The ides of May are upon us, and the following have arrived and appear to
be staying at our Muskingum County farm and forest property. Valhalla Acres
Fiber Farm has no wetlands per se, although the clay-based soil retains
water for extended periods, and there are ample spring and seep zones on
the hill slopes. The 57 acres property is divided, roughly equally into
open upland pastures and successional scrubby fields, with plenty of edge
habitat transitioning downslope to three forested ravines.

The property is not a trap of any kind, although many species pass through
in migration, and several obviously regard it as a nesting destination. The
following charts some of my favorite species.

Warblers:
blue-winged
yellow
common yellowthroat
hooded
redstart
ovenbird
Louisiana waterthrush
chat

In the past 15 years I have also had territorial Kentucky and cerulean
warblers, but I have not detected that this year, only a brief two-day
visit by ceruleans.

Flycatchers:
phoebe
Acadian
wood-pewee

Mimids:
mockingbird (over-wintering)
catbird
brown thrasher

Swallows:
tree
barn

Others:
red-winged blackbird
meadowlark
Baltimore oriole
scarlet tanager
house wren
wood thrush

I also have bluebirds, over-wintering and nesting.

There is nothing terribly surprising here, but I always find it interesting
to see what an "average" patch of countryside will harbor. Traveling great
distances to see and hear birds is fine, but it is also rewarding to
carefully check ones own neighborhood.

The above list is by no means comprehensive. We also have a fine assortment
of the usual year-round birds of field and forest.

Bob Evans
Geologist, etc.
Hopewell Township, Muskingum County

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