Mitchell Jarrett and I birded the botanical garden this morning, and it was filled with decidedly wintery birds and no late migrants at all. The highlights were mostly numerical: new botgarden high counts in ebird for Wood Ducks (24) and Myrtle Warblers (90+!), and a tie of the previous high count for Hermit Thrushes (16). The Wood Ducks were all in a tight pack under a tree in a calm part of the river; I heard one and said, "there's a Wood Duck," and the whole flock promptly took to the wing and startled the bejesus out of me. The lion's share of the Myrtle Yellow-rumps were in the main garden area itself, with one large oak tree containing a few dozen at one time. Hermit Thrushes were everywhere, especially around the beaverpond, giving all three of the common winter vocalizations (the high-pitched, red-winged blackbird-like whistle, the harmonic, towhee-like 'chway?', and plenty of chupping). Also in particularly good numbers were both Kinglets (25 GC, 28 RC).

Other highlights included a Savannah Sparrow in an odd spot- mixed in with Chipping Sparrows feeding under grape arbors in the Heritage Garden. A mystery sparrow flushed with a bunch of White-throated Sparrows in the privet eradication area. I could tell it wasn't a White-throat or Song, and it looked like either a Swamp or a... I won't say it, but you probably know what I'm thinkoln. 3 Brown Creepers, 3 Winter Wrens, and 3 Cedar Waxwings called but didn't show themselves well.