I spent the morning of the new year hiking around parks west of Columbus, both the Prairie Oaks area and along the Clover-Goff Run greenbelt in Hilliard.  Despite the clear, warming weather, birds were not very abundant.  Three areas at Prairie Oaks MetroPark (Sycamore Plains, Darby Bend lakes, and the North Canoe Access) had few birds other than a handful of woodpeckers and small flocks of juncos & Tree Sparrows.  The Lakes at Darby bend lakes were largely open & ice-free, but held only Mallards.  I stopped at 3 parks along the Hilliard greenbelt - Spindler, Franks, & Hilliard Municipal - and had more birds, including flocks of geese and Mallards at several man-made ponds.  Best birds were raptors - an adult Red-shouldered and juvie Cooper's at Spindler, a Harrier along Roberts Rd, and Red-tailed hawks at several spots.  Songbirds had much the same mix as at Prairie Oaks, with more flocks of Juncos.

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