I nosed around these two area looking for waterfowl migrants and early winter strays. Waterfowl were surprisingly light (Darby Bend Lakes had only 1 grebe!), but there were some interesting landbirds around to compensate. At Prairie Oaks, I focused on Darby Bend Lakes and areas to the north of that; in Dublin, I stopped at the Glacier Ridge wetland, then drove over to the Scioto Gorge, stopping at O'Shaughnessy dam and Kiwanis Park. The Scioto River is extraordinarily high, so it was difficult to find waterfowl & herons in the gorge. Notable birds for the morning included: Ring-necked Ducks - a flock of 35 at the ever-dependable Corazon Lake was the most migrant waterfowl of the morning Ruddy Ducks - a flock of 8 was in the bay above O'Shaughnessy dam next to the Columbus Zoo Pied-billed Grebe - 1 was at Darby Bend Lakes, while another was just north of there at Beaver Lake (Prairie Oaks). Turkey Vulture - 1 was lingering along the Scioto gorge just south of O'Shaughnessy dam Sharp-shinned Hawk - 1 flew by at Darby Bend Lakes. They seem more common in winter now than as migrants. Red-shouldered Hawk - an immature was lurking in the forest at Kiwanis Park, one of a steady trickle of records from the gorge. E.Bluebird - a few were at GLick Park south of O'Shaughnessy dam Ruby-cr.Kinglet - 1 was foraging with chickadees along Big Darby Creek in Darby Bend Lakes Tree Sparrows - widely scattered, with the best number being 15+ at the Glacier Ridge Honda Wetland Field Sparrow - 1 was calling at the Glacier Ridge Honda Wetland Chipping Sparrow - 1 was with a flock of Juncos at Glick Park south of O'Shaughnessy Dam. Swamp Sparrows - several locations, with high number being 4 at Glacier Ridge wetland. White-crowned Sparrows - 2 were singing at the Glacier Ridge wetland Blackbirds - hardly any except for a few Redwings flying south over Darby Bend Lakes ______________________________________________________________________ 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]