I checked on several of the ice-free areas along the Scioto River in Columbus on this coldest morning, starting at Berliner Park (below the Greenlawn dam) and working upriver past Confluence Park, Long St. Dam, Marble Cliff, and Griggs Dam.  Most of the river was iced over except for the fast, shallow areas.  Griggs had the largest concentration of waterfowl, with over 1100 in the 1/2 mile below the dam, but all spots had something.  Notables included:

Canada Geese - many flocks at every stop, with Griggs' 400+ the most, but no unusual geese were with them
Mallards - most common waterfowl of the morning, with 650+ at Griggs, fewer elsewhere
Black Ducks - a few at most stops, with 12 at Griggs the high
Gadwall - 2 were in the throng below Griggs Dam
Ring-necked Duck - 5 were in the open river downstream from the Griggs dam.
Bufflehead - 6 were in the open water further below Griggs dam
Com.Goldeneye - 2 males were in an opening by the old RR pylons at Berliner Park
Hooded Mergansers - some at nearly every stop. 45 in Berliner was the high, while Griggs had 20.
Pied-billed Grebes - 1 was at Berliner, while 2 were in the river below Griggs.
Cormorants - 10 of them were toughing it out in the river openings at Berliner Park
Amer.Coot - 2 were in the waterfowl throng below Griggs Dam
Great Blue Herons - a few at all stops, with the high count of 15 along the river at Berliner
Black-cr.Night Herons - none visible at Confluence. Either they were hiding deep in the brushy shore or they've moved again.
Bald Eagle - 1 adult soared downstream at Berliner
Gulls - flocks of Ring-bills were at most stops, with 150+ at Griggs the high.  Marble Cliff had 120+, while the Greenlawn dam had 80+.  The only Herring Gulls were 5 at the Greenlawn Dam and 1 at Griggs
Belted Kingfishers - 1-2 at every stop, except Berliner, which had 3
Woodpeckers - Downies were widespread and common, with many fighting and drumming.
Sapsucker - none along the River, but I did find a juvenile in nearby Jeffrey Park in Bexley, a regular wintering location.
Brown Creepers - a few, mostly at Berliner (3) and Griggs (2)
Carolina Wrens - surprisingly common, with 2-3 at most stops.  The cold winter hasn't dented their populations yet.
Sparrows - very few, with Song Sparrows & White-throats predominant

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