Yesterday morning, we made the ninety mile trek north from our southwestern Mahoning County home, to the shores of Lake Erie, arriving at "The Conneaut Sandspit" about 7:45AM. A flock of 50+ Snow Buntings greeted us, with a few Lapland Longspurs accompanying them. Bird activity at "The Spit" was minimal with the highlights being 2 Dunlins, 3 adult Great Black-backed Gulls, and 200+ Bonaparte's Gulls. The harbor was devoid of waterfowl, with only Double-crested Cormorants, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. We decided to move up to the top of the hill at the township park, for some lakewatching. The variety here was better with the highlights being 20+ Common Goldeneyes, 30+ Buffleheads, 100+ Horned Grebes, and 6 Common Loons, all floating in the water. About 9:15AM, we watched thousands of Red-breasted Mergansers in a steady stream, heading east, pass by for over ten minutes. What a sight! Hoping for something different, about 9:45AM, we drove eight miles west on SR531 to the Ashtabula County Sunset Park. A Holmes County Area Amish birding group, most of whom we knew, had been there since daybreak, already having things scouted out doing a lakewatch. Two of the leaders were expert birders Ed Schlabach and Tim Hostettler. By the time we arrived they had recorded some good flybys, the best being a Pomarine Jaeger. For the next two hours plus we shared some interesting flybys. A sampling of what we saw were a male Long-tailed Duck, 2 White-winged Scoters, 2 Black Scoters, 3+ Surf Scoters, 2 Red-throated Loons, 10+ Common Goldeneyes, 10+ Common Loons, 2 adult Bald Eagles, and a memory not soon forgotten, a what we all believed to be a Parasitic Jaeger, that we watched for over fifteen minutes working its way west to east. The aerial displays while harassing the gulls, were breathtaking. When it passed directly in front of us, the lighting on it was perfect. This shared birding experience made the morning special. The trip to the lake was worth it!

Bob and Denise Lane / Mahoning County                                     
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