Wild Goose Chase

Jan 10

I left home at 4 AM and picked up my friend Doreene Linzell near Columbus. Doreene has a large ABA list, but it had a couple of holes she was eager to fill. There were reports of both Pink-footed Goose and Barnacle Goose on Long Island in New York. There was also a Brambling and Kelp Gull in Ohio conveniently along the way.

This Code 3 Brambling flew into the yard next to Allardale Park for a distant shot. State bird for Ohio!

The Brambling showed up less than 10 minutes after parking in Allardale Park in Medina County. In addition to the Brambling, I checked off  Black-capped Chickadee, American Tree Sparrow, Eastern Bluebird, and Brown-headed Cowbird. It was too dark for photos, but I managed a diagnostic shot of the Bambling. By the end of the year I would have seen dozens of Brambling in Alaska, but this one was very special because it was an addition to my Ohio state list #338!

 The Kelp Gull that spent nights roosting at Springfield Lake near Akron had no habits, creating strife for Ohio birders like Doreene and I who had by now each tried on several occasions to see this individual. It most likely flew to the lake to roost after it was too dark to ID, and left under the guise of dark. Some mornings it lounged and some evenings returned early for the lucky birders who might be present to get a view. I had tried many landfills in the area without success in 2015. Doreene got word that the gull was not present so we drove by without stopping. We spent the rest of the day driving to New York, to be in place for the geese in the morning. I added Wild Turkey along I-80 in Pennsylvania.

1/11

Miller's Pond in Smithtown NY was full of Canada Geese when we arrived at 7:30 am. We joined forces with another birder, and the Pink-footed Goose was eventually spotted. We had distant scope views, but I was only able to capture poor images when it flew a short distance.

Pink-footed Goose barely visible during a short flight (Code 4)

Next stop was at Babylon High School where a Barnacle Goose had been seen the previous day on the soccer field. We scoured the area and ended up at nearby Edna Lake. We later learned the Barnacle Goose was seen early that same morning while we were looking at the Pink-footed Goose. Our efforts were not rewarded that day. We eventually returned to Miller's Pond to try for a better shot of the Pink-footed Goose, with no luck.


1/12
We tried Edna Lake the following morning, but the Barnacle Goose was a no-show. A Western Tanager was reported in Ohio, which would be a great addition to the Ohio list. A winter storm was predicted in the next 24 hours so the drive home would need to commence. We stopped in New Jersey for gas and found that a Barnacle Goose had been reported the previous day, only an hour away. We decided to switch the route and headed in the direction of the Barnacle Goose, and Doreene spotted it amongst hundreds of Canada Geese in an industrial park pond. Cha-ching!!!

Barnacle Goose S Middlesex NJ (code 4)

We set the GPS for the fastest route home to get a jump on the winter storm warning. I had driven my Avalanche with 4 wheel drive in anticipation of encountering snow or inclement weather. We headed west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, with plans to meet Dan Sanders at Springfield Lake for a try at the Kelp Gull. Our timing looked very good to arrive before dusk. The plan went smoothly, even after snow began to fall. Very smoothly until we saw brake lights of cars in front of us.

5:21 PM in Western Pennsylvania

Same pick-up truck in front of us, as the Pennsylvania Turnpike turns into a parking lot

6:52 PM.........

7:54 PM.... Thank goodness we are birders. We are prepared with a cooler with food and drinks, and warm clothing.

9:03PM....emergency vehicles trying to keep the shoulder cleared and open due to 911 calls

9:35 PM...still warm inside the truck, but getting colder outside.

Five hours into the ordeal, and we had no idea when we would be able to move. I vowed to fill the gas tank more often, wondered if the gas remaining would take us through the night in the car. Fortunately we heard vehicles in front of us start their engines. It was a slow start, but eventually we advanced. We were FREE!!! By midnight I was tired, so we stopped at a hotel and set the clock for 4 hours. My Fitbit said I only slept 1.5 hours, but it was enough to get me moving again.

1/13
Doreene and I met Dan Sanders at Springfield Lake near Akron before sunrise, and watched in futility as the gulls moved off the lake at a steady pace before the light was sufficient to ID. There were dark-backed gulls that may have been the Kelp Gull, but we were unable to call.

Following the mass exodus of gulls at Springfield Lake

Doreene and I said goodbye, and she joined Dan. I drove alone to Dayton to pick up Jacob Roalof. Jacob was a recent college graduate and avid lister who had amassed over 600 birds in 2015 on a few well placed trips with Big Year birder Dan Gesualdo. Jacob and I made a beeline to try for the Black-tailed Gull at Carlysle Lake in SW Illinois before dark. Amazingly, we made good time and arrived to hear from other birders who were leaving that the gull had been seen very recently. We were advised to watch for it to return making its rounds fishing in the spillway. While waiting, the fatigue hit, and I was mesmerized by the hundreds of Ring-billed Gulls.

 I was thankful that while I was in my Ring-billed Gull trance, Jacob was astute and awake. He spotted the Black-tailed Gull as it made its way feeding along the opposite side of the spillway. We rushed up and down the "dam stairs" for the umpteenth time, but it was well worth the effort for a better look and photos of this beautiful gull! 

Black-tailed Gull (Code 4)

1/14

Since we were in the area, we went to Horseshoe State Park in Illinois to see Eurasian Tree Sparrow. I knew I wasn't ready to go to Missouri. When the St. Louis Arch was suddenly visible from the park a flood of memories from St Louis emerged, and I was forced to push them away. It was only a year ago that my best friend Cathy had received a transfusion of stem cells at the Siteman Cancer Center in St Louis. She had bet that it would save her life. Everything went wrong and she lost her battle with leukemia in February 2015.

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

I was relieved to drive east. We were under a time crunch but tried for Greater Prairie Chicken at Prairie Ridge State Natural Area where I had seen them before. It was a long shot, but I added several other species to the year list. Snow Goose, Rough-legged Hawk and Horned Lark.