This morning, Bill Whan, Jeff Grabmeier, Paul Gardner, and I spent some time birding south of Columbus. We started at Calamus Swamp, where among the thousands of red-winged blackbirds we picked out about half a dozen rusty blackbirds. The sex ratio of the red-wings was interesting - about 10 to 1 in favor of females.

Next we hit Scioto Trail State Park to try for ruffed grouse. While we missed on that target bird, other birds made up for it, including Louisiana Waterthrushes, winter wren, and two early warblers we didn't expect: Hooded and Yellow-throated! The Hooded Warbler was singing off a hiking trail north of the two cabins. We did not see the bird but heard the song very clearly. The winter wren was singing on this trail too, which can be reached by parking at the lot across from the cabins and walking north along Lake Road to the start of the switchback. The Yellow-throated Warbler was seen singing in the picnic area northeast of Stewart Lake.

After that, we stopped by Charlie's Pond in Pickaway co. and had some good birds along TH 45: lesser yellowlegs, savannah sparrows, vesper sparrows, and a young bald eagle. We finished up at Stages Pond, which was devoid of waterfowl and had not much of interest.

Locations:
Calamus Swamp is 1.5 miles west of Circleville on SR 104.
Scioto Trail SP is south of Chillecothe on US 23.
Charlie's Pond is west of US 23 on Radcliffe rd, which ends at TH 45; head north on 45 from Radcliffe to reach a nice little wetland which always has something in it.
Stages Pond is east of US 23 on Hagerty rd, between Circleville and South Bloomfield.

Good birding, 
Andy Sewell
Columbus, Ohio

Sent from my iPod
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