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March 2012

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From:
rob thorn <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
rob thorn <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 4 Mar 2012 07:33:11 -0500
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I had a chance to stop at Funk Bottoms Friday morning while on the way to Canton this weekend (for State Debate Tournament), and it was swarming with waterfowl.  I had only an hour, so I focused on the two main areas - the St. 95 wetlands + observation tower and Wilderness Road.  The big wet areas along St. 95 were the best spot, you can pull off on the narrow shoulder, since traffic was not very heavy here (but they do travel fast, so turn on your flashers).  I didn't see the Eurasian Wigeon that Sue reported, but there weren't many Wigeon in this pool in the morning; most of them were along Wilderness Rd.  Highlights included

Tundra Swans - 60+ in the St.95 pools, another 50+ along Wilderness Rd.  Wonderful to see and hear the flying groups calling.

Snow & Blue Geese - singles were with the huge throng of Canadas in the St. 95 pool in the morning.

Pintail - probably more than I'll see the entire rest of the year.  1200+ in an hour, and I didn't hit any of the wetlands along the Elyria Rd.

Other dabblers - flocks of Wigeon and Green-wings along Wilderness Rd; Mallards in large flocks with small #s of Black Ducks at both locations

Sandhill Cranes - at least 2 working the eastern edge of the St.95 pool

Bald Eagle - 1 at nest from observation tower, another perched in a snag along Wilderness Rd

E.Meadowlarks - several flying around and 1 singing along Wilderness Rd.

Waterfowl were fairly flighty, moving around a lot, so the spectrum of birds will probably change continuously over the next few weeks. Still, definitely worth a stop if you're in the vicinity any time soon. The western part of Wilderness Rd is rather dry, and will need some rain or flooding to become a good shorebird spot.

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