I found it very interesting to read the recent posts about flocks of gulls and blackbirds in other parts of Ohio.  I've had some similar experiences here in Mahoning Co. the last few days.  Yesterday (12/23) morning I was surprised to see a common grackle at my backyard feeder.  While I was watching it, a flock of 400+ blackbird sp. flew east right over my yard.  I hadn't seen any blackbirds for weeks around Mahoning Co.  It inspired me to do some local birding.  I went to Evans L. and Pine L.  They held little in the way of waterfowl, but Pine L. hosted a large gathering of gulls - 2000+ ring-billed and 50+ herrings.  While I was in that area, I did some wandering in nearby Beaver Twp. and was pleased to see 2 Am. kestrels and a belted kingfisher.  It was late afternoon by then, so to finish the day I went to Poland Twp. Park to scan the adjacent landfill/dump/quarry area in hopes of seeing a short-eared owl.  The only raptors I saw were 2
 red-tailed hawks though.  While sitting there, I did see 2 flocks of Canada geese fly over heading south/southeast.  They were up high in V-formations, and looked to be migrating.  Not just local birds moving to night roosts.  Speaking of night roosts, again this year there is a large night-roost of Am. crows somewhere in the Youngstown area.  While driving in Boardman in early evening on 12/22, I passed under a virtual river of crows flying overhead to the north/northeast.  I tried to do a quick estimate of their numbers, but the best I could come up with was "thousands".  Even my non-birder family members were impressed by the number of birds.  Although they were a little creeped out (think of Hitchcock's "The Birds").  Merry Christmas to everyone!!  Craig H

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]