I squeezed in trips to these 3 different areas this morning and afternoon with the goal of looking for early migrants. Not too much in the way of perching birds yet, but waders & shorebirds are pushing through. Hoover & 3-Creeks had relatively low water levels (especially Hoover), which both made them attractive to shorebirds and herons, but also dispersed the birds around. Highlights included: -Cormorants - lots around now, especially at Hoover -Great Egrets - none at Hoover or ALum, but the Borrow Pits area at 3-Creeks has accumulated 22, a nice number for central Ohio. Several in the trees there indicate that they may be roosting right adjacent to the ponds. -Little Blue Heron - juvenile at the northern end of Hoover is still there, either at the Boardwalk mudflats or over at Wiese Road mudflats -Green Herons - have really shown up in many places the past week, had 1-2 at nearly every stop this morning. -Plovers - 15-20 Semipalmated were scattered between Wiese Road and the Boardwalk at Hoover -Peeps - Least were dominant, especially at Hoover, but a few Semipalmateds were at several locatins, and the Boardwalk had an elusive Western Sandpiper -Sandpipers - Spotteds, Solitaries, and Yellowlegs were widespread at all 3 sites, but most numerous at Hoover (which had 50+ Lesser Yellowlegs). Pectorals were only common at Hoover, which also had 1-2 Short-billed Dowitchers and 2 Stilt Sandpipers (Boardwalk). -Osprey - starting to move, with 1 at New Galena, 2 at the Hoover Boardwalk, and another pair along the bikepath at 3-Creeks. -Caspian Tern - a nice flock of 22 was at the rock bar just off the Plumb Road access at Hoover. -Yellow-billed Cuckoos - calling birds at several spots at Alum & Hoover, so they may be getting ready for migration. -E.Kingbirds - scattered individuals at many locations, undoubtedly migrating now -Swallows - Rough-wings and Cliffs largely gone (although 2-3 Cliffs were still flying around the Hoover Boardwalk). 2 Purple Martins were still hanging around the dam and beach at Alum Lake. -Baltimore Orioles - 4-5 were at New Galena early in the morning, about the only migrant there besides swifts and E.Kingbirds. Rob Thorn [log in to unmask] EarthLink Revolves Around You. ______________________________________________________________________ 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]