In case anyone is thinking of going to Sandy Ridge the top layer of the
water was frozen. There were a few open spots. 
The warmer weather in the next few days should open up the water.

A group of gulls and a group of mallards were near some of the open areas in
the west pond.

The two Sandhill Cranes were in middle of the west pond. They were standing
on some rocks. One tried to walk on the ice. 

The two mute swans were in the east pond. 

One adult bald eagle made a fly-over at about 9:30 and flew east over the
houses.

I thought I saw a spotted sandpiper on the eastern shore of the east pond.
Another birder thought that was what he saw, too. 

The naturalist at the visitor's center said that the cranes and the swans
have been there for awhile. He also said that there has been a short-earred
owl patrolling the nearby athletic complex field near sunset. I did not
stick around to try to see it. 

I also drove up to the Avon power plant. A lot of red-breasted mergansers
were there. You could watch them move in a group towards shore
diving/fishing. I also saw a lot of ring-bill gulls and one black-backed gull.

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