A quick check of areas along Blacklick Creek (southeast of Columbus), then Pickerington Ponds MetroPark, found sporadic flock of birds, with a few interesting things. Most of the still water was frozen, so Pick Ponds were mostly a dud, except for Ellis Pond which still had some open water and a few ducks. Blacklick Creek was open, but the only waterfowl concentration along it was at Blacklick Ridge Park Pond, which had a huge flock of Mallards, plus a few geese & Black Ducks. I couldn't relocate the Sandhill Cranes that were here up through last week. Highlights for the morning included: Dabbling Ducks - aside from Mallards & Black Ducks, Ellis Pond also had 1 N.Shoveler and 1 Gadwall Raptors - Red-tails at many locations. Also had Kestrels at Pick Ponds & Pickerington North High School. The only Cooper's was stalking the feeders at Glacier Knoll picnic area at Pick Ponds Blue Jays - unusual in that small flocks were at many stops here, where there are few woodlots and even fewer oaks Yellow-rumped Warblers - 1-2 birds were at many stops, totaling 7-8 on the morning E.Towhees - single birds were at Blacklick Woods Eastern loop trail and at Pickerington Ponds Tree Sparrows - small flocks all along Blacklick Creek as well as at Pickerington Ponds Field Sparrow - a single bird continues on the east loop of the Multipurpose Trail at Blacklick Woods White-crowned Sparrows - small numbers were around both Ellis Pond and the Wood Duck Picnic area feeders at Pick Ponds ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]