I reprised the Columbus Audubon trip route from last week, starting at Alum Lake's New Galena  and finishing at Hoover reservoir's Oxbow Island.  Quite a bit has changed in those 7 days, especially the temperature.  Early on at Alum, the air was so much colder than the water that a thick mist enveloped the lake.  Hoover was clear with great visibility.  Bird highlights included:

Waterfowl - surprisingly little, with geese & mallards at both sites, along with a few Pied-billed Grebes.  A 40+ bird flock of Coots was at New Galena, and a high flock of 22 cormorants flew over on its way south.

Shorebirds - both an American Golden Plover and a Black-bellied Plover were on the mud at New Galena, along with more expected Kildeer & Greater yellowlegs (Oxbow had the latter 2 as well)

Raptors - slow, with only 2 Turkey Vultures and 1 Cooper's at New Galena.  A single Osprey was also there, probably the same bird from earlier in the week.  Hoover had a Red-tail and 30+ T.V.s.

Swifts, Swallows - no swifts (which was confirmed by empty roosts in Gahanna and Westerville the last 2 evenings).  Tree Swallows abundant, with 180 passing over New Galena to join a flock already milling around over southern Alum Lake of probably over 300 birds (I couldn't get a good estimate due to the fog).  Oxbow had another flock of 150+ birds off its eastern tip.  A single Rough-winged was among the flock at New Galena.

Flycatchers - single Phoebes at both sites

Blue Jays - still a trickle, with 24 in 1 hour at New Galena, and another 8 at Oxbow.

Thrushes - 2 Hermits along the trails at New Galena, along with plenty of Robins (130+ flew over in 1 hour).

Larks,Pipits - at least 4 Pipits and 1 Horned Lark flew over the boat ramp at New Galena, heralds of the colder temperatures to follow.

Cedar Waxwings - none at New Galena, but a flock of 60+ was hanging around the east tip of Oxbow, flying between berry bushes.  It included many fearless young birds that buzzed closely past me and a few other observers.  One even landed at my feet while chasing a bug, looking up at me before zipping back into a nearby bush.

Warblers - plenty of Yellow-rumps at both sites (20+ flew over in the first hour at New Galena), but I also pulled out Nashville, Black-thr,Green, and Black-thr.Blue on the trails at New Galena, and a Palm on Oxbow island.

Sparrows - better diversity, but still no big flocks yet.  New Galena had 8 species, including White-crowned, Swamp, & Lincoln's.  Oxbow also had Lincolns.

Finches - good morning for Purple Finches, with 3 flying past the point (boat ramp) at New Galena and another 2 along the trails there.  A Pine Siskin also flew past the boat ramp here.

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