I spent the morning birding around the main north-south trails in Battelle-Darby MetroPark, right where the Little & Big Darby Creeks converge. I worked south to north, hitting the Trail of the Ancients, Terrace Trail, and Cedar Ridge. Spring flowers are finally starting to open out, but trees are still mostly bare. Temperate migrants were still the mainstay, but a few neotropicals were among the throng. Highlights included:
woodpeckers - large numbers of resident Downies & Red-bellies, but only a few migrant sapsuckers
flycatchers - still only Phoebes, but they were widespread
swallows - 'Trees, Rough-wings, and Barns', all of which appeared to be prospecting for nest sites
wrens - small numbers of Carolinas at every locations. A single singing House Wren was along the creek at the Terrace trail, while a lingering Winter Wren was singing from a tiny ravine at Cedar Ridge.
kinglets, gnatcatchers - only a single Golden-crowned, but plenty of Ruby-crowned & blue-gray gnatcatchers
thrushes - several hermit thrushes, but no other migrant thrushes here yet
mimids - singing mockingbirds at 2 spots and thrashers at 5 spots, but no catbirds yet
warblers - Yellow-rumps the most common, but far from abundant. Yellow-throateds next, with 6 scattered along the creek corridor. Others included a singing Parula, Black-throated Green, and Louisiana Waterthrush
towhees - still having a great migration, with 12+ in 3 hours
sparrows - small flocks of White-throats everywhere, as were singing Field Sparrows. Less Common were Song, Chipping, and Swamp (only a few)
Finches - nothing other than House finches & Goldfinches
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