I spent a few hours this morning hiking around this MetroPark west of Columbus, looking for early waterfowl and late landbird migrants.  Prairie Oaks sits at a narrow portion of the Darby Creek riparian corridor, so it can often be a good migrant funnel.  I stopped at Darby bend Lakes, Beach Road, and the Coneflower Trail.  Waterfowl were nothing special, with the expected flocks of mallards and Canada geese at Darby Bend lakes.  Landbirds were a bit better, with notables being:

Creepers,Kinglets - good day for Brown Creepers, with 6-8 on the morning.  Kinglets were less impressive, with only 4 Golden-crowned and no Ruby-crowns

Thrushes - Robins most common; rather than flyovers, most of the 200+ were clustered in berry-laden honeysuckle bushes along the Coneflower Trail.  The CT also had a Hermit Thrush, but no Bluebirds.

Larks,Pipit - flyover Horned Larks were few, but were at each stop.  A lone Pipit was at Darby Bend Lakes

Sparrows - Chipping & Savannah Sparrows were gone, but a few Field Sparrows (4-5) were still lingering along the Coneflower Trail.  Winter sparrows abounded, with 80+ White-throats, 10 Juncos, and 6 Fox Sparrows.

Blackbirds - little movement here, with 12-15 Redwings at Darby Bend Lakes the only significant number.

Finches - a Purple Finch was at the old quarry along Beach Rd, and Goldfinches were widespread.

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