Charlie's Pond

 

To get there, take Ohio 23 south from Circleville for 4.3 miles and turn west at Radcliff Road. Proceed another mile to the slough.

Sometimes called Upper Davenport, the area is located in the Scioto bottomlands and has attracted a surprising number of birds consid ering its small size. Although there is more water on the north side of the road, don't ignore the opposite side which is boggy and contains tangles of underbrush. An occasional heron or egret is found at the pond, in addition to migrating bitterns, puddle ducks, rails, and shorebirds. A few Common Snipes can usually be flushed up from wet spots along the edges in the spring and during the fall migration. Bands of swallows frequently feed over the pond, Swamp Sparrows can be found in the brush in April and May and again from September until early winter, and Water Pipits sometimes linger in the vicinity.

After checking out the pond, continue west on Radcliff Road and turn north on River Road and drive a mile or so to its end. Watch for Red-tailed Hawks and American Kestrels anytime, and Rough-legged Hawks and Northern Harriers from November to April. A Golden Eagle and a Merlin have been reported here in the past. The wide, gently rolling fields also attract shorebirds, especially during the spring months when the ground has been plowed and sky ponds appear after heavy rains. At such times, the chances of seeing flocks of Lesser Golden-Plover and Pectoral Sandpipers are particularly good. A Whimbrel remained at the pond or in the near vicinty for several days in April of 1997.

Horned Larks are common and from the end of January through June this is a fine place to see the males perform their courtship (or territorial) flight songs. Snow Buntings and, more rarely, Lapland Longspurs can be found in flocks of Horned Larks during winter months. Smith's Longspurs have been recorded in the area several times. Spring and summer birds include the Upland Sandpiper, Eastern Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, Loggerhead Shrike (rare), Eastern Meadowlark, Dickcissel (erratic), and Grasshopper, Vesper, Field, and Song sparrows, Red-winged Blackbird, and American Goldfinch.