Finch Madness Continues!

     I have been reading a lot of random bird blogs and posts recently from past years. Plus I've been chatting with Danno while he is in Texas looking at Gray-Crowned Yellowthroat and White-Throated Thrush and whatever. Needless to say my inner urge to go see something cool and 'good' was boiling over. What to do, what to do? Hmmmm... There aren't very many options being stuck here in amazing Ohio but I came up with a nice plan that didn't involve too much driving. I decided to make the 80 mile drive south to Mohican State Park to see the lone Ohio Evening Grosbeak. I saw this bird in 2014 for my Ohio big year and it would be a good bird to see again for my 2015 list and hopefully satisfy my bird needs (if only temporarily) Soooo 3 goals for the day, 1. See the EVGR (duh), 2. Check the small town of Perrysville for Euco Doves, and the most important goal of the day 3. Don't see a House Finch! Remember, my new birding goal is to go as long as I can without seeing a HOFI in Ohio. Its not like I'm purposely avoiding small birds as to not see one, I am (as always) IDing every bird I see. This stretch of not seeing an Ohio HOFI is becoming awesome really but I'm not sure what that really says about me as a birder... Oh well, alarm set.

      Up and at it early for the 1.5 hour drive south. The plan is to get there around 8:30 as the bird has been showing up around 9 daily. I picked an excellent day to go weather wise. No snow, a little sun, and cold to bring birds to the feeders. I arrive and the 'normal' parking spot is covered in a layer of 12 inches of snow. Yeah, not happening. What to do? Drive up and down the street for a little looking for the bird. Its not a busy street at all and there are A LOT of birds buzzing around. Good sign for EVGR, no so much for HOFI. Here comes a small finch like bird, oh crap could it be? Nope! Its only a goldfinch, then 2 then 31. The sheer number of birds there were great, bluebirds, blue jays, juncos, goldfinches, but where is the celeb? Finally I just park in the road and get out to look some. Right at 9 am the female beauty flies into a Maple Tree in the back line. Perfect! I enjoyed watching it until it flew off then I flew off before a HOFI decided to make a visit! On to Perrysville. Kinda lame really. Its just this tiny little town that is suppose to have a huge pop of Euco Doves, oh joy. Anyways, I drive around this neighborhood for over an hour. Enough time to make me feel like a complete creep so thats it for me and these Doves. Actually there were no doves, at all. Oh well, not mad. Euco is an easy one elsewhere in the state year-round if I wanted to get it. Time to get back home. Still no HOFI! Yes! Oh and I did get a nice close of experience with a gorgeous Rough-Legged Hawk. One of my favs. Hopefully this quenches my thirst for birds for a little while Dan is gone. Lots of school to do in the mean time. 2/3 goals met today, the most important 2. I have now seen both redpolls, PUFI and EVGR in Ohio before HOFI. Can this finch madness continue?! I sure hope so. Only the crossbills are left really (except for the ridiculous chance at Pine Grosbeak). Who knows I suppose.