I checked out the Deer Creek Reservoir and vicinity again today. There is a massive number of waterfowl, mostly diving ducks in the SE portion of the reservoir right now. Unfortunately it's not very easy to view them since the water level is high and you can't walk along the shore there. The best viewing is from the breakwalls at the marina, but still distant. Water levels are dropping quickly, so hopefully you will be able to walk along the shore in the SE corner for better viewing within a couple of days. Most of the expected species were found in good numbers. The only thing I counted were Ring-necked Duck drakes with 270+ of them. All 3 mergansers, both scaup, Redheads, Canvasbacks, Ruddy Ducks, a Wood Duck hen, and few coots were also noted. Except for Mallards, Am Black Ducks, and N Pintails, which were all plentiful, other puddle ducks were in smaller numbers including Green-winged Teal, Am. Wigeon, Gadwalls, and N Shovelers. Oddly missing were C Goldeneyes, which are still abundant in the Scioto River in Columbus. 2 TREE SWALLOWS were in the same area were present all day. I hope they make it through the week.

Far more geese and puddle ducks were in flooded fields nearby than in the reservoir. The main swarm was in a field on Crownover Mill Road. The usual area near the corner of Mouser and Dick Roads held no ducks and geese at all, but it was still worth the drive by with 58 Tundra Swans sitting in a flooded cornfield. In the spillway of the dam are a trio of rather tame Bufflehead drakes that seem to be having a very easy time catching fish. Every time one dove it seemed to come back up with fish. I'm surprised they can still fly after watching them a while.

Closer to home, the Scioto River in Columbus south of 5th Ave, continues to be a local hot spot for diving ducks. In addition to 100+ Common Goldeneyes, I counted a record 86 Common Mergansers for this area this evening.

Bob Royse


Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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