A beautiful afternoon hike on Saturday through the snow-laden trails at Sandy Ridge MetroPark in Lorain County provided first of season Eastern Phoebe and Tree Swallow.  Both birds were welcome sights as this winter weather hasn't gotten the word that spring is here.  Other highlights at Sandy Ridge included 57 Wood Ducks (37 m, 17f), two Red-headed Woodpeckers and plenty of other waterfowl.  Here's the rest of the list:

Horned Grebe (three in varying phases of plumage)
Hooded Merganser (about two dozen)
Green-winged Teal (2)
Blue-winged Teal (1)
Northern Shoveler (~6)
American Wigeon (~6)
Gadwall (3)
Ring-necked Duck (~20)
Lesser Scaup (~12)
Ruddy Duck (4)
Canvasback (~6)
Bufflehead (~10)
Mallard
Black Duck
Canada Goose
Belted Kingfisher
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Turkey Vulture
Great Horned Owl
Song Sparrow

Earlier stops included: Clague Park in Westlake (where three pair of Hooded Mergansers remained and a single Pied-billed Grebe rested under tree branches hanging over the water) and Rocky River Park (with about a half-dozen Common Goldeneye in a small sliver of open water several hundred yards from the overlook).  Finally, we had a single Cooper's Hawk fly over Center Ridge Road in North Ridgeville while driving to Sandy Ridge.

Good Birding!

Tim and Liz Colborn
North Olmsted, OH

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