Hi all,
As part of this weekend's waterfowl symposium, we had a field trip to Greenlawn Dam on Columbus's south side. The Scioto River is partially unfrozen at this spot, but not overly birdy. Several hundred Ring-billed Gulls were peppered with up to 50 Herring Gulls, a good number for central Ohio. A dozen or so Great Blue Herons are about. One drake Ring-necked Duck was present, as well as numerous Hooded Mergansers and Common Goldeneyes. The latter are worth the trip alone; the striking drakes are in full courtship mode and if you watch a group long enough, you'll probably be treated to the head-shaking, feet-kicking antics of the drakes as they aquatic break-dance. One Pied-billed Grebe is below the dam, a handful of American Black Ducks are can be found, and other common miscellanea. The cast of players changes often at this sight, and it's always worth a stop.
Nearby Green Lawn Cemetery was interesting, with the star player being the Merlin. He put on quite a show for our large group. He was in what seems to be his favored perch, the highest boughs of a sycamore tree not far due south of the bridge. Between the bridge and the pond is a Great Horned Owl sitting on eggs. It is using a hollow in a large oak, where a big limb has come off. She's tough to spot, but once seen and from the right angle, much of the owl is visible. The way to view this bird is from the north-south road to the east, and through a scope. This way, you'll be far from the nest but can still get good views.
A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has created an amazing well field in a spruce on the north side of the pond and is actively tending the holes. Both types of holes are present; the smaller round ones, and the larger rectangular wells which the birds make to get deeper into the plant tissue.
Two Red-breasted Nuthatches were nice, a male Cooper's Hawk was actively terrorizing songbirds, and many other expected species were present.
Thanks to everyone who came out in this snowy weekend and made the waterfowl symposium a success. A special thanks to all of the volunteers with Columbus Audubon and the Ohio Ornithological Society for all of the work that they put in, and for the sensational new Grange Insurance Audubon Center for hosting us.
Jim

Jim McCormac
Columbus, Ohio
Like Nature? http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/
Like Birds? http://www.ohiobirds.org/
WATERFOWL SYMPOSIUM! http://www.ohiobirds.org/calendar/society_events/current/waterfowl.php



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