I broke from other responsibilities today and did a little birding and some to do items (almost). I started with the Baldridge Boat Launch at Sunbury Road just north of Big Walnut Road to look for the Long-tailed Ducks. When I arrived, I set up the scope and all 6 were only 40 to 50 feet away. I returned in late afternoon with the wife and the Long-tailed Ducks were still there and Linda got to enjoy them too. There were other species there including Redhead, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Red-breasted mergansers, and both common grebes. A spotting scope is helpful at this location.

However, if you wanted waterfowl in numbers and close together today the place to be was Area A of the Delaware Wildlife Area along Panhandle and Leonardsburg Roads. A conservative estimate of numbers would be in thousands. From the high ground off Panhandle Road I located 2 White-winged Scoters mixed in with a huge raft of Lesser Scaup and a Red-necked Grebe. There were a few hundred other dicks in the Delaware lake Reservoir. The wetlands between Leonardsburg Road and the levee had so many ducks it seemed like they had carpeted the area. In total, including grebes, swans, and ducks I located 26 different species present. Off course the Blue-winged Teal I came looking for was not one of them. Again, a scope is best here as you are not close to the birds.

My last stop was Oxbow Road which had much of the same species seen elsewhere but I did add Eastern Phoebe to the day's observations.

The waterfowl are on the move so weather permitting it is a good time to get out and catch them in their spring plumage.

Charlie Bombaci


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