OHIO-BIRDS Archives

March 2007

OHIO-BIRDS@LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Reply To:
Date:
Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:34:10 GMT
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (38 lines)
I have been birding vicariously from my work-imposed exile in southern California. My wife 
Jane usually calls me during her morning walk through the fields and woods of our farm. I 
have been inquiring about activity around our nest boxes. I get to go home tomorrow for 
the first time since March 6, and I expect many changes ( in addition to the presence of 15 
new-born lambs) based on reports from Ohio-birds.

This morning Jane reports that a bluebird is fighting with a spotsie (house sparrow) over 
nest box number 1 (the numbers are for my own reference.) This often ends very badly for 
the bluebirds or tree swallows. During the past four years I have found two bluebirds and 
one tree swallow murdered on the nest. It's time for some draconian measures: unpleasant 
but necessary.

Jane also reports one male tree swallow perched on nest box number 2, a good sign. For 
those of you keeping score at home, I have six nest boxes deployed around our 30 acres of 
fields.

Regarding controls of invasive species: The Columbus Dispatch reported yesterday that the 
State of Maryland has won its contest in the appelate court over the need to control mute 
swans, a measure contested by "an animal rights group." Apparently the rights of the native 
species (tundra swans were mentioned) still trump those of the invaders (even beautiful 
ones), at least in Maryland. Since mute swans are sometimes an issue in Ohio, I deem it 
worthy of note.

Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County
DeLorme 70 A1

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/.

You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]

ATOM RSS1 RSS2