Louisiana Waterthrush
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On December 29, 2001 Larry
Rosche found
and identified a Louisiana Waterthrush in
Twinsburg along Tinker's Creek.
Photo taken by Carl Johnson |
Documentation of Louisiana
Waterthrush
(Seiurus
motacilla)
by Larry Rosche
Location:
Twinsburg, Summit County, Ohio
Date: December 29, 2001.
Observers: Twinsburg Winter Bird Count Party and members of
Chrysalis in Time NABA Club
At approximately
11:00 AM on December 29, 2001, 1 flushed a small dark bird from a
wetland area adjacent to Tinker's Creek. The bird fluttered from
behind me and I briefly glimpsed it. It did not remind me of a
wren, and my curiosity got the best of me. I pursued the bird and
located next to a buttonbush trunk. I could only see that it had
eyeliner that was very bold and swooshed upward at the back of the
head. My first thought was Waterthrush, but then this is December,
so I tried to rattle the Rolodex in my brain for a species. I
began to think Old World Warbler. I still had not seen its front,
so I asked the rest of the party to help. Cameras in hand we began
to photograph this sorry individual. It began to grovel for food
and showed its front to me. I said, my god it is a Waterthrush,
and it sure looks like a Louisiana Waterthrush to me. I asked
Stanley Stine to check the long bill, white throat, streaked, pale
under parts with a buffy wash to the flanks. He noted them and
asked what in the heck was it doing here? I said, "I don't think
anyone will believe this one. I have seen a Northern Waterthrush
in Ohio in December and January, but this bird should have been
gone by September."
The bird
continued to allow close photographs and viewing, for the next
hour or so. It bobbed its rear as it walked about looking for
food. It would fly weekly, and I can't say the wings were all that
droopy I did see it close its eyes as if to be in serious stress,
but as a group we did not approach the bird close enough to have
it scurrying about frantically. We simply let the bird go about
its business and when it came close enough the photographers shots
away Lou Gardella tried for it on December 30, but was unable to
locate it. In all, nine people saw the bird and at least 8 of then
were familiar with the species.
Page last updated on
Monday April 23, 2007
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