Hello all - First, in the bird sightings category: I've been quite limited this year, and especially this month (and probably for a couple more months) in my ability to travel around NE Ohio in search of birds.  This is due to the regrettable fact that my birdmobile (car) has piled up many miles the last few years and needs repairs/maintenance which I simply cannot afford, since I'm on a limited income (Social Security Disability).  So my impressions of the Spring so far are pretty much limited also - to places at and near home here in Poland Twp., Mahoning Co.  FOS birds this month have been very few and far between up to this point.  Earlier this month I encountered for example blue-winged teal, greater yellowlegs, Wilson's snipes, Bonaparte's gulls, yellow-bellied sapsucker, 3 swallow species,  Louisiana waterthrush and blue-gray gnatcatcher.  Yesterday brought chimney swifts and house wren.  This morning a rose-breasted grosbeak was at the
 feeders.  Otherwise, it's been pretty slow so far.  So those of you in central and southern Ohio, please have patience with us "northerners" as new bird species appear up here and we finally get to share in the excitement.  There are huge differences in the distribution of bird species, and their abundance, over the state of Ohio from north to south as well as west to east.  This is true throughout the year, and to me this is one of the most interesting things about birding in Ohio.  So on that note........personally, I really enjoy reading posts to this listserv from all over the state.  I thank all of you who report bird news to the listserv, especially from areas that don't get as much birder attention.  It makes a big difference in my overall impressions of our avifauna at all seasons.  For example, I may not see many shorebirds this Spring; but it's great to know they are being seen from a diversity of places such as Ottawa NWR, or Darke
 Co., or Lorain Co., or the Columbus area etc. etc.  I also very much enjoy discussions when they appear on the listserv.  Again, a big THANK YOU to all who contribute to the listserv; and for those who are reluctant to post, don't be afraid to - your observations and thoughts would certainly be appreciated by myself and many others, I'm sure.............now, for those of you still reading, some thoughts on Conneaut harbor: this place has what I would call a spiritual importance to me - just knowing it is a place where wildlife still has a piece of important habitat to rest, feed, to just SURVIVE at; there are precious few of these places left along the shore of L. Erie in the central basin of Ohio.  Hopefully, it will continue to be such a place.  Hopefully, the Ohio EPA and/or ODNR or somebody else will help us birders speak for the shorebirds and others which have no voice at committee meetings etc.  The thought of another such place
 disappearing for the sake of human greed and ignorance literally sickens me.  Craig Holt, Lowellville

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