I birded Hoover Reservoir this morning and early afternoon. They were having a special on Common Loons: Buy 1 get 11 free. Most of them were located off the boat ramp at the end of Maxtown Road but I also saw some just above the dam and one more just above the Smothers Road causeway. 4 Buffleheads showed up at Oxbow, 6 Hooded Mergansers at the boardwalk, and there was a flyover by Wood Ducks at the boardwalk. On the way home to have lunch, Alum Creek Dam called my name so I went there to see what was going on. The hunters aren't there so the Mallards assumed it was safe to be there. Above the dam near the eastern side of the reservoir was a raft of between 40 and 50 American Coots. Right beside the dam I saw a northern rough-winged swallow. There were a lot of flying insects (gnats I guess) flying around right by the dam and the swallow was feeding on them. I know...it's highly improbable to see a swallow this time of year but not unheard of. Remember in Dec. 2007 there was a northern rough-winged swallow at Hoover Dam? By the way, did that bird ever stick around for the Christmas bird count? Al LaSala Columbus, OH ______________________________________________________________________ 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]