I made several stops on Hoover today from the dam up to the boardwalk.  I 
figure if I wait for good weather and a day off at the same time I might 
as well forget about ever going birding.
At the dam, the cliff swallows were busy feeding their nestlings.  I could 
see some of the little tykes peeking out of their nests waiting for their 
parents to come feed them.
Just above the dam, a mallard hen swam by with her brood trailing behind 
her.  Judging from the size of them and the number of them, I think it 
must be her second brood.  The brood hasn't had a chance to dwindle in 
number yet.
Farther up Sunbury Road, a killdeer was feigning a broken wing.  I trod 
carefully watching where I stepped, not just to avoid stepping on her eggs 
but to avoid stepping on goose land mines.
At Mudhen Marsh, the red-headed woodpeckers are still attending to their 
nestlings.  A house wren serenaded me from the top of a nest box.  As I 
left, a group of Carolina wren fledglings bade me farewell.
The prothonotory warblers were singing at Oxbow but didn't show their 
faces.  The green heron made an appearance though as did the belted 
kingfisher.
The tops of little heads were visible above the rim of the osprey nest 
visible from the boardwalk.  Tree Swallows, barn swallows, and cliff 
swallows were flying around and occasionally skimming the water.  One 
adult barn swallow and fledling were perched on the rail.  Here I heard 
prothonotory warblers singing again but this time I saw them.  As I left I 
walked past the Carolina wren couple that keeps building nests only to 
have the carleave with its rear bumper still attached.
The last stop was Hoover Meadows.  By now the rain which had been a fine 
mist all morning had turned to a steady drizzle.  I didn't see much there 
but I was greeted by an indigo bunting as soon as I entered the first 
section.

Al La Sala
Columbus, OH

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