Diana & I hiked around Clear Creek MetroPark (edge of Hocking Hills, south of Lancaster) looking for changing foliage (and finding very little).  Birding there was similarly dull, largely because the wild food crop is very mediocre.  The hemlocks have virtually no cones (so we had no goldinches or siskins), and the acorn crop is very spotty (so Blue jays weren't around in much numbers).  We did have a Red-shouldered Hawk at the Barneby picnic area, and had Towhees and Fox Sparrows at several areas along the Creek.  Towhees, in fact, were surprisingly widespread.  Best bird, however, was a rather late Wood Thrush along the Fern trail.  We watched it for a good 5 minutes as it foraged through the leaf litter, grabbing a few caterpillars.  Other than the sparse birds, it was a beautiful day to be out.

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