I made a foray to these 2 parks west of Columbus this morning hoping for a good fallout.  No single site was swarming with birds, but the diversity over all sites was good. At Prairie Oaks I stopped at the Sycamore Plains trail (which was a mud pit due to recent rains & flooding), Darby Bend Lakes, and the Northern canoe launch area.  Afterwards I stopped briefly at Hilliard Municipal Park, then went north to Glacier Ridge. Notable birds included:

Waterfowl - fairly light, but there were 2 cormorants & a Hooded Merganser still at Darby bend Lakes, and 4 Ruddy Ducks at Corazon Lakes outside of Glacier Ridge

Shorebirds - lots of sky ponds in the area, but little in the way of shorebirds.  Darby Bend Lakes had 4 Spotted & 1 Solitary Sandpipers

Red-headed Woodpeckers - at least 2 of these handsome birds were foraging in the woodlots west of the parking area at Glacier Ridge; it's too early to say if they were migrants or prospecting for territories.

Flycatchers - calling Phoebe, Crested Flycatcher, & 2 E.Kingbirds at Sycamore Plains

Vireos - Blue-headed, Yellow-throated, Warbling, White-eyed, & Red-eyed, all at Prairie Oaks

Wrens,Gnatcatchers - widespread House Wrens & Carolinas, but nothing else.  Another banner day for Gnatcatchers, with dozens at Prairie Oaks & Glacier Ridge

Kinglets, Pipits - only a few Ruby-crowns, at Sycamore Plains & Hilliard Municipal woods.  A flock of 7 pipits was at Darby Bend Lakes

Thrushes, Mimids - Wood Thrush was the only widespread forest thrush.  Brown Thrashers were at nearly every stop; they're having a great migration so far.  Gray Catbirds were even more common, but that's expected here.

Warblers - a dozen species, with the best spot Sycamore Plains.  Totals included
 Yellow - LOTS, included 7-8 at Darby Bend Lakes
 Parula - singing birds at Sycamore Plains & Darby Bend Lakes
 Nashville - at nearly every site, they've arrived in numbers in the last day or so
 Tennessee - 1 singing at Sycamore Plains
 Black-thr.Green - singing at several different spots
 Yellow-throated - singing at Sycamore Plains & Darby Bend Lakes
 Yellow-rumped - still the most numerous, with double-digits at most stops
 Palm - 3+ at Darby Bend Lakes
 Am.Redstart - 1 singing at Sycamore Plains
 N.Waterthrush - good movement, with birds at Prairie Lincoln Woods, Sycamore Plains, and Hilliard Municipal Park
 Common Yellowthroat - singing birds at Sycamore Plains, Darby Bend Lakes, & Glacier Ridge
 Wilson's Warbler - 1 singing at Sycamore Plains

Tanagers - Scarlets were singing at several different locations
Buntings,Grosbeaks - Indigo Buntings were at several locations, while 2 Rose-br.Grosbeaks were at Glacier Ridge
Sparrows - singing Savannah Sparrows at both Sycamore Plains & Glacier Ridge, while 2 singing GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS were along the entrance road to Glacier Ridge.  White-throateds had a last hurrah, with flocks of 10-20 at nearly every stop.
Orioles - Baltimores were widespread, even away from Darby Creek.  Darby Bend Lakes had 2 singing Orchard Orioles as well.

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