The Spring-like weather this morning was starting to move early winter residents around and through this south Columbus MetroPark.  I stopped at the Confluence area, Borrow Pits, Heron Pond, Elk Run Park, and the Groveport Blacklick Bikepath, and had interesting birds at most stops.  Notables included:

Waterfowl - hardly any, even though all the ponds and marshes were ice-free.  Could they already be mostly gone?

Kildeer - many locations; they seem back in earnest

Sapsucker - 1 at Confluence area

Phoebe - 1 calling at a reliable spot, the Trail bridge over Big Walnut Creek at the Confluence area

Brown Creeper - only 1, a singing bird in the riparian forest next to the Borrow Pits

Towhees - calling birds along the Multi-use Trail at both the Borrow Pits (1) and the Groveport Blacklick Bikepath (2)

Tree Sparrow - 1 lingering bird at Heron Pond

Fox Sparrows - 1 was in scrub near the Borrow Pits, while the overwintering bird along the bikepath east of the Confluence area was out singing this morning.

E.Meadowlark - 1 was singing in the fields East of the Hamilton Rd/Bixby Rd intersection.

Redwings - small numbers all over, with a few at every stop

Rusty Blackbird - 1 was singing its creaky song in the wet woods at the south end of Turtle POnd in the Confluence area.

Grackles - small numbers in many locations, but over 50 foraging around Elk Run Park

Cowbirds - singles at nearly every stop, all calling males

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