Yesterday, errands took me to this far suburb east of Columbus.  It is one of the lowest tax towns in the area, which means that parks are in short supply, but there are still some neat areas here.  Along the northern edge of town is a beautiful small valley along Headley Mill Rd, with the South Fork of the Licking River running at the base of wooded hillsides.  Unfortunately, the only public space along here is the Conaway Trail in Evan's Park at the far southern end of the valley.  South of Town, most of the flat land has been converted to fields & farms.  Along Mill St. just east of town are some grasslands that often host grassland birds.  South of town, it's mostly cornfields and beanfields, but there are some pocket woodlands associated with Lions Park and Watkins Memorial High School.  Notables included:

Kestrels - had individuals at several places (including Headley Mill rd and Mill St.), but more interesting was a pair dive-bombing a Red-tail at Lion's Park.

Hummingbirds - Roby-throats were surprisingly common at several locations, especially along Headley Mill rd and the Conaway's Trail.

Flycatchers - Wood Pewees and Acadians were in every little scrap of forest, which was a change from what we see around Columbus.

Thrushes - Wood Thrushes were also very common, and even had fledgelings at several spots (Lion's Park, Conaway trail).  No Veeries, but the large forest blocks north of Headly Mill Rd would be a very likely spot for this species.

Wood Warblers - Yellow, Yellow-throated, and Common yellowthroats were at many locations, while a singing Redstart along the Conaway Trail made for the second year that I've had them here.  Even more intriguing, a singing Kentucky along Headley Mill Rd was indicative of the type of habitat there.  A Yellow-br.Chat at the Coulter Rd bridge south of Headley Mill Dr. was an added bonus.

Tanagers - Scarlet tanagers were more common here than in Columbus, with singing birds at several spots along Headly Mill Rd, as well as at Lions Park and Watkins Memorial Woods.  No Summer tanagers, but I didn't visit any drier woodlands.

Grassland Birds - E.Meadowlarks were at several grassland patches, but bobloinks and grassland sparrows were conspicuously absent.  This was doubly disappointing at Mill St, since I've had Bobolinks and Savannah Sparrows breeding there.

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