We birded the Conneaut Harbor Area this morning, Tuesday, from 8:45AM to 11:45AM. It was extremely windy with an average temperature of fifty-four degrees. After all the recent rains, Conneaut Creek was dumping muddy water into the harbor. We recorded 39 species of birds. Upon our arrival at The Platform Lagoon, the Common Merganser family, mom and eleven little ones, three on her back, were there to greet us. At "The Sandspit" were four species of shorebirds, they were there our entire visit; 6 Sanderlings, 21 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 4 Least Sandpipers, and 2 Semipalmated Plovers. 13 Bald Eagles (2 adults & 11 juveniles) could be seen around the harbor area. One juvenile hanging out on the sandspit, had an American Crow as its companion, quite an odd couple. Hundreds of Barn and Bank Swallows were constantly on the move feeding. The Bank Swallow colony to the east of the end of the marina road, has at least 360 active nest burrows. Something new this year, is the fact that European Starlings are also utilizing some of the burrows at the top of the solidified aggregate pile, pretty wild. Some of the other birds of interest were 4 Caspian Terns and 4 Great Black-backed Gulls. Of note: Common Mergansers now nest in extreme eastern Ohio, on the tributaries of Little Beaver Creek in Columbiana County, on Yellow Creek in Jefferson County, and on Conneaut Creek in Ashtabula County; all rocky bottom, free flowing, and with little human activity. Photos of the merganser family, and the eagle and his buddy, can be provided upon request.
 
Bob and Denise Lane / Mahoning County 
                                          
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