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Lake Barber and Metro additions.

Wednesday January 3

I worked a split shift today at Metro. Two Black Vultures flew over my head near Colerain Ave. and I-74 as I was headed to the end of the line. After my morning work, I had some time so I went to Lake Barber Park (near Evan's Landscaping off Roundbottom Rd. in Newtown). Five Long-tailed Ducks were reported here on the Cincinnati CBC. When I arrived, I found that most of the eastern lake was frozen over and only a lone Mute Swan standing on the ice. I walked back to the car and grabbed the scope, and decided to find the western lake that I saw on the map. As I walked I added White-breasted Nuthatch. When I arrived at the western lake, I found some open water and flushed a group of Mallards out toward the other distant ducks and geese. Fifteen Tundra Swans stood on the ice. With my scope I scanned the raft of ducks. Among Canada Geese and Mallards were Redheads, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Gadwall, Northern Shoveler, Greater and Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Ducks and American Coots. While scanning the ravine for Winter Wrens (I did not find any), a beautiful adult Cooper's Hawk flew out of nowhere and out over the lake. A Hairy Woodpecker called. Then Yellow-rumped Warblers appeared. As I walked back toward the eastern lake, the weedy edges held a few sparrows and I added Field Sparrow to my list. At the edge of the lake I was surprised to find a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a good bird for January! I scanned the distant parts of the lake for waterfowl through my binoculars and a Northern Harrier hunting across the opposite shore in the grassland edge popped into my view. There was a large tree on the opposite side of the lake with a very large dark blob in it. I put my scope on it and it was an adult Bald Eagle!

I added 23 species on this trip.

Later, while driving my second piece of work for Metro I added Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk.

So the 23 Lake Barber additions, plus 4 Metro additions is 27 species added to my list today. This brings my 2018 Year List total to 47 species.

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