Winter has settled in here in Columbus, if the birds along this stretch are any indication.  I started at the Long St. dam, where the new footbridge looks great (but isn't open yet), then went on the Watermark Lake, Marble Cliff, and Griggs dam. Watermark Lake was partially frozen, but the open parts held lots of winter waterbirds.  The riparian woods here are leafless, but the honeysuckle berry crop is good.  Notables in 2 hours included:

Ring-necked Ducks - a flock of 120 was on Watermark Lake
Hooded Mergansers - small #s were at most every stop, the most being 10 at Watermark Lake
Pied-billed Grebes - 3 were below Long St. dam, while 6 were on Watermark Lake
Horned Grebe - at least 1 was on Watermark Lake
American Coot - a small flock of 25 was on Watermark lake
Gulls - about 160 Ring-bills & 1 Herring were commuting south over Long St. dam, probably bound for the trash dump
Woodpeckers - nothing unusual, but good #s of Downies & Red-bellieds
Brown Creepers - 2 were below Long St. dam, and another 3 were below Griggs dam
Robins - good #s at most stops, topped by 100+ at Marble Cliff.
Golden-cr.Kinglets - 2 were at Marble Cliff, and another 4 were below Griggs dam
Sparrows - small flocks of White-throated at many locations, along with single Songs
Finches - nothing but House Finches and Goldfinches, and not many of either

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