I showed visiting family these two MetroParks with the hopes that there would be some decent birds out, and they didn't disappoint. Landbird migrants were non-existant, but each park had some resident birds that put on a show. Thoreau Lake at Blendon continues to be a good waterfowl spot, with 70+ Black Ducks, 20+ Mallards, 30+ Gadwall, 9 Shovelers, and 50+ Hooded Mergansers. Other notables included: Wild Turkeys - never could spot one, but heard them calling in Blendon Woods. Perhaps the closeness of Thanksgiving makes them wary Barred Owl - 1 of the residents was hanging around Ashton Pond at Blacklick Woods Sapsuckers - 2 foraging around the Ash Grove picnic area at Blacklick Brown Creepers - 2-3 were in each park, often affording close views E.Bluebirds - quite a few out foraging at Blendon, where they were in the open areas along the Goldenrod Trail and at Cherry Ridge Fox Sparrow - 1 was calling around the feeder by the east observation hut at Thoreau Lake in Blendon Purple Finch - 1 was along the Multi-Use path at Blacklick, south of the picnic areas. ______________________________________________________________________ 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]