Thanks for the guide to finding Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs (and Snow Buntings), Heather. Your comment about flocks associating with the bedrock ridge is insightful. Your question: A convenient link to information about Cackling Goose is found through David Sibley's Sibley Guide blog, http://www.sibleyguides.com/canada_cackling.htm The most thorough treatment I've seen arrived in my mailbox a couple of days ago. The feature article in the current issue of North American Birds (Volume 62: No. 3, 2008) details and illustrates the four subspecies of Cackling Goose, and compares the small Canada Goose subspecies, parvips. You can subscribe to North American Birds (and you should) through the American Birding Association, http://www.aba.org/ Tom Bain Central Ohio Clayey Till Plain Delaware County -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Heather Raymond Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 10:03 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] Wyandot CO & Killdeer Plains "Multiple flocks of hundreds of lapland longspurs and horned larks in northwestern Wyandot County (northwest of Carey, west of Springville Marsh on the bedrock ridge). This is the second time I've seen these numbers in this region, so they may hang out here a while. In one flock I noticed two birds with some white on their wings, observed flying away (possible snow buntings, but I didn't get the best look). I posted a map of the county roads I typically see them on (and some short-eared owl & other bird pics) here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=188531&id=1396450923#/album.php?aid=12 365&id=1396450923" The ponds at Springville marsh were almost completely frozen over with no birds, although another pond on the extreme south of the marsh accessable only via a RR track right of way was open (but only canadians & mallards present). Same story at Findlay reservoir. "I spotted a cackling there (1/2 size of canadians, any other good field marks for them?) and there were about 30 tundra swans." ______________________________________________________________________ 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] ______________________________________________________________________ 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]