I had a chance over the last 2 days to hit Delaware reservoir (off Panhandle Rd), Alum Creek Lake (upper end off Hogback Rd), and Hoover reservoir (Area N yesterday).  The contrast couldn't be more striking.  Water levels at Delaware and Alum Lake (both flood control reservoirs) are still quite high, but Hoover (as Charlie B. noted) is startlingly low.  This is reflected in the shorebird and wader totals from the 3 sites (where I put in about 30 minutes at each):

                   Delaware         AlumCreek          Hoover
Great Blue Heron     2                 3                 22
Great Egret                                               3

Kildeer              3                 12                70
Pectoral Sandpiper                                       15
Dunlin                                                   10
Least Sandpiper                                           3

Ring-billed Gull    30                 15                50
Bonaparte's Gull    40                                   10

At Delaware, the nearby Leonardsburg Road marsh was quite high, but had hardly any waterfowl (only 10 Coot).  Alum Lake at Hogback had a few cormorants, but little else.  Hoover had lots of Geese (500+), along with some cormorants and Mallards.  For raptors, Delaware had 70+ Turkey Vultues, while Alum & Hoover had far fewer; Hoover, however, made up for it with an immature Bald Eagle perched near the mudflats.  All of these sites still look interesting and should be productive for waterfowl as the Fall wears on.

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