I had to go over to Kent yesterday, so I decided to check out some possible open-water spots I used to visit when I lived in that area.  The Cuyahoga River flows strongly through Kent since the removal of the dam in town, and the river was open from there upstream to the L. Rockwell spillway.  Along with the expected Canada geese and mallards, I found a hooded merganser and Am. robins but not much else along the river.  There was a small (and rapidly freezing) open-water hole at Pippen L. which held 6 Am. black ducks and 5 ring-necked ducks.  I went to the Mogadore Res. spillway next, there were 2 mute swans there with the geese.  Then I went to Summit L. in Akron; it is completely frozen, even the canals around there had very little open water.  Just south of Summit L., I saw a falcon swoop in and land on a pole.  I expected it to be a kestrel, but quickly realized it wasn't.  So I stopped the car and got a great quick look at a MERLIN.  I
 didn't have enough time to go search for unfrozen water around the Portage Lakes, usually there are waterbirds around there even in the coldest winters.  Later, Craig




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