I visited Deer Creek State Park from 3:00 to 5:00 pm today. Off of Route 207 at Park Road 9 that goes down to an inlet east of the marina turn-off, there were 100 TUNDRA SWANS, Bonaparte's and Ring-billed Gulls, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Green-winged Teal, American Black Ducks, Northern Shovelers, Killdeer and one Dunlin. I stopped at the Pancoastburg mudflats to look for the Black-legged Kittiwake. There were hunters in the area and no Kittiwake. On the beach, there were 300 Ring-billed Gulls, off shore there were hundreds of Bonaparte's Gulls and Mallards, Ruddy Ducks, Scaup, two female mergansers (to far to ID,) Buffleheads, two Horned Grebes. On my way back to the car, I noticed a bird in the top of one of the small trees growing in the green strips between parking lands. I scoped out a MERLIN and watched it flush and chase some small birds. I couldn't see the result as they flew behind the treeline. After driving to some of the beach picnic areas, I returned to the beach lot and there were TWO Merlins perched in adjacent trees. A Cooper's Hawk flew by and one Merlin took exception and chased it. They had a bit of a dog fight in the air. Cool! Made my day! Melanie Shuter Circleville ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]