I had the privilege to bird with Jim McCormac on the final day of my Ohio Big Year. We managed to rack up quite a list which included N. Shrike, N. Mockingbird, Snowy Owl, N Pintail, Ruddys, Snow Goose, Gadwall, and masses of Tundra Swan, to name a few. At around 4pm we were seeing a large movement of ducks (particularly Black Ducks) and geese in the area and they were beginning to settle in the ponds and fields. While we stopped to scope the ponds we heard the call of Greater White-fronted Geese. A bird I have been seaching for all year! Looking above us was a group of 5 flying over. An awesome sight. The group of 5 settled in the pond with a group of about 200 Canada Geese, Pintails, Mallards, and Gadwall. A single GWFG along side a single Snow Goose flew over shortly after but we lost sight of those over the treeline. Ending the day we were able to pull a Short- eared Owl sitting on a post along the roadside. Making a few more stops along the fields searching for more owls we heard GH Owl, Barred Owl, and Eastern Screech Owl. It was a truly amazing day! Best of birding to all in 2012! Irene ______________________________________________________________________ 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]