I headed to Deer Creek again this afternoon. There was a big change from yesterday, mostly because the daytime temperature stayed above the freezing mark.

The NORTHERN SHRIKE is still present near the gate to the beach in the same place that it has been using for the past 4 months.

The water level of the reservoir is even higher than yesterday, and spill areas into adjacent fields held the greatest concentrations of waterfowl along with surrounding farm fields. Numbers would be difficult to estimate, but more of just about every species seen yesterday was present again today. On field held 76 Tundra Swans, and Wood Ducks were conspicuously more numerous. Turkey Vultures (~100) and all blackbirds (thousands) were more numerous than yesterday as well. In addition to the large migrating flocks of blackbirds (C Grackles, Red-wingeds, Rusties), territorial male Red-wingeds were on territory throughout the area unlike yesterday. Spring is really coming fast and furious now!

Killdeers were the only shorebirds noted in the flooded fields today, but they should be joined soon by snipe, and Pectorals.

Bob Royse


Robert Royse
[log in to unmask]
www.roysephotos.com

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]