It’s turning out to be an interesting spring migration. April has had rain almost every day in our neck of the woods so Linda and I jump at opportunities to get out when there is a dry day. Today we spent the morning at Blendon Woods Metro Park in northeast Franklin County and the afternoon in the Hoover Nature Preserve. We ran into some birders we know with similar hopes for a productive day. We were not disappointed. Although it was windy much of the day the birds were fairly active and often staying low giving an eye level view. There was a very cooperative Worm-eating Warbler out at the east blind. It had gorgeous color and stayed in the open for prolonged periods to everyone’s delight. Other warblers along the Pond Trail included loads of Yellow-rumped which you just had to check out as mixed I with them were Black & White, Palm, Black-throated Green, Ovenbird, Northern Parula, Yellow and Hooded. We also found Scarlet Tanagers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and Yellow-throated Vireo mixed in. We walked the road back to the Dogwood Reservable Area where we ran into a flurry of warbler activity. The edges of the parking lot held Prairie, Palm, Black & White, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula and Yellow-rumped Warblers. We started down the Hickory Ridge Trail where we found a Blue-winged Warbler and then ran for cover as the clouds let loose. After a break for lunch we headed up to the Hoover Nature Preserve to check on the status of the Prothonotary Warblers and the nest boxes. We first checked Area L off Dustin Road where we were greeted by several Prothonotaries. The small peninsula is a great migrant trap and there were Black-throated Green, Yellow-throated, Palm, Black & White and Yellow-rumped Warblers along with the Prothonotaries. Also present were Spotted Sandpipers, Cliff and Bank Swallows, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Our last stop was Area N off Front Street in Galena. This is one of my favorite places to bird as it is ground zero for Prothonotary Warblers. No to disappoint they easily ran into double digits late into the afternoon. Other warblers we saw included Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Yellow-throated, Palm, Black & White, Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow, and Yellow-rumped. We saw several American Coot and Spotted Sandpiper along the creek. Then we encountered Baltimore Orioles (who says blackbirds can’t look great), followed by a Red-headed Woodpecker and Pileated Woodpeckers at the nest hole. We saw multiple Great Crested Flycatchers, several of which came close and basically put on a show for us. Normally high in the tree tops, these came down to eye level. Finally, the Osprey are maintaining their own at the nest platform. Charlie Bombaci Hoover Nature Preserve ______________________________________________________________________ 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]