Spent one of the last OBBA mornings scrambling around several blocks that include the Columbus International Airport and points east & south.  The cloudy morning made for great birding conditions, and I did manage to find some interesting stuff, though not the grassland/field birds for which I was hoping.  Much of that has to do with the Airport: they're tearing up most of the south runway, and have been carefully mowing other grassy areas.  More productive were the parks and wasteland areas adjacent to the Airport.  Highlights included:

Am.Kestrels - singles were along Bridgeway Rd on the north side of the Airport, and the 5th Ave railway corridor on the south side.  There are always a few scattered around here, and the motherlode is at the old Woodland Meadows Apartments area, where a pair of adults were hanging around a begging juvenile.  The crappy apartments were bulldozed 6+ years ago, and the 20+ acres is now a de-facto savannah, with large trees and snags hovering over grass, surrounded by yet more apartments.  The birds have been here for at least a week, and probably bred here.

Flycatchers - a few Willow Flycatchers were in the scrub along the 5th Ave railway corridor, while lots of Wood Pewees were in the parks along Big Walnut Creek.  Numbers (14+ in 2 hours) suggest they might be already migrating.  2 E.Kingbirds along Bridgeway Rd might also have been migrants.

Bell's Vireo - 1 was calling & occasionally singing along the 5th Ave railway corridor, just west of Mason's Run.  No telling how long he'd been here, since I hadn't checked this spot earlier.

Swallows - quite a few Barn swallows were scattered around the Airport, but other species were scarce (though I did tally 1 Cliff & 1 Rough-wing).  Purple Martins were flyovers at several locations.

E.Bluebirds - hard to find, despite good habitat.  There are no nestboxes here, so that lack might keep the numbers down.  I did find a male along Claycraft Rd east of the airport.

Mimids - great spot for them; I had Catbirds & Mockingbirds at pretty much every stop.  I even had a Thrasher feeding a large fledgling along the 5th Ave railway corridor.

Blue Grosbeak - the male continues to hang around the south side of the old Claycraft Rd dump east of the airport.  He's not singing as much, but can still be spotted from the pullouts along Claycraft west of Science Blvd.  Listen for the loud "Tink' call, and watch for him perching up on bushes and small trees.

Grassland Sparrows - nothing, despite acres of good habitat.  The airport seems to be mowing the runway more often than usual, possibly to keep groundskeepers occupied while the south runway is all torn up for renovations.  Most years, Savannahs are a lock here, and Grasshoppers a possibility.

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