I set out to see what was happening at Funk Bottoms by way of the Lorain
County Reservoirs.

Location:     Oberlin City Reservoir
Observation date:     3/30/08
Number of species:     5

Lesser Scaup     30
Red-breasted Merganser     12
Ruddy Duck     40
Pied-billed Grebe     1
Ring-billed Gull     10

On the way to Wellington, along West Rd., the highlight was a small
flock (30)
of mixed blackbirds containing Red Wings, Br. Headed Cowbirds, C.
Grackles, and
Rusty Blackbirds.

At Wellington:

Canada Goose     5
Gadwall     2
American Wigeon     5
Mallard     2
Canvasback     30
Redhead     40
Ring-necked Duck     50
Greater/Lesser Scaup     100
Bufflehead     5
Common Goldeneye     2
Red-breasted Merganser     15
Ruddy Duck     75
Pied-billed Grebe     5
Horned Grebe     30
Turkey Vulture     6
American Coot     50
Ring-billed Gull     30
Eastern Phoebe     1
American Robin
Rusty Blackbird    1
American Goldfinch     1

 From Wellington, I proceeded south towards Funk, hoping to catch some
of the
magic as reported last weekend. Unfortunately, it seemed that Funk, or
at least
access to it, was under water. I detoured around the area, with the help
of my trusty
DeLorme atlas and rerouted myself towards Brown's Bog (Lake)located on
Brown Rd.

Brown was a new area for me. There is a planked trail leading to the
bog, and a 1/2 mile
loop trail traversing through a really cool oak forest.

Location:     Brown Lake
Observation date:     3/30/08
Number of species:     17

Red-headed Woodpecker     4
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     2
Hairy Woodpecker     1
Tufted Titmouse     4
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Brown Creeper     1
Carolina Wren     1
Golden-crowned Kinglet     1
Eastern Bluebird     2
American Robin     4
Eastern Towhee     1
American Tree Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     4
Dark-eyed Junco     1
Northern Cardinal     4
Common Grackle     5

I headed further east on Brown and pulled into the access area at Shreve Lake WA, another
new birding spot for me.

Location:     Shreve Lake
Observation date:     3/30/08
Number of species:     9

Hooded Merganser     15
Red-breasted Merganser     6
Common Loon     12
Double-crested Cormorant     75
Turkey Vulture     10
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Bonaparte's Gull     35
Ring-billed Gull     10
American Crow     10

The Loons and Bonaparte's were the highlight here. One of the Boni's was in near breeding plumage.

I continued eastward towards Killbuck Marsh WA but found that many of the roads
there were also under water. It might be a week or two before access to Funk and
Killbuck Creek is possible.

See you on the trails,

Chris Pierce

N. Olmsted, OH

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