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Short-eared Owls & Waterfowl – Fernald Preserve
Theme: Short-eared Owls & Waterfowl
Location: Fernald Preserve
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023
Meet: At 4:00 PM at the Lodge Pond parking lot at Fernald Preserve (1st parking lot on the right just past entrance)
Leader: Luke Thies, (937) 733-9325, thiesluke997@gmail.com
The reason for this late start time is because the focus of this trip is to find Short-eared Owls. While there is no guarantee we will be successful, there have been a few Short-eared Owls wintering here since December and many birders have reported seeing them, including our trip leader. While it is possible to see a Short-eared Owl active during the day it is not likely. These birds become active around dusk and the best time to see them is during the 30 minutes or so before dark. The habitat for Short-eared Owls is large area of grassland interspersed with small thickets or other dense cover for daytime roosting. Fernald Preserve provides excellent habitat for this regionally uncommon winter resident. Fortunately these owls hunt mostly on the wing and spend much of their time coursing back and forth, just feet above the grassy fields and occasionally finding a perch in the fields to pose from. If they are present one can usually get good looks.
Regardless of the owls, and because we will begin the trip well before dark, we expect to find a diversity of other birds including many species of ducks and geese, several other raptor species including Northern Harrier, and a number of wintering songbirds, especially sparrows of several species. A displaying American Woodcock would be possible by this date. Our trip leader, Luke Thies, is a skilled birder and naturalist and is also a board member of our ASO. With Luke leading the way we can expect a successful trip.
Luke’s plan is to start the trip in the late afternoon and check out some of the ponds and adjacent open areas looking for the diverse species of waterfowl and other birds that can be found at Fernald Preserve at this season. As we get closer to dusk, Luke will find us a spot where we can set up and see a wide area of the grasslands and begin scanning for owls and listening for woodcock. The trip should end soon after full darkness sets in. The Preserve generally closes at dusk but Luke has gained permission for us to stay a little later.
So come join Luke for what should be a unique field trip. Dress for a winter night with good footwear. Restrooms are available at Fernald. If you expect to get good looks at birds binoculars are necessary. If you have any questions contact Luke.
Directions: Fernald Preserve is located in Northwestern Hamilton County. The entrance is located at 7400 Wiley Road, about ¼ of a mile west of State Route 128. Follow the entrance road to the first gravel parking lot on the right, about 4 tenths of a mile beyond the entrance.
Visit the Fernald Preserve website at:
https://www.energy.gov/lm/visit-fernald-preserve-visitors-center