Migrants continue to trickle into and through the Muskingum County uplands
based on my observations yesterday and today. No huge waves, which isn't
surprising. This isn't a trap of any sort, just a destination for our
particular nesting individuals, or just another patch of average Ohio
Appalachia for others.

This morning's new arrival was our first singing ovenbird of the season, I
was listening to a chorus of multiple white-throated sparrows from the
upper (southern) portion of our deepest ravine, when the ovenbird chimed in
somewhere from over on the east bank. There seems to be an ovenbird
territory over around there every year, so this may be our returning nester
or just one moving through. Nice to hear either way.

The Louisiana waterthrush continues to sing near the Falls, definitely on
territory.

Blue-gray gnatcatchers have become a regular feature of our leafing forest
canopy over the past couple of days, with multiple individuals raucously
calling from the treetops in many locations. I heard a lot of brown
creepers during our walk around the place this morning.

Singing mockingbirds, two very vocal individuals have set up territories
along the center line fence that divides our roadside pasture, one near the
horse barn and another at the top of the hill or just over on the other
side. It made for quite a recital of repertoire this morning. I'm sure they
are within earshot of each other, spurring them on constantly. I wonder if
they stop to eat. Brown thrashers are singing from a couple spots, in the
Spring Hollow near the fallen hickory and from the northern edge of the
Back Forty, below the campfire site.

Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County

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