The Columbus Audubon field trip to Scioto MetroPark and nearby areas this morning found a cold but pleasant morning with a steady stream of interesting birds.  The Scioto River above the Greenlawn dam was frozen, so we spent only a short while birding around the south trail and the Grange Center.  We then hiked down the bikepath at Berliner Park below the dam, checking open water areas there with some success.  We finished by going over to the Pit area of Greenlawn Cemetery, finding a good mix of birds around the feeders there.  Unusual birds included:

Common Goldeneye - at least 8 were in the first open water area below the Greenlawn Ave bridge
Hooded Mergansers - most common duck in the open areas below the dam, perhaps 30 total
Wood Duck - at least 1 pair, down at the outlet of Whims Ditch in Berliner Park
Cormorants - at least 20 were at the Whims Ditch outlet early
Gulls - surprisingly few in the area, with only 10-15 Ring-bills around the dam
Sapsucker - at least 1 was around the feeder area at the Cemetery
Brown Creepers - 6+ were along the trail at Berliner
E.Bluebirds - 1 was along the trail at Berliner, but a flock of 7 visited the Cemetery feeders area
Tree Sparrows - a flock of 10+ were around the boat launch area at Scioto MetroPark
Pine Siskins - 7-8 were around the feeders at the Cemetery
Purple Finch - had 1 calling flyover along the trail at Berliner Park

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