We spent most of the afternoon birding the Battelle Darby north complex, specifically A) the low bushy/weedy fields along the northside of Kuhlwein Rd.and the the expansive pasture on the southside B) the southside wetlands (formally the grain/elevator area), an expansive marshy area of tall cattails/weeds and large shallow pools, the wide Teal/Harrier trails are here, and for woodland species C) Nature Center road. with hilly hedgerows and intwined grassy areas and woodland edge/margins; an excellent place to study roadside sparrows in mixed flocks especially after a snow, the fence rows often have a raptor or two (often a harrier) perched here, D) BD metro park entrance with its open woodlands. All water open. Mostly overcast and cold, light winds; a passing front brought slate gray skies and light to moderate winds, NNW, 10+ mph......most of the waterfowl in the south wetlands began moving in response to the weather. Canada Goose 750 (common resident, common to abundant fall migrant; the non migratory -- large, proportionately long necked maxima -- makes up a good percentage of wintering and spring birds, while the strictly migratory (augmenting "wintering" birds), probably B. c. canadensis, which about 50+% of these birds seemed to be indicating that tarue migrants will continue in decreasing numbers; spring migration seems inconspicuous than fall, apparently past peak, but difficult to tell (northbound flights apparently largely or entirely nocturnal due to much more narrow window in spring) e.g. "heavy fligfht, northbound" nearly continuous, 8 pm - 4 or 5 am, several date, 15 - 24 Feb. 2013) Wood Duck 3 (first true arrivals here this year) Gadwall 30 (left the south wetlands, late, went north) Am. Wigeon 25 (two flocks, 8 and 17) Mallard 600 ABDU 400 GWTE 90 (three flocks, about 30 ea, N late) NPIN 270 (85 - 90% males; two flocks, one of 190 birds--new arrivals; most Ive seen here since last fall) BWTE 21 (Early--one flock, about 16 or 17 male) NOSH 45 RNDU 27 (one flock, from south heading north, liked to stop, but circled widely over pasture, continued north--at least 20 males) TV 6 N. Harrier 9 (incl. 5 m -- a very high percentage m/f, indicating northbound birds) SSH 2 RSHA 2 RTHA 4 Merlin 1 (m -- very early for migrant, probably a wintering) Sandhill Crane 2 (flying N, looking as if to land in pasture but, rebounding, circled pasture twice, continuing N; later seen in this pasture with loafing geese--first I've seen here since: 4 BD wetlands, greenways loop 6/28/2012) Killdeer 8 Ring billed Gull 30 Mourning Dove 12 Short-eared Owl 1 (late in day, flying over pasture behind geese) RBWO 7 YBSA 5 (very quiet, 2 at Nature Center, 3 metro park) DOWO 6 Horned Lark 11 B Jay 7 A Crow 20 Carolina Chick 3 T Titmouse 11 C Wren 3 A Robin 25 W Pipit 3 (new arrival) YR "Myrtle" Warbler 10 N Cardinal 9 A Tree Sparrow 45 (most at nature center) Sav. Sparrow 2 WT Sp 25 DE "Slate-colored" Junco 26 Red winged Blackbird 300 E. Meadowlark 5 Rusty Blackbird 4 C Grackle 75 BHCO 100 A Goldfinch 2 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]