I spent the morning looking for geese and raptors in the open expanses of the Hellbranch Run and Darby Creek areas west of Columbus.  In milder winters, large goose flocks occur in the farmlands along the Hellbranch, at the margins of Hilliard's suburban sprawl.  However, the extended snow & cold this year has frozen and covered most of these areas, and has forced the geese further west.  Highlights included:

Geese - the motherlode is currently at Darby Bend Lakes access of Prairie Oaks MetroPark.  The southern quarry there is still partly open and had a flock of 1200+ Canadas along with 1 Juvenile Mute Swan and 2 smaller geese.  (Not really a good enough look to tell if they were Cackling or some other small Canada race).

Ducks - Darby Bend Lakes also held 120+ Mallards and a few Hooded Mergansers, but I could dig out nothing else.  Hoodeds were at several points along both creeks, wherever stretches were still open.

Raptors - surprisingly few, although I did have Harriers and Kestrels at several locations (including Darby Bend Lakes).  The new 're-channeling' of Hellbranch creek in Hilliard is already paying dividends, as the new grassland margins there have attracted lots of sparrows and finches.  Today, a Harrier and a Red-shouldered Hawk were posted in the area, tracking the sparrow/finch flocks.

Woodpeckers - lots of drumming and calling Red-bellies and Downies, along with Hairies at several locations (Sycamore Plains, Darby Bend Lakes, and Hilliard Municipal Park woods).

Brown Creepers - good #s of these birds, with 1-2 at most stops, topped by 3 at Sycamore Plains access of Prairie Oaks.

E.Bluebirds - small flocks of males were at both Sycamore Plains and the north Canoe launch access of Prairie Oaks.

Lark,Pipit - singles of each were flyovers at Darby bend Lakes.

Sparrows - no large flocks except along Hellbranch Run (and there it was mostly Song Sparrows, with a few Trees).  Darby Bend Lakes had small #s of Tree, Song, and White-throated.

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