Best birds in this report are EARED GREBE at Hoover, TUNDRA SWAN at Hardin Co. Wetland, and RED-NECKED GREBE and WESTERN GREBE at Furgeson Reservoir. I started Sunday 11/12/06, in the dreary cold misty weather at Hoover Reservoir at the boardwalk at Area M looking for the Eared Grebe first found by Ben Warner. I found the Eared Grebe soon after my arrival relatively close to the boardwalk, before the boardwalk takes a turn to the north. The Eared Grebe was mixed in with 15 Horned Grebes for excellent comparison. It was close enough for digiscoping so I did. Also, in the area was a flock of about 40 Bonaparte's Gulls hanging around the grebes looking for an easy meal to steal. I found one Common Loon, several Pied-billed Grebes and a flock of 10 Hooded Mergansers. Lots of Am. Coot. I continued northwest to Hardin County Wetland, looking for the Tundra Swans, reported by Richard Counts. As I was preparing for my hike to the SE corner of the wetland, Ben Warner came by in a van with other birders including Jack Stenger from Cincinnati. I didn't know him then but learned who he was from an e:mail message. I found the five Tundra Swans (2 ad., 3 im.). Didn't stay very long but did see 1 Greater Yellowlegs, first ID'd by call, and then saw it flying by. Also, a flock of +30 Lapland Longspurs. Lots of Am. Coot and a number of Ruddy Ducks there. I continued west to Lima to visit the reservoirs. I checked Lost Creek Reservoir, arriving there at about 2:00 pm and checked out the gulls but did not find the Lesser Black-backed Gull reported there on Friday by John Kuenzli. Found 17 Hooded Mergansers, at least 2 Gadwall, several Pied-billed Grebes and several Ruddy Ducks and lots of coots. There was a mixed flock of Bonaparte's, Ring-billed with a few Herring Gulls, loafing on Lost Creek. Then I continued to Metzger and Furgeson Reservoirs arriving there at about 2:30 pm. Metzger has several hundred Ruddy Ducks and somewhat fewer American Coots. I also fund 2 Bufflehead on Metzger. There were five Common Loons and 9 Red-breasted Mergansers. Also a flock of 30 Snow Buntings on the road/walkway between Furgeson and Metzger. The highlight for this location is a mixed flock of grebes on Furgeson in the most southern part away from Reservoir Road in the part of Furgeson that bends around Metzger to the south. This flock included 5 Horned Grebes, 1 im. RED-NECKED GREBE and 1 WESTERN GREBE. I have several long-distance digiscoped shots of all 7 birds with their heads up. The Red-necked Grebe was larger than the Horned Grebes with a relatively thick and long bill and with a relatively thick neck, dusky/dark colored neck. The Western Grebe was boldly white on the throat, front of neck, face and breast, boldly darker on the crown, back of neck and back and was longer necked and bigger than the Red-necked Grebe. The bill of the Western Grebe was long and much thinner than that of the Red-necked Grebe. I will try to post a few photos to the internet for those who are interested. At 60X, even though the light was getting even dimmer, I was able to see the red eye enclosed in the dark forward part of the crown. I left Furgeson/Metzger Res. at about 4:00 pm The weather was cold and dreary, but what a day! Five species of grebes in one day in Ohio! Jay Jay G. Lehman Cincinnati, OH [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]