April 19, 2007

Yesterday was my first day home on the farm in over two weeks. The dire reports of the 
plights of tree swallows and other insect eaters left me fearing the worst from my exile in 
southern California. So, with a certain amount of trepidation, I ventured out to check on our 
"bluebird" trail yesterday. (History shows it to be more of a tree swallow trail.) Now 
comprising 7 nest boxes, I am pleased to report that no interloping house sparrows are 
occupying, or apparently intending to occupy, any of the boxes. I had trapped a couple of 
house sparrow cocks from two of the boxes (Nos.1 and 5) on March 31. I am very happy, 
and a bit surprised, that pairs of tree swallows now occupy those boxes. Bluebirds continue 
to occupy Box No. 4, defending it against all comers: mostly tree swallows.

The score at the moment is: tree swallows 3, bluebirds 1, house sparrows zero, (except in 
the barn where its about 26.) 

A physical check revealed nothing in the other three boxes; no nests, no nesting material, 
nada, zilch, nichts. This morning on our dogwalk we noted a pair of tree swallows atop 
recently (March 31) installed Box No.7, one of the vacant boxes. Maybe something will be 
happening there soon.

Setting forth into the hollow in back of our house yesterday I enjoyed an idyllic moment. 
The sun was warming the recently cold, wet woods. Birds were singing. This mixed with the 
sound of Mennonite children singing hymns from the front porch of the school across the 
road. Ewes and lambs were calling and answering. 

"All's right with the world, at least certain parts of the world." It's a good message to get in 
the light of recent news.

As I was out and about in the fields and woods yesterday, few noteworthy birds were 
evident. All in all, I would say that spring has not progressed very much since I left on April 
4. The Virginia bluebells and may apples have emerged a little more. Our cherry tree is just 
beginning to bloom.

I actually saw a brown thrasher in the spring hollow, before I saw heard it. I often wonder if 
these guys actually nest here. I see and hear them every spring, but by May they are hard to 
find.

When I entered the woods at the back end of the field I flushed a sizable tom turkey, the 
first I have seen here this year.

Juncos are still around, many are singing. A white-crowned sparrow visited the ground 
below the feeders, the day's only Zonotrichia.

Perhaps my favorite moment yesterday was sitting on the bench in the field watching the 
spectacular aerialism of the tree swallows, and also the majestic soaring of the turkey 
vultures high above them. Lords of the skies, the small and the big.

Life is good.

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]