There is still some good birding at the Deer Creek Reservoir. Too bad that it's not in any CBC circle.

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Hunting/wildlifeareas/central/centralwa.htm

Keep in mind that that map is oriented with the north on the left side and not at the customary top.

I had a free afternoon and it was sunny (2 things that don't often happen together at this time of year for me!) I was hoping to finally photograph the Northern Shrike there, but brutal winds kept most of the passerines (including the shrike) hunkered down for the most part. I did see the shrike in the usual area by the gate to the beach briefly in the late afternoon before I left, though. Things were more interesting with the spotting scope than the camera. The best area to scope from right now is the most southern parking area along Rt. 207 near the bridge. The receding reservoir is now dry and hard enough to walk a good way out toward the water.

Some of the birds there today included :

2 ROSS'S GEESE
~600 Canada Geese
~2700 Mallards
~100 Am. Black Ducks
~20 N. Pintails
~40 Hooded Mergansers
1 AM. WHITE PELICAN
~35 Great Blue Herons
4 BLACK VULTURES
Turkey Vultures (several)
N Harriers (several)
~50 Bonaparte's Gulls (off the beach area)
~1500 Ring-billed Gulls
~5 Herring Gulls
1 NORTHERN SHRIKE

I know that Mallards are a dime a dozen, but that was the largest and densest concentration of them that I recall ever seeing. The Ross's Geese and pelican have now been around for a while, a long while for that pelican. Has anyone officially documented the Ross's Geese for the OBRC? They seem to be pretty regular now in Ohio, but technically they're still on the review list.

Bob Royse



Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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