Hello! I hiked several areas of Highbanks yesterday evening and this evening. I hiked to the wetlands via the Overlook Trail on both evenings, the Pet and Dripping Rock Trails yesterday, and part of the Dripping Rock Trail this evening. Highlights included the following: Brown Thrasher-1 first of season singing at the wetlands this evening. Not seen/heard anywhere last evening. Louisiana Waterthrush-1 first of season singing in the ravine by the sycamore tree where the owls nested. Not seen/heard anywhere last evening. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet-1 first of season along Pet Trail last evening and 2 near wetlands this evening. Golden-Crowned Kinglet-saw/heard 2 or 3 both evenings. They must be migrating through as a couple if any were observed at the park this past winter. Great-Horned Owl-I thought I heard the screeching of a fledgling both evenings from areas away from the nest tree along Dripping Rock. If so, it appears that at a fledgling has left the nest. This evening saw the female perched in a pine by the nest tree with a freshly killed gray squirrel. She flew with it down the ravine from the nest tree. As I was leaving the area, I saw the male perched high on top of a tree in the Mansion area. Last evening, I heard the hoot of one along the Overlook Trail. It literally sounded as if it was within 50 feet from me but I couldn't spot it in the post-dusk light. Eastern Bluebird-out of the 10 boxes that I monitor in the middle and back part of the Pet Trail, I had full nests in 2 (no eggs) and partial nests in 2 others. One or two Bluebirds were observed on both evenings. I hope this is a good sign for a productive year as last year I had only 1 box from which Bluebirds fledged. Overall, numbers of Bluebirds fledged at the park were down about 75% last year compared to previous years. American Woodcock-saw and heard several at dusk in different areas of the park. The best area appears to be along the main road before you get to the Nature Center turnoff. Eastern Phoebe-a few are still singing the past few evenings. In the last 3 weeks, I've seen/heard as many as 7 or 8 along the Dripping Rock and Overlook Trails. Yellow-Breasted Sapsucker-saw 1 beautiful male along the Pet Trail last evening. Brown Creeper-saw/heard 1 on both evenings. Fox Sparrow-numbers are way down to just a couple as compared to last week when I saw one flock containing at least 15 near the pond by the Pet Trail and saw several other smaller flocks. Yellow-Rumped Warbler-saw 1 last evening and 3 this evening. This species was observed all winter at the park (especially along the Pet Trail) for the first time that I know of in the past 6 years. Field Sparrow-saw/heard 4 or 5 on both evenings. One overwintered with Song and Tree Sparrows in a brush pile near the barn by the pond. At the wetlands, the following waterfowl were observed (last evening and this evening): Lesser Scaup-about 23-25 on both evenings Northern Shoveler-4 last evening Ring-Necked Duck-7 and 10 Blue-Winged Teal-7 last evening Bufflehead-7 and 8 Hooded Merganser-4 and 6 Pied-Billed Grebe-1 and 2 Wood Duck-6 and 10 Also, there were about 6 Tree Swallows at the wetlands last evening and about 15 this evening. As an aside, I still have a Red-Breasted Nuthatch coming to my peanut feeder in my back yard. A pair has been observed at that feeder since the beginning of October 2007 through the middle of February 2008. A single one has been seen since that time. Also, two first of the season Chipping Sparrows were seen in our yard on last Friday. We have had a pair nest in our Blue Spruce for the past several years. I live in the neighborhood just north of Highbanks. Directions to Highbanks are on the OOS web site and also can be found at _www.metroparks.net_ (http://www.metroparks.net) . Rob Lowry Powell, Ohio **************Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides. (http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/united-states?ncid=aoltrv00030000000016) ______________________________________________________________________ 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]