Held in Columbus by other things, I focused on birding some areas along these two urban creek corridors. Along Alum Creek, I stopped by Innis Park and Tanager Woods, while along Big Walnut I visited Academy Park and the Hoover dam spillway. Most of these areas had good helpings of early temperate migrants. Highlights included
Wood Ducks - several pairs along both creeks, presumably prospecting for nest-sites
Red-br.Mergansers - 100+ scattered in lower Hoover Reservoir above Hoover Dam
Common Loons - 4 in lower Hoover Reservoir
Woodpeckers - lots of drumming Downies & Red-bellies, plus the occasional Flicker and Hairy, but no sapsuckers yet.
Phoebes - good numbers, with 2-3 at every stop. There was hardly a moment when I wasn't within earshot of one.
Swallows - a small mixed group of Tree & Rough-winged were foraging over the Hoover dam spillway
Red-br.Nuthatch - a single bird was visiting a feeder in a yard bordering Innis Park
Brown Creeper - single birds were at Academy Park, Innis, and Tanager Woods
Wrens - 2 Winter Wrens were crawling through flood debris in Academy Park
Kinglets - good numbers of Golden-crowned, with small flocks at every stop
Sparrows - small flocks of White-throats at every stop. A cluster of 4 Fox Sparrows were lurking in the brambles at Innis Park (a very reliable spot for them), while another was at Academy Park. 2 Towhees were singing on territories at Innis, as well.
Blackbirds - lots of redwings, grackles, & cowbirds all morning, but no Rusties.
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