This morning, Sunday, my wife Denise, Jeff Harvey, and myself, decided to do a quick trek to "The Conneaut Sandspit" in Ashtabula County, and Mosquito Lake in Trumbull County, in search of possible early shorebirds. We arrived at "The Sandspit" about 7AM; finding 5 Least Sandpipers, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 2 Short-billed Dowitchers, 3 Spotted Sandpipers, and 10+ Killdeer. Other interesting sightings were 11 juvenile Bald Eagles on the breakwall and what appeared to be a male Mallard/Gadwall hybrid (shiny Mallard head, slim body, and white inner secondaries) in the bay. We continued our morning loop, arriving at Hoagland-Blackstub Road in the upper northwest corner of Mosquito Lake about 9AM. For the 1st of July, the mudflats are unbelievably extensive, the summer water level is ridicuously low. Shorebirds present were 3 Stilt Sandpipers, 20+ Lesser Yellowlegs, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 10+ Least Sandpipers, 6 Spotted Sandpipers, and lots of Killdeers. As previously stated by Craig Holt, it could be a banner season for shorebirds. The traditional fall northeastern Ohio shorebirding hotspots all presently have unseasonably low lake levels. The sites include, already mentioned Mosquito, Evans Lake in Mahoning County, and Berlin Reservoir in Stark, Portage, and Mahoning Counties. It should be fun!
 
Bob Lane / Mahoning County     

                                          
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