I was sitting at my computer putting together the report for the Hoover R eservoir Christmas Bird Count held last Saturday, December 18, 2010, when I received an incoming email from Alex Hughes. Alex was a member of my team during the Christmas Bird Count. He was at the Walnut Launch Ramp on the west shore of Hoover Reservoir and had a bird he wanted me to confirm for him. I drove over and met Alex. It turned out to be my first Christmas present as Alex had located a female Long-tailed Duck that was mixed in with a group of Hooded Mergansers. There were also a Bufflehead hen and a few Mallards present in the small opening in the ice. The Long-tailed Duck was present when I left at 3:15 PM. The location of the Walnut Launch Ramp is between Areas B and C. This is south of Smothers Road and north of East Walnut Street. The area of open water is directly off the parking lot. Nice find Alex. Charlie Bombaci ______________________________________________________________________ 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]