Hi all, About 40 of us had a great field trip to Killdeer Plains today, sponsored by Great Mohican Audubon, Greater Akron Audubon, and the Ohio Ornithological Society. Kudos to Cheryl Harner and Marc Nolls for orchestrating an excellent day, and to the Division of Wildlife for allowing us the use of the Sportsmen's Center. Early avian signs of spring were obvious today; surefire indicators that spring is just around the corner. We had a number of Killdeer passing over, and scattered flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, and a few Rusty Blackbirds as well. Killdeer Plains is teeming with waterfowl trying to push their way on north, and among the masses of Canada Geese we found nine Greater White-fronted Geese. Thirty or so Tundra Swans were also seen, as were a smattering of Ring-necked Ducks and Lesser Scaup, as well as a Canvasback and a few American Wigeon. That earliest of dabbler migrants, Northern Pintail, was present in good numbers. Mallards and American Black Ducks were plentiful. The place was thick with Northern Harriers; I estimated that perhaps 25 were seen. Smaller numbers of Rough-legged Hawks are also there; maybe three dark morphs and a few light morphs. We must have left before the Short-eared Owls became active, but Warren Uxley reports at least a dozen were hunting the fields at dusk last evening. Four or five Bald Eagles were also observed. At least a dozen Lapland Longspurs were along Washburn Road, and 150-200 Snow Buntings whirled in briefly, making for quite a show. Very nice were four cooperative Long-eared Owls in a pine grove. Better yet, thanks to the sharp eyes of Marty Dermody, we were able to spot the owls some distance off, and everyone could admire them from afar without agitating or flushing the birds. Killdeer is quite birdy now, and worth a visit. Pick through all those honkers for Greater White-fronted Geese, and Cackling Geese, too. Jim Jim McCormac Columbus, Ohio Like nature? Visit my blog: http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/ Like birds? Join the Ohio Ornithological Society: http://www.ohiobirds.org ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. 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]