I spent a fairly nice morning hiking around areas along Darby Creek southwest of Columbus, starting at the US40 bridge, then visiting Kuhlwein wetlands, the Battelle Darby Nature Center, Cedar Ridge, and Indian Ridge.  Lots of chickadees and woodpeckers in wooded areas, but field birds were noticeably scarce.  Highlights included:

Canada Geese - flocks in many stretches of the Creek, which was largely open.
Raptors - Red-tails at every stop, but also had Red-shouldered (Cedar Ridge), Harriers (2 @ Kuhlwein), and Kestrel (Nature Center road).
Woodpeckers - many Downies, Red-bellies, but also had 4 Hairies, 3 Flickers, and 1 Sapsucker (on Terrace Trail, Indian Ridge
Chickadees - normally not noted, but #s were up at every stop, often in double digits
BrownCreeper - not a single one, despite being in great habitat all morning
Golden-cr.Kinglet - only 1, with chickadees at the US40 bridge
E.Bluebirds - small groups in many spots, often in company with House Finches
Horned Larks - small #s, topped by 3 along Kuhlwein Rd.  No snow allows them to spread away from roads here
Yellow-rumped Warblers - 2 at US 40 bridge
E.Towhee - a small flock of 3 males & 2 females was along the south leg of the Terrace Trail at Indian Ridge
Tree Sparrows - small #s at most stops, topped by 5-6 at the Kuhlwein wetlands
Swamp Sparrow - a single bird was at the Kuhlwein wetlands

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