Life bird . . . again

Last year during a run of 16 life birds, I saw the Long-Tailed duck at Dillon State Park lake. I was at the boat ramp of SR146 and scoped the duck at 200-300 yards with a group of Scaup. It was a female/immature, but far away.  That was my life bird. But not to fear. This cold winter has produced lots of hard to get ducks, scooters and grebes in Ohio. They come down here because it's even colder up there in Canada.
Single digit temperatures didn't deter me from the hunt for the elusive long-tailed duck, for a second time. On Februray 12th at Deer Creek Dam spillway 9am, it was so cold, it was beautiful. I parked right up front in the lot, and the ducks where 30 yards away. One drake and three hens. 

bird #531.2

Spillways where hot in 2014

females

Cardinal in the tree?

Bam! Oldsqaws

Looning at you kid

Because this has been coldest winter we've had in the last 20 years, a lot of birds have come down to the only open water there is. Great places to see waterfowl up close are natural spring filled ponds and  spillways at the dams of Hoover, Alum, Deer Creek, Griggs, O'Shaugh. The Common Loon was at Hoover a couple of days later.
On the 26th of February, I drove up to Alum Creek dam to see some geese. I have been looking for a small Cackling Goose to finish off my winter goose hunt, and hoped to see one. But instead got this Snow Goose(blue morph) or Ross Goose(blue morph)(which another birder told me he thought it was).  My guess is Snow Goose, especially after you see my next post about my trip to Delaware . . . the state!@11.
This looks like the end to winter for 2014. February had 12" of snow and this winter is now 3rd snowiest for central Ohio.  The Olympics are over and the snow is gone for now. Back to normal temps for March. Maybe some early migrants/rarities with warmer weather. But the eye on the prize is Florida at the end of the month. Need me some lifers.

Next post: DE or bust!

Common Loon

Snow or Ross goose?

11/3/2013 LTD