While helping my daughter pack up for college, I was able to take a few morning hours on each day to check out nearby migration 'corridors' here on the east edge of Columbus. Yesterday I spent some time along both the Alum Creek bikepath and the Big Walnut Creek bikepath, while this morning I visited Gahanna Woods and a different part of Big Walnut Creek. There were migrants aplenty on both mornings, although warblers were not especially abundant. Highlights included:
Hummingbirds - still 2-3 Ruby-throats along both Alum bikepath and Big Walnut Creek. I just watched one at our feeder a few moments ago.
Woodpeckers - unusually high #s of Red-bellies and Downies, with lots of birds chasing. I would suspect that these are young birds being driven out by adults. Also had a migrant Red-headed along Big Walnut Creek yesterday.
Flycatchers - Wood Pewees in all sites, and E.Phoebes at most sites. Still had a calling Acadian Flycatcher along the Big Walnut greenbelt (where they nest), and a Least Flycatcher was at Gahanna Woods this morning.
Red-br.Nuthatch - singles at Big Walnut Greenbelt and Gahanna Woods
Vireos - had Red-eyed Vireos at every site, and also had Philadelphia vireos both along Alum Creek and Big Walnut Creek
Thrushes - calling Swainson's were at every site, with highest # being 4-5 at Gahanna Woods this morning. Lots of Robin flocks along both Alum Creek and Big Walnut
Mimids - Catbirds abundant at all sites, and a Brown Thrasher was still at Innis Park along Alum Creek
Cedar Waxwings - flocks of 20-50 at most stops.
Warblers - no great numbers at any sites, although I did find 9 species along Big Walnut greenbelt. Most common were Redstart, Magnolia, Blackpoll, and Black-thr.Green. Once again I had 2 Tennessee warblers come down to forage on the ground in White Snakeroot, this time at Gahanna Woods. What are these birds finding down there?
Grosbeaks-buntings - Rose-br. Grosbeak peak this morning, with 3 birds at Gahanna Woods and another 2 along Big Walnut Creek. I can go entire Fall migrations without seeing 5 of these birds. Indigo Buntings were at many stops, though rarely more than 1-2 birds.
Sparrows - no obvious migrants here yet, but Chipping Sparrows are massing in flocks in many sites. I had 20+ along Big Walnut Creek yesterday and another 20+ flock at Gahanna Woods this morning.
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