I was running a winter census and chasing down a few CBC reports at this Park in south Columbus this morning.  I spent a bit of time along the Blacklick bikepath, but spent most of my time around the Confluence and Borrow Pit areas.  The ponds were completely frozen over, and the creeks nearly so, so waterbirds were few & far between. Landbirds were strongly clustered near the feeders along the trail.  Highlights included:

Gadwall - 3 were swimming in an opening in the creeks (down from 2 on the CBC).  A few of them always seem to tough out our worst winter weather.

Barred Owl - 1 was found in the Confluence area by the CBC team, but I couldn't relocate it today.  This species was in record #s on the Columbus CBC.

Sapsuckers - 1-2 birds were roaming around the Confluence area.  These birds were in near-record #s on the Columbus CBC.

Mockingbird - at least 4 birds were along Bixby Rd and the entrance to the Confluence area.  This despite rather low #s on the local CBC.

Starlings - not normally a comment bird, but a new roost was noted by the CBC team. It's formed south of the Confluence area, where they appear to be using powerlines and an electrical station, as well as nearby trees. It had 8000+ birds this morning.

Zonotrichia sparrows - White-throated were plentiful near the feeders along the trail, and a White-crowned was near the Confluence entrance. Neither had big #s on the CBC this year, possibly due to the extended cold & snow.

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