After a four-year hiatus, JAS returned to the Oak Openings Metropark in northern Ohio.  The last few tours we had in the late teens were guided by Ohio resident Check Mekbel, who passed away in 2019.  

The carpool stopped on Sager Rd. for a look around the grassland at the end of the Toledo Airport.  We did not get any really great summer prairie species, but we did observe about a dozen species in our quick stop before meeting the rest of the group.

(Brenda Wineman)

A total of eight JAS members drove down to meet a bit before 9 AM.  The Metropark Lodge area had some pretty good activity, including a fruit-loving Red-headed Woodpecker, and several other species enjoying a Serviceberry shrub in season.

Before heading south to the more open areas, we tried a short walk north to the Mallard Lake area.  

(Cedar Waxwing and Field Sparrow-Doug Leffler)

After returning to the car to manage our fluids, we headed south in search of Tanagers.  Well, we didn't get any but we had a nice long walk through some r really great habitat.  There was a Yellow-breasted Chat that was doing the Chat thing-lots of noise but not a lot of good views. Some of the members of the tour got a decent flash look. This species is becoming my Jinx Bird.
We ended the day with a trip list of 42 species.

(Monarch caterpillar on Common Milkweed & Wood  Anemone-Brenda Wineman)

Even when the birds don't show up, there's always lots of other natural features to observe.  I really like plants-not just because they are the foundational set of species that enables us to actually live on this planet,  but also they don't fly.

Checklists:

Sage Rd grassland:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S179647120
Lodge Area:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S179647121
Mallard Lake loop:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S179647122
Evergreen & Horse Trails:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S179647123