Even though it is cold this weekend, over the past several days the marshes around Ottawa NWR and Magee Marsh Wildlife Area have opened up some holes in the ice for waterfowl to concentrate. Ottawa NWR had swans (both Trumpeter and Tundra), Canada Geese, and Mallards. Small flocks of Tundra Swans are moving around the area. Yesterday there was a small grebe on Lake Erie on the Magee Wildlife Beach-I imagine it was a Horned but I had no binoculars. Common Mergansers and Lesser Scaup were on the lake as well, with flights flying east to west. There were also a couple small flocks of Wood Ducks which is a little early for the species. However, with a few good south winds blowing lately, I would have expected some early spring birds to show up. There was even a female Wood Duck which took off from the pond by the Magee Boardwalk. I counted at least eight birds (Wood Ducks) but there was probably more since I only heard the female Wood Duck take off in the last group. This morning walking at Ottawa NWR there were five Hooded Mergansers including 4 displaying males and a female in with a group of Canada Geese. There are great sights of spring to be viewed despite the temperatures! As a side note, there are two Fox Sparrows still frequenting the Black Swamp Bird Observatory feeders at our Window on Wildlife. Enjoy the beauty of the season, Julie Shieldcastle ______________________________________________________________________ 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]