Messed up the date, so let's re-try this.
It usually only happens 1-2 times a winter, but our big reservoirs are in
the process of freezing up, and it is concentrating a great diversity of
waterfowl in the remaining holes in the ice.   I stopped at lower Alum Lake
in the morning, then worked much of Hoover Reservoir in the afternoon.
Alum has only a few small holes, but one down by the dam had a large
concentration of waterfowl.   Hoover has more holes, but they are all below
County Line Bridge, with the biggest ones visible from Walnut St boat
launch area.   They were brimming with a great variety of ducks and other
waterfowl.   The spillways of both dams are open and should get pretty
crowded with birds as these last holes freeze over.   Cool birds from today
included:

Dabbling Ducks - loads of Mallards, especially at Alum, but there were also
Black Ducks, Pintail, and N.Shovelers.   Gadwalls were in the spillways of
both dams.

Diving Ducks - Redheads & Bufflehead were abundant at Alum, while Hoover
had more Goldeneye, with some flocks of Greater & Lesser Scaup.   Small
numbers of Ring-mecks were at both spots.  A canvasback was reported from
Hoover, but I missed it.   Hoover had 80+ Ruddy Ducks.

Mergansers - A few Commons at Alum, but Hoover was overrun with
mergansers.  I had 250 Hooded, 120 Commons, and a few Red-breasted around
the holes off Walnut St.

Other waterbirds - Alum had Coots at several holes, along with the
ever-elusive Eared Grebe at the hole by the dam.   Hoover had a Cormorant,
Common Loon, and 4 Pied-billed Grebes

Gulls - Alum had only a smattering of Ring-bills;   Hoover had a lot more,
with flocks of Ring-bills and Bonaparte's, as well as lots of Herring.
Prize goes to a Lesser Black-backed Gull, hanging out with a gull flock on
the ice by the boat docks at Hoover dam.

Eagles - They were much in evidence at the more frozen areas.  5 were
hanging around a hole at the Cheshire causeway, trying to figure out a way
to grab the waterfowl at that spot.   Another 2 were around the holes off
Walnut St ramp at Hoover.

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