I decided to take a stab at seeing 100 birds in OH this January, so I
spent some of this weekend looking for water birds.  Conditions
weren't great with so much frozen over, but I did manage to bump my
January total up to 60 so far.

Two ID puzzles that may interest some of you.

First, I stopped by 72nd St. late this afternoon in search of gulls
(pretty quite save 1 Bonaparte's and the previously reported 1st
winter Glaucous) and had two swans fly past.  My "swan in flight" ID
skills are failing me, so please feel free to comment on them (either
on Flickr or email me off-list).

  http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauljhurtado/5341895356/

Second, here's an interesting "Cassiar"/Slate-colored type Junco from
the Highbanks Metro Park feeders on Saturday.  Being quite familiar
with Oregon, Pink-sided and Slate-colored juncos from time spent
living in CO and NY, this one seems much more slate-colored than
anything -- however it does seems to fit some descriptions of
"Cassiar" (J. h. cismontanus).

   http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauljhurtado/5337171027/

Someone (in eBird) also reported an Oregon junco from highbanks on
Saturday - not sure if it's the same bird.

Good birding,
Paul Hurtado

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