Greetings... Lest anyone is holding his or her breath to hear what birds one 
might find in the City of Sculpture, my dad, Jack, Charlie Saunders, and I 
found a few birds in a couple of Hamilton's garden spots yesterday and 
today. Saturday, there were three Fox Sparrows sitting on the same branch of 
a tree at Gilmore Ponds. They were in the southwest corner of the park, in 
an area that had an average of 1-3 and a high count of 7 Fox Sparrows per 
each of my visits there last January.

Today, my dad and I found sixteen Killdeer above and below the low dam on 
the Great Miami River opposite Miami-Hamilton Campus. A male Common 
Merganser remained on the river near the Black Street Bridge low dam--we 
didn't see the female of the pair; three American Wigeon were on the river 
across from old Mercy Hospital. All these birds have been around for a 
month-plus. No other diving ducks to be found, though.

The lagoon at Hamilton-Riverside had three Shovelers, six Gadwall, and 
twenty-some Mallards. We counted 200+ Canada Geese along the River, and 
roughly 100 or more Mallards, mostly between Black Street Bridge and High 
Street Bridge. There was a partial albino or leucistic, whichever you 
prefer, American Robin at Riverside. It was a neat bird. The head and upper 
breast were white, though there was an orange throat patch. The center of 
the belly was orange. The bill was yellow and the eyes dark. The wings were 
mostly black, and the upperparts were boldly checkered white and black.

We also saw at least 15 Great Blue Herons along the river.

As far as I can tell, this is certainly the most Killdeer I've seen along 
the river in January, and possibly the most Great Blue Herons I've seen in 
this area, as well, in January. The river is running high and fast, 
debris-filled and frothy, with little edge for birds to rest on.

And thanks, too, for the Northern Shrike finding tips I asked for last week. 
Charlie and Lauren Saunders found the shrike on December 29, and it was 
calling frequently for the entire hour or so they were able to observe it. I 
appreciate the information. So did Charlie and Lauren.

Take care,
---Mike Busam
Butler County, OH