I stopped by several preserves along Walnut Creek from Groveport to Canal Winchester, then visited two spots in Slate Run MetroPark just south of there (5-Oaks Trail, wetlands). The blustery morning still had many birds if you checked in protected areas. Notables included: Blue-winged Teal - at least 3 pairs were in the Slate Run wetlands Sandhill Cranes - 3 were circling around over Bareis Preserve on Walnut Creek Kestrel - 1 was at Bareis Preserve, a typical summering location Shorebirds - Killdeer were widespread, but the Slate Run wetlands also had 1 Greater Yellowlegs Sapsuckers - at least 2 were in the wooded ravines along the 5-Oaks Trail at Slate Run E.Phoebes - at many locations; the 5-Oaks Trail had 4 Swallows - Trees and Barns were at many locations, and Rough-wings were at Slate Run Gnatcatchers - common in many locations; the 5-Oaks Trail had at least 20 Ruby-cr.Kinglets - small groups in many different locations Hermit Thrushes - small flocks of 4 at Bareis Preserve, and 3 at 5-Oaks Trail in Slate Run BrownThrashers - singing birds at Buckeye access of Walnut Woods, Bareis Preserve, and Slate Run wetlands Parula Warblers - 2 singing birds were in the ravines along the 5-Oaks Trail at Slate Run Yellow-throated Warblers - 2 were singing in the same ravines as the Parulas Black-thr.Green - at least 1 male was along the 5-Oaks Trail Louisiana Waterthrush - the Slate Run ravines had 1 defensive pair and a lone singing male White-throated Sparrows - small flocks in many locations Purple Finches - 1 was singing with 2 others calling along the 5-Oaks Trail at Slate Run ______________________________________________________________________ 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.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]