I stayed close to home in the driving drizzle, and visited many of the accesses around the northern end of Hoover Reservoir.  Water levels were extremely high, covering several of the access areas and coming within 2 feet of inundating the boardwalk at Area M.  Surprisingly, this ducky weather didn't produce too many waterfowl around the reservoir.  Perhaps there were too many alternative puddles to visit.  Highlights included

Geese & Swans - very few Canada Geese, with 50+ for the morning.  2 Mute Swans at the golf course pond adjacent to Mudhen Marsh, and another 3 were in the lee of Oxbow Island
Dabbling Ducks - only a scattering of Mallards & Black Ducks at all sites, but 20+ Shovelers were still hanging around Oxbow Island
Diving Ducks - not a one (nor any loons or grebes for that matter)
Mergansers - 5 Red-breasteds were off the Sunbury causeway, while Hoodeds were at several sites but nowhere common.
Gulls - also down in #s, with perhaps 50 Ring-bills at all sites, and 1 Herring at the Sunbury Causeway.
Perching Birds - plenty of expected flock birds, but the morning was also enlivened by 1 PHOEBE flycatching in the flooded forest at Area N and a few small flocks of Bluebirds at Maxtown boat launch and the Sunbury causeway


Rob Thorn
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EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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