I made a loop through open areas west of Columbus today, starting at the gas dome complex at Fisher & Philippi Rds. While these huge white domes may appear as snowy hillocks to a flying owl, I think the one reported learned from his initial mistake, as there was no owl there this morning. I also checked several likely areas, including -Darby Dan Airport & Kuhlwein Rd -Battelle fields along St 142 -Prairie Oaks area but could find no Snowies at any of the sites. I did find other interesting birds including -dabbling ducks - small #s of Mallards at many locations, and Black Ducks in Darby Creek at US40 and Prairie Oaks -diving Ducks - 7 Ring-necks were at Darby Bend Lakes, but nothing else was there. -Canada Geese - flocks in many places, topped by 420+ at Darby Bend Lakes. No Cackling among the throngs, however. -N.Harrier - a single immature was parsing the wetlands along Kuhlwein Rd -American Kestrel - scarce for the open areas I visited. I only found 1, at Darby Bend Lakes -Brown Creepers - small #s along Darby Creek, with singles at US 40 bridge, Sycamore Plains, and Darby Bend lakes -Horned Larks - also scarce, with the only flock a 10 along Kuhlwein Rd -Yellow-rumped Warblers - surprisingly widespread, with 1-2 at many locations -Tree Sparrows - good #s, with flocks at many locations; highest total was 30 at Kuhlwein wetlands -Swamp Sparrows - also widespread, with 1-2 at many locations. Kuhlwein wetlands had 3. -White-crowned Sparrows - singles were at Kuhlwein wetlands and Darby Bend Lakes -Common Grackles - 7 were lurking in the forest at the US. 40 bridge over Darby Creek ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]