Hi all, I participated in the Hocking Hills Christmas Bird Count today, along with Jarel Hilton and Dave Minney. By the way, this count is fantastically organized, thanks to Jere Brunken and Paul Knoop, and gets great participation even though this was only the fifth year for it. Lots of interesting habitat, in one of the most picturesque regions of the state. Try and make it next year, if you can. Anyway, three groups reported a total of 49 White-winged Crossbills. One group had a flock of eight, we had seven, and John Watts' group had 34 in total. Perhaps the most easily re-findable might be John's birds, which were right along Clear Creek Road in the Clear Creek Valley. They were in and around some large Norway Spruce near the can't miss rock known as Leaning Lena, that towers over the road. More on Clear Creek here: http://www.ohiobirds.org/birdingsites/showsite.php?Site_ID=46 The other crossbills were essentially flyovers in the boondocks of Hocking County. This region is full of gorges with hemlock trees, and there are no doubt many more crossbills. A really good place to check for them might be Rock House State Park. There are conifers galore right around the parking lot. More info here: http://www.ohiobirds.org/birdingsites/showsite.php?Site_ID=62 Lots of Pine Siskins, too - 213 were tallied on the count. There was a smattering of Red-breasted Nuthatches and Purple Finches as well, and a few Hermit Thrushes. Two Ruby-crowned Kinglets were nice finds; this species is one to watch in future winters as they may become more common if winters continue becoming milder. Lots of Turkey and Black Vultures about, too - seemed like one or the other was always in view in the afternoon. Jim McCormac Jim McCormac Columbus, Ohio Like nature? Visit my blog: http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/ Like birds? Join the Ohio Ornithological Society: http://www.ohiobirds.org ______________________________________________________________________ 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]