Karin Tanquist and I (Patrick Coy) had a lovely and a productive Thanksgiving morning along Portage County/Summit County lakes. We had nine species of ducks, but best bird of the day by far was what we took to be a Western Grebe on Lake Rockwell, northwest along Lake Rockwell Road. The bird was on Lake Rockwell (on the left) after passing Lake Pippin on our right. It was about 200-300 yards off shore, in good strong light. While it dove somewhat regularly, it was on top of the water nearly as long. We had a very good scope on it, and also a poor scope on it. Still, we could not make out color of bill, nor be absolutely certain about color surrounding the eye. We called it a Western based on likelihood and the difficulties in identifying intermediates as much as on definitive markings. 

Other highlights included the 68 Common Mergansers, up close to shore and in clear sun while engaging in cooperative hunt dives. They were little short of brilliant. 

We also stopped at Herrick Fen to find the front pond dried up!, and at the O/Brien Cemetery Pond which had plenty of water but which harbored no waterfowl. 

Lake Rockwell and Lake Pippen
1--Western Grebe
1--Great Blue Heron
2--Tundra Swan 
14--Canada goose
56--Mallard
12--Black Duck
28--Gadwall
12--American Wigeon
58--Ring-necked duck
2--Bufflehead
19--Hooded Merganser
65--Common Merganser
2--Red-breasted Merganser
1--Red-tailed hawk
1--Killdeer
6--Ring-billed Gull
2--Blue jay
4--American Crow
2-- Black-capped Chickadee
1--Pileated Woodpecker
1-Northern Cardinal

Herrick Fen
6--Bluebird
4--American tree sparrow
30--Starling

Patrick Coy and Karin Tanquist
Peninsula, OH

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