Gina Buckey emailed me just now to report 14 Rusty Blackbirds found at Hebron Fish Hatchery near Buckeye Lake, 30 miles east of Columbus (I70) between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM today. They were feeding quietly on the ground, then flew into wet woodlands. Buckeye Lake was an expansive natural wetland when Europeans settled the area. Early in the 19th Century the "Great Swamp" was dammed to create a reservoir for the Ohio-Erie Canal. Today, development continues around the lake. Only scattered wetlands and swampy woodlands remain. Bird life here was documented during 12 years of work (1922-1934) by legendary Ohio ornithologist, Milton B Trautman helped by members of the Columbus Audubon Society. "The Birds of Buckeye Lake." 1940. Misc. Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, No. 44 The loss of important winter and migration habitat like this swamp may be the reason why RUBL populations have declined. Tom Bain Ohio Coordinator, Rusty Blackbird Hotspot Blitz ______________________________________________________________________ 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]