It definitely feels more like earliest stages of spring than winter in central Ohio.  The large staging flock of blackbirds at the McKinley Rd. Quarry by the Indian mound in Columbus has been gaining in numbers for well over a week now. Yesterday the evening roost totaled at least 10,000 birds.  Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and, yes, European Starlings made up the flock. I can usually find some Rusties in the mix there, but I didn't see any yesterday. I was hardly able to examine every bird in the dim light, and I would encourage anyone in the area to head there around sunset in the coming couple of weeks to look through them.  

Today I headed to the Deer Creek Wildlife Area in Fayette and Pickaway Counties, again hoping to find some Rusty Blackbirds. I see them there often in both the fall and early spring, but not quite this early. I checked all the spots that I remember ever having seen them. I did see a few small flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, but that was it, and I didn't locate any large roosts where Rusties may have joined them.

Fortunately there was some good birding at Deer Creek today - namely large numbers of waterfowl. I scoped out the the reservoir and the entire wetlands complex. All areas were completely free of ice and there was only open water. Here is an estimated number for all the species I saw there today with the locations where they were mostly found (R - reservoir, N - northern wetlands from Dick Rd. to impoundment, S- southern wetlands from impoundment to New Holland)

1 Horned Grebe (R)
~3000 Canada Geese (all over)
2 Wood Duck (S)
~25 Gadwalls (R,S)
~100 Am. Wigeon (mostly S)
~100 Am Black Duck (R,S)
~1200 Mallard (all over)
~20 N Pintail (S)
~10 Green-winged Teal (S)
~100 Canvasbacks (R,S)
~200 Redheads (R,S)
~225 Ring-necked Ducks (N,S)
~10 Lesser Scaups (R,N)
~10 Buffleheads (R)
~50 Common Goldeneyes (R)
~125 Hooded Mergansers (R,S)
5 Common Mergansers (R)

Despite all the exposed mud at the reservoir, all the grassy margins in the wetlands, and all the flooded fields in the area I didn't see a single Killdeer anywhere. Gulls were limited to about ~150 Ring-billeds and 4 Herrings at the reservoir. 

Other highlights at Deer Creek today included the Northern Shrike at the east end of the large parking area by the state park beach. The Merlin that has been hanging out all winter was seen near the marina this evening. 2 Black Vultures and a Bald Eagle were also seen at the reservoir. A Northern Harrier or two could be found just about over every field in the wildlife area. Sparrows were limited in variety, but Am Tree Sparrows were seen in several large flocks throughout the area.

Bob Royse


Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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