Went birding today at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park and the OSU wetlands (off of Dodridge St). The highlight was a bright white juvenile LITTLE BLUE HERON. It is at the Wood Duck Picnic area at Pickerington Ponds Metro Park, in the pond right infront of the first parking lot along Bowen Road. Its called Blue Wing Pond, but really doesn't have any signage, but there is a sign for the Wood Duck Picnic area. Anyways, there are a couple of Great Egrets there too and the little blue looks like a half size version but with the greenish legs and gray bill and face with dark tip. This pond is getting a little shallower, hopefully it continues that direction so the shorebirds have a pit stop. Only ones there at the beginnings of the muddy edge were 3 Least Sandpipers an a half dozen Killdeer. Also present were Osprey, Great Blue Herons (still some nestlings) a few hundred Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows and Tree Swallows, plus a few Purple Martins. bad photos (heat distortion) are here : http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2036462&id=164901416&l=832a0dfb36


The water at the larger wetland at the OSU wetlands was a good Mud Flat, even though, its still a smaller pond and not likely to attract large numbers of birds. But it had a Solitary Sandpiper and a dozen Killdeer. It may attract some Shorebirds later on, be good to keep an eye on it. 
Good Birding, 
Ben Warner




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