I know that reporting three Mallards on the Rocky River doesn't seem noteworthy, but it's the story behind it that makes it interesting.  Friday's Cleveland Plain Dealer showed pictures on both the front page and page B4 of big slabs of ice that had piled up along the riverbank on Thursday.  Check out http://www.cleveland.com/photooftheday/index.ssf?/photooftheday/more/030207.html for pictures.  I knew this had to be near the boat launching ramp at Scenic Park at the northern end of the Rocky River reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks.

  About 5:00 PM Friday, Ann and I went down to check things out. All kinds of flotsam and jetsam and big chunks of ice were flowing swiftly down the river.  Two male and one female mallard were resting on a flat slab of ice that was floating on the river but attached precariously to the river bank.  Gradually the wave action caused an 8 ft. by 8 ft. chunk that the mallards were sitting on to break free.  At first it just bobbed about in place for awhile near the shore, but gradually it began to drift into the stronger current and pick up speed.  We waved "bon voyage" to the ducks as they steamed out of port.  But their vessel quickly encountered rough seas, and about two hundred yards downstream, all three abandoned ship.  I don't know, maybe they found out dinner wasn't included with the cruise.

  Anyway, it proves you don't have to always be seeing rarities to enjoy birding.

  John and Ann Edwards
  Rocky River  (Cuyahoga County)


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