Hello!

If you’ve been out birding in Ohio in the past 2 weeks, then you’ve probably noticed that this year has been pretty stellar for looking at ducks.  Here are a few reports (both first hand and second hand) from the past few days.

In Stark County, Walborn Reservoir has been extremely productive with Greater-white fronted Geese (up to 52), a blue phase Snow Goose, Cackling Geese, Tundra Swans, and hundreds of Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, Scaup, Canvasbacks, and others.  Earlier this week, Kent Miller had 22 species of waterfowl there.

Ben Morrison and Shari Jackson had over 1500 Redheads at Berlin Lake along SR 224 and the bike path.  They also had a Long-tailed Duck.  Other waterfowl species in the hundreds.

Lake Cable has hosted many Redheads as well as good numbers of Scaup, Canvasbacks, and a Black Scoter on 2/15.

To the east, reports of nice numbers from Mill Creek, Meander, and other spots have been coming in, including Greater White-fronted Geese, LT Duck, and Red-necked Grebe.

Reports from Derrick Hill and others at Seneca Lake have included a couple of White-winged Scoters.  Dan Kramer reported a Common Loon from Atwood Lake (Carroll Co end).

Significant numbers are being reported from Funk Bottoms and Killbuck in Wayne Co. as usual too.

A bit further north in Summit Co. both Nimisila Reservoir and Turkeyfoot Lake are jammed with ducks, including a Red-throated Loon (Turkeyfoot).

While I’ve only been birding for a few years now, I’ve never seen so many ducks so widespread, particularly Canvasbacks...they’re everywhere!

The coming weeks forecasted cold snap could create an interesting movement back south (?) or at least a log jam as Lake Erie is 93% frozen.  We are also way behind on precipitation for the winter season, so that presumably means less water in marshes and skyponds, which would presumably make open water a premium.

The freeze on Lake Erie could also produce good Gulls inland where open water is found in the mornings and evenings.

Happy birding Spring!

Jon Cefus
Stark Co.

Sent from my iPhone
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