RIVP 12-Oct-2002 - I had a better than expected morning of birding at Rossford on Saturday. I'm not sure if birds can sense big changes in weather, but they were numerous, active, and noisy.

There were a lot of White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-rumps, and Robins. An interesting note: I have not seen a Red-breasted Nuthatch this fall.

If you are thinking about adding a new shrub to your yard, try to make it a Roughleaf Dogwood. It produces small, white berries, and the birds love them. The birds listed below with an asterisk were ones I saw eating the berries. I think there's a similar shrub called a Gray Dogwood. These white-berried Dogwood shrubs are common in Ohio.

American Crow
Carolina Wren
* American Robin > 100
Northern Cardinal
Black-throated Blue Warbler
* Blackpoll Warbler > 10
* White-throated Sparrow > 50
Ring-billed Gull
Ruby-crowned Kinglet > 5
Common Grackle
Yellow-rumped Warbler > 50
White-breasted Nuthatch
* Philadelphia Vireo
* European Starling
* Blue-headed Vireo
* Cape May Warbler
* Catbird
Golden-crowned Kinglet > 10
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Blue Jay
Hermit Thrush
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Song Sparrow
Belted Kingfisher
Mallard
Northern Flicker
Downey Woodpecker
Cedar Waxwing > 50
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Goldfinch
* Swainson's Thrush
Cooper's Hawk

2 Monarch Butterflies drifting south

I ended my birding by walking through the middle of the park. The birds were noisy and active, until the Coopers Hawk slashed through the middle of the park, moving from tree to tree. The place became silent in an instant.