I took a few hours this morning to visit 2 sites in the upper reaches of Alum Lake State Park (north of Columbus).  The first, Alum Point, is south of State 37 and is a peninsula that can act as a migrant trap (which was not much in evidence this morning).  The second, Hogback Road, is a large mudflat at the very northern reaches of the lake.  The water was very low, so the active 'wet' part of the mudflat was quite a bit further south than normal.  In fact, you need to park at the horse trail parking lot along Hogback Road and hike over to the bluff edge to get a decent view of it.  Highlights included

Herons : 15 Great Blues and 7 Great Egrets were scattered over the mudflats, mostly towards the wetter end.

SHorebirds: Kildeer (55+) were dominant, but there were smaller numbers of Lesser yellowlegs (5), Pectoral Sandpipers (5), Semipalmated Spr (4), and Spotted Spr (1)

Swifts, Swallows: 5-6 chimney swifts were swirling around Alum Point, while 2 Rough-winged swallows were foraging over the Hogback Rd. mudflats

Flycatchers - little other than a few Pewees at Alum Point

Vireos - Red-eyed and White-eyed were at Alum Point

Blue Jays - only had 6 at Alum Point and a similar # at Hogback.  Normally they start migrating through in small flock about now, so they seem delayed.

Red-br.Nuthatch - 1 was calling at Alum Point, which has hardly any conifers

Thrushes - a few Swainson's were calling at Alum Point

Mimids - Catbirds were still common at both sites, and a Brown Thrasher was hunting around the roadside at Alum Point

Warblers - surprisingly few, with only a Magnolia, Blackpoll, and Redstart IDed at Alum Point (aloong with several missed birds).

Grosbeaks.Buntings - 2 Rose-br.Grosbeaks were at Alum Point, while an Indigo Bunting was along Hogback Rd.

BOBOLINKS - 2 were calling and flying around the grassflats along Hogback Rd

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