It was a slow morning at Alum Creek Lake, with only a few surprises.  Water levels continue to be high here, effectively limiting waterfowl and shorebird activity (but allowing Hoover to draw down, since the 2 are linked).  I stopped at New Galena, Plumb Rd, SummerRidge, and Cheshire access areas, all along the east shore.  Notables included:

Great Egret - 1 bird flying south over the Cheshire causeway

Ospreys - 3 separate individuals at 3 different locations

Larids - 350+ Ring-billed Gulls scattered around the lower reservoir, most of them at the beach.  A single Caspian Tern was fishing offshore at Cheshire.

Swift & Swallows - light on the aerial insectivores, with only 1 swift and a handful of migrant swallows (12 Barn, 1 Cliff), all heading down the middle of the lake.

Flycatchers - 3 E.Kingbirds at New Galena were late-ish migrants, while an Acadian Flycatcher at Cheshire was not so easily categorized

Warblers - hardly any, save for a singing male Black&White at New Galena.

Grackles - a big roost east of Plumb Road sent out 2400 birds late in the morning.  I don't remember them flocking this early in prior years, but have already seen large flocks in several areas of central Ohio.

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