Brad Sparks, Dave Slager, and I did 16 hours of birding yesterday in the
Franklin County Metro Parks, using ethical ticks and the 95% rule. We
tallied 134 species on a day where relatively few boreal migrants were
passing through. As far as we know this is the only Big Day devoted to
the Parks system, so we claim the record number, certain--and
welcoming--that it will be exceeded in the future.
        Probably most interesting for local listers was the snowy egret we
found at Glacier Ridge yesterday afternoon, easily visible to the north
from the observation tower. Darby Creek had many shorebirds and marsh
birds. Clear Creek had the expected 20 species of nesting warblers plus
a few migrants, southern specialties, night birds, etc. Visits to parks
like Blendon Wds and Blacklick produced only a few migrants. The new
Darby wetlands were intriguing as always, though producing only six
species among ~ 300 individuals; this is sure to improve as this
fascinating restored habitat develops.
        So our record can be beaten, but not by less than maximum effort, and
we look forward to hearing from others who document  habitat development
and protection in the MPs. By the way, our search took place in four
counties, and we put in over 200 mi on the road; still, this required
less butts-in-the-seat time, fuel, and
longueurs of birdlessness necessary on a state Big Day, and devotees of
Big Days might want to consider something like this, which serves to
document efforts to re-establish and preserve local bird habitat rather
than isolated rarities spread all over the place.
Bill Whan
Columbus

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]