Over the past week, there has been a recent increase in bird activity
at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park. The Red-winged Blackbird males are
back, and they are singing their hearts out. Lots of waterfowl are on
pond North of Wright Road (I think it is called Blue Wing Pond) and
near the viewing shade. Birds identified were:

Ring-necked Duck (dozens of them on the ponds)
Mallard
Canada Goose
American Coot (maybe two dozen or more)
Red-winged Blackbird
Song Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Northern Harrier
European Starling
American Tree Sparrow

I think there are some Lesser Scaup out there on the ponds too, but I
do not have a scope, so it is hard for me to tell. The Northern
Harrier is one of three that I know have been there for a several
months. It is an immature, and I think that it might be starting to
show some adult plumage. The Brown-headed Cowbird has been there once
before, actually a couple months ago. I have not seen any other Brown-
headed Cowbirds for months.

The House Finches that had been at Pickerington Ponds, as well as a
couple White-crowed Sparrows, have apparently left. Also, the large
group of American Tree Sparrows that I saw there a couple times is
absent as well, though I did see one far away in a tree. I also heard
some drumming at one point, but was unable to locate any woodpeckers,
though I have seen Northern Flickers there before.


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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