This afternoon, Thursday, from about 3:30PM to 4:30PM, we were ecstatic at what we found at Pine Lake in southeastern Mahoning County. An unbelievable 206 Common Mergansers were scattered around the lake in groups of 20 to 60. Our previous Fall-Winter high count at this traditional Common Merganser gathering location was 180. Our #2 thrill was 2 Franklin's Gulls mixed in with 200+ Ring-billed Gulls. Some of the other highlights in order of excitement were: 180+ Northern Shovelers, 40+ American Black Ducks, 250+ Ruddy Ducks, a terrorizing adult Bald Eagle, 200+ Double-crested Cormorants, 20+ Gadwall, 20+ Ring-necked Ducks, 20+ Red-breasted Mergansers, 12 Hooded Mergansers, a male Pileated Woodpecker nearby, and 2 male Lesser Scaup, just to name a few. Of note: this past season at least 9 family units of Common Mergansers nested a short distance to the south on the tributaries of Little Beaver Creek in Columbiana County; and next door to Columbiana County, another 3+ on Yellow Creek in Jefferson County. Pine Lake is best viewed from two new private residential areas accessed to the east of SR7. The two locations are Avellino Estates and Pine Lake Reserve. A scope is necessary. 
 
Bob and Denise Lane / Mahoning County  
                                          
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