As I was hurrying to my car in the parking lot of Columbus State Community College (the CSCC of the title line), I heard an unlikely chip and had a small bird zip by my ear into a small cluster of planted pines.  Curiosity pulled me off schedule, and I went to look around the pines where I was greeted by a small flock of temperate migrants.  Foraging among the shelter of the pines were 3 Palm Warblers, 3 Yellow-rumps, 1 Blackpoll, 3 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 2 Golden-crowns, and 1 red-breasted Nuthatch.  They kept flying out to nearby fruiting trees, then coming back to the pines.  A closer look at the fruit trees, which had lush ground cover, added a few more kinglets, as well as 2 juncos, 8 White-throated sparrows, a Song sparrow, and a Swamp Sparrow.  All of this within 10 minutes in an area no greater than a quarter acre (and much of it paved!)  I can only assume that the cold weather produced similar groundings in many central Ohio areas.


Rob Thorn
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EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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