The Columbus Audubon trip through these 2 MetroParks found a beautiful morning,  mostly dominated by temperate migrants.  The Confluence access of 3Creeks was swarming with birds, but nearly all were residents or recently-arrived temperate migrants.  Wetland stops at Cruiser Pond, Ellis Pond, and Wood Duck Marsh found a good variety of Dabbling Ducks, but little else.  Notables included

Teal - Blue wings were at several areas of Pick Ponds, while some Green-wings remained around Mallard Marsh

Gadwall - several pairs were in Teal Pond at Pick Ponds

Divers - mostly gone, but 1 Lesser Scaup and 4 Ring-necked Ducks remain at Wood Duck marsh in Pick Ponds

Shorebirds - 8-10 Greater Yellowlegs, 6-8 Lesser Yellowlegs, and 2 Solitary Sandpipers were in Arrowhead Marsh at Pick Ponds

Osprey - the pair were busily working near or on the nest platform in Arrowhead Marsh.  At one point, we saw 1 of them go take a bath in Mallard Marsh.

Red-tailed Hawks - active nests are now around both the large Heron rookery at Ellis Pond and the small one at Teal Pond.  Why the herons aren't spooked by these raptors is a mystery.

woodpeckers - Pileateds courting & copulating at Confluence access is a hopeful sign, while sapsuckers were at several locations

Gnatcatchers - a big fallout of these little birds, with 25+ in 1.5 hours at the Confluence access.  Their buzzy calls were everywhere.

Warblers - aside from the expected Yellow-rumps, there were 2 singing Yellow-throated warblers and 1 singing Pine warbler in the riparian woods at the Confluence access.

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]