The hardy few who braved the frigid weather for the Columbus Audubon trip to Hoover Reservoir this morning found the reservoir nearly frozen, with a large conglomeration of ducks & geese in the spillway below the dam and only scattered flocks in the holes above the dam.  We stopped at the dam, Walnut St ramp, Maxtown ramp, Sunbury Rd causeway (Bladridge ramp), Oxbow Island, and the Plumb-Wiese bikepath.  North of Maxtown launch, the reservoir was almost entirely frozen, while the holes were large and many below that point. Notables included:

Mute Swan - at least 1 was in a hole across from the Maxtown launch
Dabblers - among the throngs of Mallards in the spillway below the dam, we also found 22+ Gadwall, 4 N.Shovlers, 2 American Wigeon, 1 N.Pintail, and 1 Green-winged Teal female

ComMergansers - the hole across from Maxtown launch had a nice flock of 35+ birds
Ruddy Ducks - the hole across from Maxtown launch had 5
Black Vultures - 3 were flying across from the Maxtown launch area
Woodpeckers - the expected Red-bellies, Downies, Hairies, and Flickers, with lots of calling & drumming at several locations

E.Bluebirds - a small group of 3 was along the spillway below the dam
Yellow-rumped Warblers - singles were foraging at Duncan Glen and below the dam
Tree Sparrows - a small flock was around the hillside below the dam

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