I biked the Blacklick Creek Greenway from Winchester Lake all the way around past Chatterton to Portman Park and Pickerington Ponds. Plenty of early landbird migrants (swallows, flycatchers), but fewer shorebirds & ducks (mostly because of high water in ponds). At Pick Ponds, Teal Lake and Ellis Pond are still quite high, while Arrowhead marsh & Mallard marsh are starting to show a muddy fringe. Chatterton wetland has the most mud, and had the best shorebirding. Notables included:
Great Egrets - scattered in many of the wetlands, with 6 at Ellis Pond in Pick Ponds the highest #.
Wood Ducks - quite a few (12-16) were scattered around Teal Pond and Arrowhead marsh at Pick Ponds
Cormorant - 1 was fishing in Winchester Lake, the deepest body of water on the route.
Pied-billed grebe - at least 2 were lurking in Teal Pond
Shorebirds - Kildeer were widespread, but only Chatterton had other stuff: 1 Spotted, 1 Solitary, 1 GreaterYellowlegs, 5 Pectoral, and 4 Least sandpipers
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - 1 was calling at Portman Park, a spot where they don't summer
Flycatchers - WoodPewees were widespread in wooded riparian areas, while Willow Flycatchers were at Chatterton and Ellis Pond. No E.Kingbirds despite being in perfect habitat all morning.
Swallows - numbers low, but diversity good, with Bank, Tree, Cliff, Barn, and Rough-winged all around Teal Pond/Arrowhead marsh area of Pick Ponds.
Gnatcatchers - good #s (14-15) , suggesting that these little guys are on the move.
Warblers - migrating Yellows were at several spots along the bikepath and Pick Ponds, but the prize was a juvenile BLACKBURNIAN in the riparian woods at Chatterton, a definite migrant.
Orioles - quite a few Baltimore Orioles scattered along the riparian corridor of Blacklick Creek, with 5 at Portman park the highest #
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