There is a song that goes "it neverrains in southern California". This year I think they need to change thelyrics to “it always rains in central Ohio.” Hoover Reservoir has been like anoverfilled bath tub this year. The Prothonotary Warblers made the best of it aswe saw a record number of second broods.  Whenthe 2015 nesting season began the water level at Hoover Reservoir was unusuallyhigh. Throughout the spring and into the summer central Ohio experienced heavyrains and the water level at Hoover Reservoir was ideal as the birds beganincubating their eggs and as the hatchlings appeared in the nests. The endresult was another very successful year for the Prothonotary Warblers at HooverReservoir as a preliminary count indicates total of approximately 150territories confirmed. The year also saw many more second broods than had beenexperienced in the past. We have confirmation of 8 nests that had secondbroods.   The2015 nesting season began with 250 nest boxes in place. Severe weather caused aloss of 7 nest boxes.    Dataindicates the boxes were used by Prothonotary Warblers, Tree Swallows, HouseWrens, Carolina Chickadee, and White-breasted Nuthatch.       Theyear provided some additional activity that made it exceptional from my pointof view. The first was individuals that volunteered to help with the cleaning,maintenance or replacement of nest boxes. Members of the Big Walnut Nature Clubrolled up their sleeves and ventured out with me to clean nest boxes at the endof the previous nesting cycle and at the beginning of the current year to helpwith maintenance and box replacement. I totally appreciate their help as inmost years I have had to do all this alone.   Fateshined down on me as last fall a new member joined the faculty at The OhioState University. Dr. Christopher Tonra came to Columbus from the SmithsonianInstitute. His special interests include American Redstarts and ProthonotaryWarblers. He has worked with Prothonotary Warblers in Virginia, Louisiana andPanama. Dr. Tonra checked ebird to see what lurks in central Ohio and saw thelarge dark purple block at the Hoover Reservoir area. He contacted me and amutually beneficial relationship based on Prothonotary Warblers was begun. Dr.Tonra and two graduate students have been studying, banding and attaching geolocatorsto Prothonotary Warblers.  Now maybe oneof my big questions will be answered. Where do the Prothonotary Warblers thatnest at Hoover Reservoir overwinter?   Lastly,Dan Best, who has a Prothonotary Warbler nest box trail on the Cuyahoga Riverin Geauga County, started an internet group whose common interest is workingwith Prothonotary Warblers. Individuals have jumped in from Ohio, Indiana andVirginia. We have been sharing information and experiences. In June I hostedDan and Loyd Marshall (Mosquito Creek Reservoir, Trumbull County) at HooverReservoir. We had a productive day as I provided them a tour of sections of mynest box trail and discussed our experiences with the Prothonotary Warblers.The Hoover Prothonotary Warblers behaved and made appearances.   Lookingahead, if the water recedes enough to enable safely doing year end maintenanceI plan to be out in the preserve cleaning the nest boxes, doing any necessaryrepairs and replacing loss nest boxes. Maybe I will even get around torenumbering the boxes. Of course that requires the rain to stop.  CharlieBombaciHooverNature Preserve

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