OHOS CBC Jan 2 highlights: A quick thank you to the 35 (plus feeder watchers) birders helping yesterday in single digit temperatures to find and locate a nice diversity of avian species. So far I have 71 species reported and again 3 locations yet to be turned in. I'm only noting some highlights as I'm still waiting for the other reports. This count circle takes in northern Franklin, southern Delaware and Union Counties and runs from eastern Marysville, north east Plain City, north Dublin, western Powell and southern Delaware with the Scioto River cutting through the circle. It takes in a nice mix of suburban areas, croplands, large fields, a metro park and several city parks and 2 Delaware Preservation and Parks sites, The Columbus Zoo, many golf courses and schools. Despite the cold, the teams seemed to have a good time. Last year was a high number of species: 76. Doubt we get there this year. Always looking for more help and contact me if you are interested to join in the fun for next year. Three teams reported Lapland Longspurs mixed in with exceptionally large numbers of Horned Larks. One team reported a Snow Bunting and gave very good descriptive comments to describe the bird. This was south of 42 and west of Rt 33 and mixed in with many Horned Larks. Glacier Ridge Metro Park took the lead on raptors. At one time you could see 4 species of raptors: red-tails, a kestrel, harriers and a rough-legged hawk that has been watched for a couple days in the Honda Wetland area. Also seen were cooper's, Red-shouldered Harks and a Barred Owl. A Turkey Vulture was seen Jan 2 and earlier in the week in Dublin as well as a Merlin on Jerome Rd south of 42 was seen on Thursday. Also counted were several pairs of Bald Eagles, a Sharp-shinned Hawk and 4 Great Horned Owls. The quarry (at Merchant and Dublin Rd) had a constant moving/changing flotilla of waterfowl: Pied-billed Grebe, Am. Black Ducks, Hooded Merganser, Canvasback, Red-headed Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks and the river south of the dam had Wood Ducks, Tundra Swans and Snow Geese were seen as well as a Lesser Scaup. Some other birds of note for the count: All woodpecker species, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (thank you Heather Raymond), Winter Wrens (private estate in Dublin), Golden Crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Eastern Towhee, Swamp Sparrows, Fox Sparrow (seen by several people on several days including Jan 2 at Cook Rd Ohio Wildlife Center in the back by the feeders), 4 Eastern Meadowlarks, Merchant Rd, one lone pheasant at GRMP, and a Gray Catbird (seen by Heather Raymond). Again these are highlights and I wanted others to try to get over to GRMP to see the Rough-legged Hawk and check out the quarry which was totally open today. Good luck to all those in quest of their century lists. Contact me privately if you need other information. This year I managed to take part in 5 CBC's and each experience is so different and interesting. Please considering helping with a CBC next year. It is a great way to help with Citizen Science. This was the 110th year for the National Audubon Christmas Bird Count which runs from Dec. 14-Jan 5 each year. It is an enormous contribution to conservation. The experience is a great way to learn your winter birds, spend time with friends and in many areas it is a family tradition and a great escape from cabin fever. Thank you, Darlene Sillick Powell, Ohio OHOS CBC Compiler ______________________________________________________________________ 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]