The Rookery

This Memorial Weekend I was lucky to get away from all the festivities to go birdwatching out at The Rookery in Geauga County. The Rookery is named after the are where Great Blue Heron's nest. These are not the only birds seen nesting in the area. While bird watching, I followed a path to a coverage bridge where I was told by a birdwatcher there were sightings of the Red-headed Woodpecker, a bird that I have been trying to get, but have not seen yet.

While waiting I hadmany other birds present themselves to me, first was a pair of Rough-winged Swallows building a nest underneath the bridge, then a pair of Eastern Phoebes landed on the opposite side of the bridge giving me great looks. While pshhing I could hear a Blue-winged Warbler calling from the trees. He finally came closer giving me quick looks before being chased away by a Yellow Warbler. Then I spotted another Warbler in the tree directly above me, the size of the bird looked larger then the typical warblers I was use to seeing, it had a long tail, yellow breast and a white eye ring with a large bill. My guess was a Yellow-breasted Chat (Life Specie), which would be a life for me, later in the car I confirmed that it is what I saw.
Other birds seen were Carolina Wren nesting, Downy Woodpecker nesting, heard the Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starling, Common Grackle, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher nesting, Tree Swallows nesting, Eastern Bluebirds nesting, and Baltimore Orioles nesting.

For the herps I found six Northern Water Snakes and one Green Frog.

Overall a very successful trip, but need to return to see the Red-headed Woodpeckers.