Date: 1/12/25 5:09 am From: Robert Thorn <robthorn6...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] DublinSciotoGorge,GriggsDam,1-11: waterfowl,Thrushes
I checked the open water stretches of the Scioto River in the frozen conditions yesterday, which mostly meant the Scioto River Gorge below O'Shaughnessy Dam and the stretch below Griggs Dam. The Gorge runs all the way down to Kiwanis Park, and shallow open stretches were there, at Amberleigh Park, and below the Dam. The area below Griggs Dam is a well known open water area, even in the deepest freezes. The areas above both dams were frozen.
Waterfowl. They were the target, and there were lots of them. Unfortunately, most were Canada geese & Mallards. Kiwanis alone had nearly 400 Canadas and 150 Mallards. It took a lot of looking to find a few other things: a few Hooded Mergansers at nearly every spot, Black Ducks at Amberleigh & Griggs, RIng-necked Ducks at Griggs. Oddly, a single Canvasback has been hanging out in the bubbler pool by the crew house at Duranceau Park, just above Griggs dam.
Gulls - nothing but Ring-bills, but there were small numbers all along the river, even around the frozen parts
Herons - Great Blues often roost along the river, and there were clusters of 10 at Kiwanis and 18 below the O'Shaughnessy dam
Raptors - Two juvenile Bald Eagles were around Amberleigh, perching in the riverside trees. The only other hawk was a Red-tailed at Griggs. Black Vultures were at 2 spots: 17 were at the established roost at O'Shaughnessy Dam, while 4 were around Griggs Dam. A Merlin was stolidly perched in a small tree next to the crew house at Duranceau.
Landbirds - nothing too starting with the thick snow cover, but there were thrushes : small number of Robins everywhere, but also E.Bluebirds (Amberleigh, Duranceau, Griggs) and Hermit Thrushes (Kiwanis, Amberleigh). Kiwanis also had its resident Winter Wren hanging out around one of its seeps.
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