With neighborhood ponds frozen for the first time this winter, I took a walk along the Scioto River this afternoon. The Scioto hasn't been very interesting for waterfowl so far this winter, but today there were a couple of modest concentrations for the first time this year. Canada Geese, Mallards and Am. Black Ducks were widespread in good numbers everywhere. In my "backyard" area just south of 5th Ave. there were : 1 Gadwall 1 Pied-billed Grebe 14 Ring-necked Ducks 6 Hooded Mergansers Below Griggs Dam there were : 1 Gadwall 77 Ring-necked Ducks 11 Hooded Mergansers 3 Common Goldeneyes Passerine highlights today included a Winter Wren foraging in the sycamore roots in my backyard, and a Hermit Thrush in the now berriless honeysuckles below Griggs. This is the first winter in a while where there hasn't been a pair or two of Wood Ducks wintering around here. Bob Royse, Columbus Robert Royse [log in to unmask] www.roysephotos.com ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]