It is 3:00 pm on Sunday, and Luke Schrader and I have just enjoyed watching the Black-bellied Whistling Duck for the last 30 minutes. What a beautiful duck!

Now we are hoping to find the Knox County Raven. If anyone has observed it in recent days, please chime in to let us know where; off list is fine, unless others wish to know.

Good birding,
L2 
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Bowman <[log in to unmask]>
Sender: Ohio birds <[log in to unmask]>
Date:         Sun, 24 Jun 2012 13:31:10 
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Margaret Bowman <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Black-bellied Whistling Duck - Mt Vernon, Knox Co.

When I arrived on Yauger Rd. in Mt. Vernon around 11:40, two birders already had the bird in the scope.  It was resting in the shade of some large pine trees on the bank of a pond in a condominium development.  (No trespassing signs posted.)  The bird can be scoped from the road.  Park in the lot of the Hillside Vet Clinic, and walk across the street to the sidewalk that overlooks the pond.  For GPS users, try inputting 1451 Yauger Rd.  That will get you very close.

The bird was sleeping when I first arrived, but after 10 minutes or so, got up and stretched and preened, giving great looks at head, wing pattern, etc.

Good luck, and thanks to Jim McCormac who posted this unusual bird on Facebook and on his blog.

Margaret Bowman
Licking Co., OH

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