The Columbus Audubon trip to Hoover Reservoir this afternoon found very chilly conditions, but plenty of interesting birds.  Due to the wind, most waterbirds were tucked into bays and flooded woodlands along the shore, so estimating numbers was tricky.  We stopped at the dam, Walnut St ramp, Area E, Maxtown launch area, Sunbury causeway, and Oxbow Island.  There was very little ice, with only a few calm coves iced over.  Notables included:
Mallards - the commonest duck by far; largest number were 200-250 hiding around Deer Island, south of Oxbow Island
Black Ducks - small numbers at every stop
N.Pintail - small numbers from Maxtown north, with the most being 25-30 south of Oxbow Island
Green-winged Teal - 3-4 were with the throng south of Oxbow Island
Lesser Scaup - perhaps 100 total, with most of them around the dam and Area E
Redhead - 20+ around Area E, and 1-2 down by the dam
Bufflehead - 20+ around the dam, with 15 of those down in the spillway
Ruddy Duck - small groups off Walnut St ramp and Oxbow Island
Common Merganser - singles were off Sunbury causeway and Oxbow Island
Red-br.Mergansers - seen at nearly every stop, with flocks off the dam and Area E
Hooded Mergansers - small #s at nearly every stop, with the most being 25+ off Area E
Pied-billed Grebes - 2 were north of the Walnut St. launch area
Horned Grebes - singles were off Area E and Maxtown launch area
Common Loon - 1 birds was along the far (east) shore southeast of Maxtown boat launch
Kildeer - at least 2 were around the marina lagoon down near the dam
Ring-billed Gulls - good #s, with 500+ around the dam alone, and another 250+ at Area E
Herring Gull - scarce, with only 2-3 seen the entire trip
Bald Eagles - 2 immatures were along the shore across from Maxtown launch, while an adult was on the nest across from Oxbow
Turkey Vultures - singles were at the dam, Maxtown, and Oxbow Island

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