I made several stops along Darby Creek west of Columbus, starting in Prairie Oaks MetroPark at Darby Bend lakes, and working south through the Sycamore Plains Trail, Darby wetlands Teal Trail, Cedar Ridge area, and the Confluence area (the last 3 being in BattelleDarby MetroPark).  Waterfowl numbers here are puny, no better than many of the reservoirs right now, but landbird migration showed a last wave of temperate migrants flowing along the Darby Creek corridor.  Included among the highlights in 3 hours were:

Sapsucker - only 1 bird, a juvenile along the riparian area at Darby Bend lakes
Brown Creepers - 1-2 at most riparian stands; 3 were along the Sycamore Plains trail
Winter Wrens - singles were at the Sycamore Trail and at Cedar Ridge
Golden-cr.Kinglets - not common, with only 2 at Sycamore Plains and 2 more at Cedar Ridge
Robins - flocks foraging for berries at every stop, many moving south already
Cedar Waxwings - small #s at many places, topped by 30 at Darby Bend lakes
Amer.Pipits - single flyovers at many locations, but 50+ were working a recently burned field at the Teal Trail
Tree Sparrows - FOS birds included 2 at Darby Bend Lakes, 4 at Sycamore Plains, and another 2 on the Teal Trail
Field Sparrows - laggards were at Darby bend Lakes and at Sycamore Plains
White-crowned Sparrows - 3-5 at nearly every stop, an even mix of adults and juveniles
White-throated Sparrows - 20+ at most stops; Darby Bend Lakes had 40+
Juncos - widespread, but not numerous; 6 at Cedar Ridge was the high count
Lapland Longspur - a single flyover was at the grassland of the Teal Trail, my FOS
E.Meadowlark - 1 was calling in the grassfields at Darby Bend lakes
Redwing Blackbirds - flocks at many locations, mostly moving south along the creek; Darby Bend Lakes had 300+
Rusty Blackbirds - 120+ with the Redwings & grackles at Darby Bend Lakes.  I rarely get to see these numbers in central Ohio, so I spent 15 minutes reveling in the plumage varieties found in this big blackbird flock
Grackles - small flocks at most spot, but Darby Bend Lakes had 200+
WinterFinches - Goldfinches widespread, but the only Pine Siskin was a flyover at Sycamore Plains

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