EASTERN HIGHLANDS & UPPER OHIO RIVER VALLEY 
Identification of migrant wood-pewees is problematic. This bird, captured for banding at Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Ot- 
tawa County, Ohio 9 November 2008, established a new late fall record of Eastern Wood-Pewee for Ohio. Photograph by Julie 
Shieldcastle. 
FLYCATCHERS THROUGH FINCHES 
No fewer than three single-observer sightings 
of Western Kingbird were received from sw. 
Ohio 27 Aug-15 Sep; however, none were ac- 
companied by documentation. Northern 
Shrikes visited nine Ohio and six Pennsylva- 
nia counties through Nov, suggesting a strong 
echo flight of the previous year. Single Log- 
gerhead Shrikes were in Jefferson, WV 1-12 
Nov (MO) and at Chambersburg, Franklin, 
PA 19 Oct (C. Lensbower). One of 3 recorded 
in Nov, a late Warbling in ne. Stark is likely 
Ohio’s first Western Warbling Vireo 17-25 
Nov (RM, SJ, JBR, ph. RTr, m.ob.). This sea- 
son’s Cave Swallow flight had 6 at Bradstreet 
Landing, Cuyahoga, OH 9 Nov (L. Richard- 
son, ph. GL, m.ob.), with one remaining the 
next day Q- McCarty). Ohio’s first record 
away from L. Erie involved 4 birds at Rocky 
Fork L., Highland 16 Nov (ph. JL, J. Habig, 
RA) accompanied by a late Tree Swallow and 
a Northern Rough-winged Swallow. In the e. 
highlands, a Cave Swallow was found and lat- 
er died near Homer City, Indiana, PA 10 Nov 
(fide M. Higbee), and 3 were present at the 
Northeast Sewage Treatment Plant, Philadel- 
phia, PA 11-30 Nov (F Windfelder et ah, ph. 
RW) with up to 160 Rough-wingeds 21 Nov 
(RW). Four Clifl/Cave Swallows over Secrest 
Arboretum, Wayne, OH 8 Nov (SS, W. 
Brubaker, GC) were suspected of being the 
latter species. A late Barn Swallow was at 
Buck Creek 9 Nov (DO). Staging flocks 14 
Aug of 4000 Purple Martins in Summit (L. 
Hunter) and 1500 in Hamilton, OH (RF) were 
encouraging, as was an estimated 50,000 at 
Presque Isle 17 Aug (MV). 
A Carolina Chickadee at Jacobsburg Envi- 
ronmental Education, Northampton 19 Nov 
was at its n. limit in e. Pennsylvania (RW). A 
late House Wren was found at the O.S.U. wet- 
lands, Franklin, OH 29 Nov (D. Slager). A Bo- 
hemian Waxwing at H.M.S. 21 Sep was ex- 
ceptionally early (D. Hughes, B. Swarzentru- 
ber et. aL,fide LG): it represented a 7th record 
for Berks (fide RK). A total of 5996 Cedar 
Waxwings was recorded at H.M.S. during the 
season (LG). A Tennessee Warbler in Preston, 
"WV 18 Aug (GF) was early, as was a Yellow- 
rumped Warbler in Summers, WV 19 Aug 
(JJP). Two Yellow Palm 
Warblers were reported in 
Ohio; one 20 Sep at Magee 
Marsh W.A., Lucas (M. War- 
ren) was early, while one at 
East Fork L., Clermont 22 
Nov (DM) was rare for the 
sw. portion of the state. An- 
other was at Green Bottom 
25 Oct (WA, DP, MG) for a 
rare sw. West Virginia re- 
port. A Yellow-throated 
Warbler at State College, 
Centre, PA 17 Sep QV) was 
unexpected, while one in 
Hamilton, OH 5 Oct (L. 
Brumbaugh) was late. A 
Prothonotary Warbler 7 Sep 
(MO) represented a late record for the Eastern 
Panhandle. An early Connecticut Warbler at 
Headlands 23 Aug (RH) was part of a pro- 
tracted migration Regionally. A 13 Sep Ken- 
tucky Warbler in Hamilton, OH (J. Morris, A. 
Scruggs) and another 3 Sep (AM, M. Homel, 
B. Shaffer et al.) add to the few Regional fall 
records of this inconspicuous migrant. Local- 
ly rare, single Summer Tanagers were in Al- 
legheny, PA 18 Aug (GM), and in Washington, ' 
PA 20 Aug-2 Sep (A. Berchin). 
The lone Clay-colored Sparrow in Ohio 
was found on Kelleys I., Erie 19 Oct (TB). 
Three Clay-coloreds were in Pennsylvania 30 
Sep-10 Oct (P. & S. Lynch, DD, D. Welch). 
The late-season range of Chipping Sparrow 
appears to be shifting northward in Ohio, as 
flocks such as 7 at Greenlawn Cemetery in i 
Columbus 30 Nov (RTh) are no longer sur- 
prising. The Ammodramus Internet network 
in Ohio detected 24 Nelson’s Sharp-tailed 
Sparrows 19 Sep-6 Nov and 8 Le Conte’s 
Sparrows 4 Oct-6 Nov. Another Le Conte’s in 
Hamilton 27-30 Nov (E. Ehrman, E. Burk- 
holder) was exceptionally late. Eleven Nel- 
son’s were along the L. Erie shoreline, as were 
6 of the Le Conte’s. West Virginia birders 
were treated to an ad. and an imm. Nelson’s 
Sharp-tailed Sparrow at the Ashton wetlands. 
Mason 12-15 Oct (WA, ph. MO, GR, J. 
Triplett et al.) and one at Green Bottom 25 
Oct (WA, DP, MG). A Fox Sparrow at Canaan 
Valley N.W.R., Tucker, WV 11 Aug (CRr et 
al.) further astonished onlookers as it broke 
into song. Oregon Juncos were reported in 
Potter, PA 26 Oct (C. Chalfant) and Erie, PA 
17+ Nov (M. Franz, ph. JM). Three Dickcis- 
sels in Williams Twp., Northampton, PA 11 
Oct was a good tally (A. Koch); an imm. fe- 
male was found in Holmes, OH 26-29 Nov (J. 
Beechy). A Rose-breasted Grosbeak was still 
in Hancock, OH 2 Nov (SA), and a young 
male was in Mercer, WV 12 Nov (A. McRae). 
An ad. and 2 imm. Blue Grosbeaks at a breed- 
ing site in Montgomery 13 Oct (E. Neubauer) 
were very late for Ohio. A pair of Blue Gros- 
beaks with 2 young in Lehigh, PA 2 Aug rep- 
resented only the 2nd breeding for the coun- 
ty (B. Hoopes). A female Yellow-headed 
Of casual occurrence within the prairie peninsula of western Ohio, Brewer's Black- 
birds are rarely well documented there. This bird was one of two males present 31 
October 2008 in Champaign County, Ohio. Photograph by Aaron Boone. 
80 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
