Early 'winter migrants' were starting to appear around this Metropark southwest of Columbus this morning. I stopped at Cedar Ridge, Indian Ridge, Wagtail Trail, and the Hunting area today, and found birds generally still scarce, with most ponds and lakes still frozen. Notables included:
BlackVultures - 7 were roosting near Lake Osprey down near Darbydale
Red-shouldered hawk - 1 was calling along Grassle Creek in the Hunting Area
Kestrel - 1 was along SR 665 just east of Darbydale
Killdeer - 1 was calling around the prairie and farmfields of the Wagtail Trail
Kinglets - a Ruby-crown was along the Hawthorn Trail at Cedar Ridge, while a Golden-crown was along the Wagtail Trail
Horned Larks - single flyovers were at many locations, suggesting that they're starting to move
E.Bluebirds - singing males were in many open areas, especially around the prairies at Indian Ridge and the Wagtail Trail
Yellow-rumpedWarblers - singles were at several different locations
Blackbirds - small groups of Redwings were at most stops, topped by 40+ on the Indian Ridge prairie. The Wagtail trail also had a flyover flock of 10 Common Grackles.
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