eagles were also seen there, foraging in the shallow water for trapped fish, which is also apparently attracting all the gulls. The eagles first caught my attention but eventually flew off. I was scanning the gulls when I noticed the first Lesser Black-backed Gull, which was in first winter plumage (and maybe transitioning to first summer). This bird was cooperative and fairly close and I had a good long look. It seemed to be feeding on a small carp trapped in the shallow pool. While I was watching that bird, another identically plumaged gull flew in, and then another, and they all squabbled over the fish. Herring, Ring-billed and Bonaparte’s were all moving around in this same spot and good comparisons were had. Since the habitat looked perfect I was hoping to find some shorebirds but found none other than Killdeer. A better effort should turn some up.

Some of the species we saw in the Oxbow area from around 4:30-7:00 PM today included: Canada Geese. Mallards, Wood Duck 6, Blue-winged Teal 60, Northern Shoveler 20+, Green-winged Teal 11, Canvasback 2, Redhead 4, Ring-necked Duck 180+, Greater Scaup 14 (with 16 Lesser Scaup on State Line Pond), Lesser Scaup 50+, Bufflehead 8, Common Loon 1 (on State Line Pond), Double-crested Cormorant 200~, Great Blue Heron 30+, Black Vulture 6, Turkey Vulture 50~, Bald Eagle 2 (2 im), Red-tailed Hawk 4, American Kestrel 2, American Coot 250~, Killdeer 10, Bonaparte’s Gull 340+, Ring-billed Gull 1500+, Herring Gull 12, Lesser Black-backed Gull 3, Tree Swallow 20~, N. Rough-winged Swallow 1, American Crow 400+, American Pipit 12, Eastern Towhee 8, Rusty Blackbird

Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Windy today. Best sight was 2 Great Egrets

Date: Monday, March 17, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: Steve Maslowski and Jim Simpson
The annual search for the Green-winged Teal on St. Patty\'s Day was successful and led to the consumption of the traditional Lorna Dune's.

Trip List: Canada Goose 7, Wood Duck 15, Gadwall 3, American Wigeon 5, American Black Duck 10, Mallard 150, Blue-winged Teal 5, Northern Shoveler 4, Green-winged Teal 30, Redhead 6, Ring-necked Duck 450, Bufflehead 2, Hooded Merganser 1, Horned Grebe 1, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Great Blue Heron 1, Turkey Vulture 1, Bald Eagle 2, Red-tailed Hawk 2, American Coot 200, Ring-billed Gull 600, Mourning Dove 15, Red-bellied Woodpecker 1, Downy Woodpecker 3, Hairy Woodpecker 1, American Crow 25, Carolina Chickadee 11, American Robin 80, European Starling 500, Yellow-rumped Warbler 5, Song Sparrow 8, Northern Cardinal 35, Red-winged Blackbird 50, Common Grackle 3, Brown-headed Cowbird 10

Date: Monday, March 17, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Tim Sheckels
At about 6:45-7:00 pm I saw a pair of bald eagles near the Oxbow. One male, one female it appeared.  They were on the east side of I-275. I stopped on the entrance ramp to I-275 from Lawrenceburg, heading towards Cincinnati. They were in the trees near the road there, in the rec area where the campers usually are. They were being harassed by the smaller birds.   

Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Bruce Leonhardt
Other Birders: Michele Leonhardt
We were west of Oxbow Lake, south of what is now an island. I saw the following birds: Mature Bald Eagle 1, Northern Cardinal 1 (largest male I've ever seen yet), Robin 14, Red Chested W'pecker 3, Titmouse 4.
We took I-275 towards Ohio and spotted a Juvenile Bald Eagle in the trees just south of the campground.

Date: Monday, March 10, 2008
Location: The Oxbow and Lower Great Miami Valley
Reporter: Jay Stenger
Other Birders: Jack Stenger
Jack and I spent most of the day in the Oxbow area of the lower Great Miami River Valley. With the Ohio River stage at 50 feet, the Oxbow proper is completely under water and virtually inaccessible. All of the low-lying fields along the Great Miami River, US 50 and Lawrenceburg Rd. north to Cleves were flooded. There were thousands of waterfowl (19 species of ducks) and gulls present and scattered throughout this entire area. While we didn’t find anything particularly rare we did see a lot of birds. Our highlights included 19 species of ducks, a fairly early Common Loon and 2 Bald Eagles. Access to most spots was difficult, but not impossible. Traffic, distances, private property and the flood itself didn’t help much. Snow banks and muddy berms along the roadsides made parking a bit tricky. But we had a ball. There were at least a thousand ducks in the Oxbow proper but we were unable to get close. Thousands more were scattered in flooded fields throughout the valley and some of these were easier to see. We saw at least 5000 ducks and 3000 gulls but at least double those numbers were most likely present as we only covered about half of the flooded areas if that. The floodwaters are forecast to quickly recede over the next few days, but there should be plenty of sky pools left behind and birding should continue to be good for a while. The flooded fields along Lawrenceburg Rd. near Lost Bridge gave us some of our best views.

Our numbers represent only what we were able to identify as we left many birds unidentified due to distance, inaccessibility and back lighting. Some of the species we found today included; Canada Goose 50, Wood Duck 3, Gadwall 70, American Wigeon 50, American Black Duck 100, Mallard 2000, Blue-winged Teal 4, Northern Shoveler 20, Northern Pintail 50, Green-winged Teal 50, Canvasback 225, Redhead 250, Ring-necked Duck 225, Greater Scaup 2, Lesser Scaup 200, Bufflehead 15, Common Goldeneye 1, Red-breasted Merganser 12, Ruddy Duck 3, Wild Turkey 24 (2 flocks), Common Loon 1 (fairly early, breeding plumage and yodeling in flooded fields behind the old cemetery), Pied-billed Grebe 5, Horned Grebe 3, Great Blue Heron 4, Black Vulture 4, Turkey Vulture 30, Bald Eagle 2 (1 ad, 1 im), Northern Harrier 2, Red-tailed Hawk 12 (26 for the day), American Kestrel 1 (13 for the day counting other parts of W. Hamilton County), Peregrine Falcon, American Coot 400+, Killdeer 30+, Ring-billed Gull 3000+, Herring Gull 4, Belted Kingfisher, American Crow 800, Horned Larks, White-crowned Sparrow 40+, Field Sparrows (several singing), Dark-eyed Junco 125+, Red-winged Blackbird, 500+, Common Grackle 500, Brown-headed Cowbird 200, and Eastern Meadowlark.

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg, IN
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Other Birders: Mark Anderson
An afternoon stroll in the Oxbow with access limited due to rising water. 800 Mallard, 300 Ring-necked Duck, 50 American Widgeon, 3 Gadwall, 2 Scaup (sp?)4 Northern Shoveler, 15 Black Duck, 8 Wood Duck, 350 Canada Goose, 1500 Ring-billed Gull, 4 Killdeer, 25 American Coot, 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Belted Kingfisher, 600 Mixed Blackbirds (Starlings, Grackles, Cowbirds, and Red-winged Blackbirds), 9 Mourning Dove, 20 Song-Sparrow, 7 Cardinal, 2 Carolina Chickadee, 1 Northern Flicker, 2 Downy Woodpecker, 3 American Robin, 2 Horned Lark, 400 American Crow, 1 Red-tailed Hawk, 1 Northern Harrier, 4 American Bald Eagle (all immature but one with a 70% white head and tail) and 1 Merlin. As we watched one Bald Eagle circle low over a winter wheat field a Merlin Burst up from the ground and made straight for the eagle. There was a lot of noise and the Eagle started to do a lot of swerving to avoid the Merlin. After chasing the Eagle a distance of a few hundred yards the Merlin decided there were better things to do like return to a kill.

Date: Saturday, February 23, 2008
Location: Oxbow
Reporter: Peter Kavouras
Birded the Oxbow from 8:00am to 9:00am today, lots of fowl. Didn't walk much, so I didn't see a lot of non-fowl. First time I have seen a goldeneye at the Oxbow.
250+ Canada Goose,25 American Coot,2 Black Duck,10 Northern Pintail,40+ Mallard,15 Ring-Necked Duck, 4 Canvasback, 15+ Redhead, 1 Common Merganser, 1 Common Goldeneye, 2 Gadwall, 4 American Wigeon, 1 Pied Billed Grebe, 10+ European Starling, 10+ Northern Cardinal, 1 Dark-Eyed Junco, 70+ Ring-Billed Gull, 8 American Crow

Date: Saturday, February 16, 2008
Location: Oxbow, Lawrenceburg, IN
Reporter: Jon Seymour
Canada Goose - 368, Wood Duck - 1, American Wigeon - 2, Black Duck - 2, Mallard - 283, Northern Pintail - 2, Canvasback - 20, Redhead - 11, Ring-necked Duck - 272, Great Blue Heron - 8, Red-tailed Hawk - 1, American Coot - 8, Killdeer - 9, Ring-billed Gull - 720, Mourning Dove - 8, Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3, Northern Flicker - 6, Blue Jay - 2, American Crow - 3, Carolina Chickadee - 10, Tufted Titmouse - 2, White-breasted Nuthatch - 1, Northern Cardinal - 2, Red-winged Blackbird - 2, Brown-headed Cowbird - 40, American Goldfinch - 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 3