Started off with a trip to Pickerington Ponds. I birded from 8:30 -
10:00 am and found:

Mourning Dove 8
European Starling 14
American Tree Sparrow est. 36+
Song Sparrow 5+
White-crowned Sparrow 2
American Robin 2
Northern Cardinal
House Finch 5
Northern Harrier 3
Common Crow 3
Blue Jay
Carolina Chickadee

... and I got to watch a the harriers and crows diving on each other.

Then I went to Blacklick Woods Metro Park and birded at the vistor
center feeders from 11:10 - 11:50 am and found:

Canada Goose 2
Northern Cardinal 10
Tufted Titmouse 3
Mallard 22
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Carolina Chickadee 2
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 7
Dark-eyed Junco 3
White-throated Sparrow
Blue Jay 5
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Downy Woodpecker 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker

... then I hit the trails and found:

Carolina Chickadee 8
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Cardinal 4
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
Barred Owl
White-breasted Nuthatch

... some of which may have been birds from near the feeders. I went
back to the nature center and spent time helping the staff and other
birders count for the GBBC. We found a Hairy Woodpecker and some
Mourning Doves in addition to what I had seen earlier.

Next I headed to the Hoover Dam from 4:15-4:35 pm and found:

Canada Goose 157+
American Wigeon 3
Ring-billed Gull 120+
Mallard 66+
Rock Dove 2

... and then I went to Blendon Woods to finish the day and found:

American Wigeon 2
Redhead 2
Ring-necked Duck 7
Canvasback 2
Mute Swan
Mallard est. 300
Black Duck est. 300
Canada Goose est. 297
Green Winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Northern Cardinal 2
American Tree Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow
Carolina Chickadee
Graylag Goose (an possible escapee I heard)

... I estimated that there were around 600 Mallards and Black Ducks.
 From very basic visual observation, I figured it was a nearly 50/50
split between the two, so that is how I came up with 300 for each,
but that might be wrong.


Adam Cirone
B.A. in Biology from Muskingum College
Senior Reseach on Grassland Birds

Columbus, Ohio
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(330) 257-9533




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