Sorry for the belated post.  It's been a long weekend, and I have not had
internet access.  Best birds in this report are BARN SWALLOW and NORTHERN
SHRIKE.  I started Saturday morning at Buck Creek SP/C. J. Brown Res.,
looking for the Red-throated Loon (RTLO) that was reported there last
weekend.  No luck on the RTLO, but did find 1 Double-crested Cormorant, 5
Common Loons, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 15 Redheads, 8 Pied-billed Grebes
and one Horned Grebe.  Lots of Bonaparte's Gulls flying over the
reservoir.  One Dunlin on the beach.  The best bird at Buck Creek was a
BARN SWALLOW.  When I first saw this bird near the marina, it gave me a
start, given that this is the time of year for Cave Swallows.  However, I
got 20X scope views of this bird and indeed it was a late malingering Barn
Swallow, as I could see the deeply forked tail with elongated outer tail
feathers, the dark orange throat and lighter (whitish) underparts.  When
it spread its tail I could see the white spots along the edge of the tail.

I continued to Deer Creek Reservoir hoping to find the Northern Shrike
reported by Bob Royse.  Viewing the reservoir at the beach, I found 6
Common Loons, 15 Horned Grebes, several Pied-billed Grebes, 2
Double-crested Cormorants, 2 Ring-necked Ducks and a flock of about 30
Ring-billed Gulls on the beach.  There were many Bonaparte's Gulls flying
over the reservoir at all locations.  I estimated 40 Killdeer at several
locations and saw one Dunlin.

Just before 4:00 pm, I found the NORTHERN SHRIKE perched on a large
leafless hawthorne tree along the road that goes south from the closed
gate to the beach entry.  I was able to get good looks through my
telescope and about two very long-distance disgiscoped photos.

It's an interesting day when one can see a Barn Swallow and a Northern
Shrike in the same day in Ohio.  Often miserable days weather-wise are
good birding days.
Jay

Jay G. Lehman
Cincinnati, OH
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