The warm front brought forth a lot of springtime activity in the Deer Creek Wildlife Area this afternoon. Red-winged Blackbirds are widely distributed throughout the area singing on territory. In the evening many more were seen in mixed flocks on the move with Common Grackles. Farm fields that were hosting Lapland Longspurs and Snow Buntings only last week are now flooded over and hosting Killdeers which are also widely distributed all of a sudden. In the late afternoon before the sun even set I saw an American Woodcock doing its display flight. Apparently none of these birds saw the weather forecast for next week. With the flooded Deer Creek flowing into it, the reservoir is opening up quickly, but it hosts few birds right now.

Closer to home, my "backyard stretch" of the Scioto River in Columbus is hosting a spectacular number and variety of diving ducks that change daily. Numbering in the hundreds are Ring-necked Ducks and Redheads with Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, and Lesser Scaup not far behind. Common Mergansers are also especially numerous with a record high count for the river here of 75 a few days ago. Their numbers have thinned out a bit since then, but are still present in good numbers (~25 or so). Greater Scaups, Buffleheads, Canvasbacks, and Red-breasted Mergansers are present in smaller numbers. A Common Loon in basic plumage has also been in the mix, not a common sight in the river. A White-winged Scoter was here too yesterday, but couldn't be relocated today. Much of this area can be viewed from the other side of the Scioto from the bike path south of 5th Ave.

Bob Royse

Robert Royse
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www.roysephotos.com

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