I spent several hours around two major migrant traps along this riparian corridor in NE Franklin County and S Delaware County: Alum Creek Lake (ACL) State Park and Sharon Woods MetroPark. At Alum Creek Lake, I focused on the southern corners: the beach/visitors center and New Galena, while at Sharon Woods I hiked around Shrock lake, the Thomas trail, and the Spring Creek Trail. The chilly morning felt like fall, and much of the birding was starting to show a switchover to temperate migrants. Notables included: Gulls - a large flock of 750 Ring-bills was on the beach at ACL; all but 10 of them were adults. Careful searching only found 3 Herring Gulls mixed in with them. Raptors - startling by their absence. Turkey Vultures showed themselves, albeit in small numbers (15+ the entire morning), but the only others were a pair of Cooper's Hawks at Sharon Woods. Woodpeckers - modest Flicker movement, with 8 at ACL and another 6 at Sharon Woods. Single sapsuckers were also at ACL and Sharon Woods. Flycatchers - 2-3 Wood Pewees were along the trails at Sharon Woods, while E.Phoebes were at New Galena and Shrock Lake. Swallows - the only swallow was 1 Rough-winged foraging over Shrock lake BlueJays - good movement shaping up, with 70+ flying over New Galena in the hour I was there, and another 50+ foraging around Sharon Woods. They should be everywhere the next few weeks. Vireos - 2 White-eyed were still calling in the scrubby areas at New Galena, while a single Blue-headed was along the Spring Creek Trail at Sharon Woods. Red-br.Nuthatch - 1 was at New Galena, an omen of a good year for them. Wrens - Winter Wrens were around the ACL visitors center and at 2 locations in Sharon Woods. Still good #s of House Wrens passing through, with 6+ at ACL, and another 3-4 at Sharon Woods Kinglets - Golden-crowns were at the beach area at ACL and along the Spring Creek Trail at Sharon Woods. The latter site also had Ruby-crowns. Thrushes - Swainson's Thrushes were widespread, being found at every site; New Galena had the most with 8+. The only Gray-cheek was at Sharon Woods. Mimids - Catbirds were still numerous, with 50+ at ACL, and another 30+ at Sharon Woods. The only other mimid was a N.Mockingbird around the beach area at ACL. Warblers - skewed towards the more cold-hardy ones, with 2 Nashville, 3 Tennessee, 3 Magnolia, 11+ Black-thr.Green, 6 Cape May, 1 Blackburnian, 10+ Yellow-rumped, 5 Palm, 3 Redstart, 2 Common Yellowthroat. Sparrows - small flocks of Field and Chipping at ACL, while the first White-throated of the season was north of Shrock Lake at Sharon Woods. Buntings,Grosbeaks - 2-3 Indigo Buntings were at ACL (both beach and New Galena), while 2 Rose-br.Grosbeaks were at New Galena and another was at Sharon Woods Blackbirds - small flocks of Redwings were passing south at ACL, both over the beach area and New Galena. Finches - no winter finches yet, but the pocket prairies near Shrock lake had accumulated 60-70 Goldfinches, and will probably have triple that # in another week. Postscript - Lest you think all the 'first wave' migrants are gone, an afternoon hike around Woodside Green Park here in Gahanna found (among the expected migrants) 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird (female/juv.) 1 Acadian Flycatcher 1 Yellow-throated Warbler (very late date for this one) ______________________________________________________________________ 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]