Highbanks Metropolitan Park

 

To get there: Take U.S. 23 north of Columbus to the park entrance which is 2. 7 miles

This l,055-acre park is remarkable for its scenery, archaeological features (prehistoric Indian earthworks), and birds. Trails lead through a medley of habitats, including rugged wooded ravines, open fields, brush, forest edges, parkland, and wooded riverbanks.

Counted among the breeding birds are Green-backed Herons, Mallards, Wood Ducks, Spotted Sandpipers, Belted Kingfishers, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Cedar Waxwings, Warbling Vireos, and Northern Orioles nesting along the river. Fallow fields with occasional bushes and grassland are preferred by Killdeers, Eastern Kingbirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Field Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlarks. Wooded edges and thickets attract American Woodcocks, Yellow-billed Cuckoos and, occasionally, Black-billed Cuckoos, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, House Wrens, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers; Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Blue-winged Warblers, Yellow Warblers~ Common Yellowthroats, Yellow-breasted Chats, Northern Cardinals Indigo Buntings. and Chipping Sparrows.