We visited these two west Columbus areas along the Scioto River trying to hustle up interesting waterfowl, with some success.  Griggs was frozen above the dam, with a large flock of gulls on the ice at the dam.  Below the dam was ice-free all the way to Grandview, with small clumps of ducks all along the river.  You could stand at the dam, however, and watch small groups of ducks, geese, and gulls heading north; they know the big melt is coming.  Highlights included:

Dabbling Ducks - Mallards everywhere, but some Black Ducks mixed in at several places.  4 Wood Ducks below Griggs were a welcome sight.

Diving Ducks - 2 Lesser Scaup & a Bufflehead were below Griggs, while 2 Ring-necked Ducks and 6 Common Goldeneye were further down the river at Marble Cliff.  Hooded Mergansers were everywhere, with the largest concentration being 30 at Marble Cliff.

Merlin - one bird was perched on a snag behind the Rivers Edge Corporate park at Marble Cliff, a location that has had a bird on-and-off since Fall

Gulls - large numbers of Ring-bills at most stops, including a large flock of 400 just above Griggs dam, mixed with 10-12 Herring Gulls

woodpeckers - probably the most ubiquitous landbirds, with plenty of calling and drumming individuals at most stops, all Downies & Red-bellieds, except for 2 Flickers below Griggs dam.

Brown Creepers - at least 2 were in the woods below Griggs dam; no singing yet, however.

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