We braved the moderate rain and warm temps and high winds visiting the Battelle-Darby Kuhlwein Rd. wetlands (off Broad St. in SW Franklin Co.) early this morning finding few birds due to fog and weather although several N.Harriers were up as well as dozens of flyover flocks of Canada Geese, Mallards and the like. Except for one E Meadowlark and a C Grackle there were no land birds. Raptors were out: 2 Red-shouldered, 2 Cooper's and four Red-tailed Hawks were seen in short order; one Rough-legged Hawk, looking pin headed and conspicuous, a top a small sapling in the field was our fist this year. The afternoon was a different story. We spent three hours taking advantage of the changeable weather finding the flooded fields there loaded with waterfowl, and constantly arriving flocks of Canada Geese and puddle ducks. Landbirds were very scarce, and the dozens of sparrows here here earlier this month continue to be absent, with 5 Horned Larks, 30 House Finches, 8 nice male pheasant along Kuhlwein Rd. and, ten lovely Evening Grosbeaks (adorning the top of a gum tree (at the corner of Kuhlwein and Darby Creek Rd.) like Christmas lights being notable. The latter especially welcome. We counted 11 N. Harriers in sight at once, and around 5 p.m. a nice and welcome Short-eared Owl began to hunt (our second one here this month). Three Sharp-shinned Hawks were seen hunting. Mallards and American Black Ducks filled the field and small to large processions just kept arriving. The highlights were one Cackling Goose (possibly minimus based on size, wing length, and darkness) and one ad. white Ross Goose at the south end of the pasture with flocks of Mallards (and scattered geese). The former was spotted flying low overhead, litterally duck sized with wings barely 60 % the length if that of the squadron of Canada's with it. They landed among the others and its size, short neck and gentle roundish head and tiny bill (structure recalling Ross's) were obvious. Unfortnately high winds kept the birds wary and photography (along with distance) was not an option. The adult Ross's Goose was classic with small body (nearly Malllard size), petite even cute profile due to combination of softly rounded head and tiny triangular pink bill (with only hint a feature being its dingy base); feathering at the base was straight and vertical as seen through telescope at 40X. The coal black eye stood out against its immaculate white plumage. Its possible this is the same one traveling along the Scotio River (seen a few days ago) as most of the geese were filing in from the direction. Looked for Brant and other special geese but no. I counted all the waterfowl possible, and came up with conservative numbers, as flocks were continually arriving. Waterfowl Ross's Goose Cackling Goose Canada Goose -- 1000 Wood Duck -- 6 AMWI -- 90 Gadwall -- 35 Mallard -- 1750 ( incl. one luesistic, and an near albino; one male domestic Mallard was an odd sight) AMBD -- 850 NSHO -- 30 NPIN -- 125 GWTE -- 160 (alas, no "Common") Canvasback -- 8 Greater Scaup -- 18 (a tight flock, flyby, nice solid white wing strip well out onto the p's; didn't land, arriving from the SE) RNDU -- 3 Perhaps a Eurasian Wigeon will be a spring migrant. Good birding, David Tan Columbus [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ 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]