After being ill for 3 days and cooped up, what a relief to get out! Ended 2012 with a bang. Started at West Park Cemetery around 11:00AM with redpolls and crossbills (3-White-wing & 3-red crossbills) off Ridge Rd. The male crossbill was stunning. Jim and Patty shared our joy! Then went to Brookside Reservation and found 3 Merlins. The one dark pair perched nicely for us and also gave an aerial show. Thanks Karan and Rich for the Merlins. Sally Isacco, Concord Twp. ______________________________________________________________________ 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]