Robert Epstein and I birded in Northwest Ohio today.  It was still a
wintry setting with almost complete snow cover and most areas still
frozen, including Lake Erie to the horizon at places like Metzger
Marsh and Crane Creek.  Some of our misses were interesting.  We had
no Killdeer, Green-winged Teal, Snow Geese, or Rusty Blackbirds,
among expected birds at this time of the year.   We did not note any
hawk flight.  Given the forecast for progressively warmer days over
the next couple of days, birding conditions should change
considerably by the weekend in this area.  Here are some of the birds
we found today:

Pied-billed Grebe--One at Ottawa NWR
Double-crested Cormorant--9 at the Bayshore Power Plant on Maumee Bay
Great Blue Heron--widespread already
Tundra Swan--100 plus in fields along Rte 2 three miles east of
Pearson Metropark.
Wood Duck--one female at Metzger Marsh
Gadwall--hundreds at Metzger Marsh and at Ottawa Refuge
A. Wigeon--small numbers at Metzger Marsh and Ottawa Refuge
Pintail--only 2 males at Metzger Marsh
Canvasback--approx 200 at Metzger Marsh
Redhead--2000 at Metzger Marsh (I counted 522 and estimated the rest)
Ring-necked Duck--500 Metzger Marsh
Peregrine--two in flight at Bayshore Power Plant
Coot--300 Metzger Marsh
Robin--relatively few seen
Mockingbird--one at Ottawa Refuge
Fox Sparrow--one at Nature Center at Maumee Bay State Park--not at
the feeders
Song Sparrow--numbers up today as species is obviously migrating
White-throated Sparrow--one at Crane Creek boardwalk
E. Meadowlark--two at Ottawa Refuge

Cheers,

Karl Overman
Farmington Hills, Mi.

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