I spent several hours around two major migrant traps along this riparian corridor in NE Franklin County and S Delaware County: Alum Creek Lake (ACL) State Park and Sharon Woods MetroPark.  At Alum Creek Lake, I focused on the southern corners: the beach/visitors center and New Galena, while at Sharon Woods I hiked around Shrock lake, the Thomas trail, and the Spring Creek Trail.  The chilly morning felt like fall, and much of the birding was starting to show a switchover to temperate migrants.  Notables included:

Gulls - a large flock of 750 Ring-bills was on the beach at ACL; all but 10 of them were adults.  Careful searching only found 3 Herring Gulls mixed in with them.

Raptors - startling by their absence.  Turkey Vultures showed themselves, albeit in small numbers (15+ the entire morning), but the only others were a pair of Cooper's Hawks at Sharon Woods.

Woodpeckers - modest Flicker movement, with 8 at ACL and another 6 at Sharon Woods.  Single sapsuckers were also at ACL and Sharon Woods.

Flycatchers - 2-3 Wood Pewees were along the trails at Sharon Woods, while E.Phoebes were at New Galena and Shrock Lake.

Swallows - the only swallow was 1 Rough-winged foraging over Shrock lake

BlueJays - good movement shaping up, with 70+ flying over New Galena in the hour I was there, and another 50+ foraging around Sharon Woods.  They should be everywhere the next few weeks.

Vireos - 2 White-eyed were still calling in the scrubby areas at New Galena, while a single Blue-headed was along the Spring Creek Trail at Sharon Woods.

Red-br.Nuthatch - 1 was at New Galena, an omen of a good year for them.

Wrens - Winter Wrens were around the ACL visitors center and at 2 locations in Sharon Woods.  Still good #s of House Wrens passing through, with 6+ at ACL, and another 3-4 at Sharon Woods

Kinglets - Golden-crowns were at the beach area at ACL and along the Spring Creek Trail at Sharon Woods.  The latter site also had Ruby-crowns.

Thrushes - Swainson's Thrushes were widespread, being found at every site; New Galena had the most with 8+.  The only Gray-cheek was at Sharon Woods.

Mimids - Catbirds were still numerous, with 50+ at ACL, and another 30+ at Sharon Woods.  The only other mimid was a N.Mockingbird around the beach area at ACL.

Warblers - skewed towards the more cold-hardy ones, with 2 Nashville, 3 Tennessee, 3 Magnolia, 11+ Black-thr.Green, 6 Cape May, 1 Blackburnian, 10+ Yellow-rumped, 5 Palm, 3 Redstart, 2 Common Yellowthroat.

Sparrows - small flocks of Field and Chipping at ACL, while the first White-throated of the season was north of Shrock Lake at Sharon Woods.

Buntings,Grosbeaks - 2-3 Indigo Buntings were at ACL (both beach and New Galena), while 2 Rose-br.Grosbeaks were at New Galena and another was at Sharon Woods

Blackbirds - small flocks of Redwings were passing south at ACL, both over the beach area and New Galena.

Finches - no winter finches yet, but the pocket prairies near Shrock lake had accumulated 60-70 Goldfinches, and will probably have triple that # in another week.


Postscript - Lest you think all the 'first wave' migrants are gone, an afternoon hike around Woodside Green Park here in Gahanna found (among the expected migrants)
1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (female/juv.)
1 Acadian Flycatcher
1 Yellow-throated Warbler (very late date for this one)

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