I stopped by Hoover reservoir for an hour this afternoon, working the shoreline from maxtown launch down to the dam.  The area above County Line Road has only a few opening, but these have quite a few waterfowl & gulls.  The lower reservoir (from County Line bridge south to the dam) is mostly open, with only some shelf ice around the coves and at the dam.  It also had a good diversity of ducks and lots of gulls.  Nothing special, but the list did include

Black Ducks - small numbers at many spots
American Wigeon - several small groups off Walnut St. boat ramp
N.Pintail - a small flocks of 12 off the Walnut St. Boat Ramp
Redhead - small flock far east of the Walnut St. Boat Ramp
Canvasback - 4 right off the Walnut St. Boat Ramp
Ring-necked Ducks - small flocks at several locations
Lesser Scaup - small flocks at every spot, perhaps totaling 120
Greater Scaup - at least 2 were off the Walnut St. Boat launch
Common Goldeneye - 5 were in an open patch hear the dam
Common Merganser - 5 were far east from the Walnut St, boat ramp
Red-br.Merganser - small flocks at most stops, perhaps 80 birds total
Hooded Mergansers - pairs in many locations
Horned Grebes - at least 5 off the Walnut St. boat launch
American Coot - 2 were off the marina above the dam
Ring-billed Gulls - many flocks on ice shelves, perhaps 600 total
Herring Gulls - mixed in with Ring-bills, perhaps 70 total.

I suspect that if I had more time to pick through all the flocks and gulls, I might have turned up something more unusual.  The middle & northern parts of Hoover should become very good for waterbirds over the next 3-4 days.

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