I have been birding vicariously from my work-imposed exile in southern California. My wife Jane usually calls me during her morning walk through the fields and woods of our farm. I have been inquiring about activity around our nest boxes. I get to go home tomorrow for the first time since March 6, and I expect many changes ( in addition to the presence of 15 new-born lambs) based on reports from Ohio-birds. This morning Jane reports that a bluebird is fighting with a spotsie (house sparrow) over nest box number 1 (the numbers are for my own reference.) This often ends very badly for the bluebirds or tree swallows. During the past four years I have found two bluebirds and one tree swallow murdered on the nest. It's time for some draconian measures: unpleasant but necessary. Jane also reports one male tree swallow perched on nest box number 2, a good sign. For those of you keeping score at home, I have six nest boxes deployed around our 30 acres of fields. Regarding controls of invasive species: The Columbus Dispatch reported yesterday that the State of Maryland has won its contest in the appelate court over the need to control mute swans, a measure contested by "an animal rights group." Apparently the rights of the native species (tundra swans were mentioned) still trump those of the invaders (even beautiful ones), at least in Maryland. Since mute swans are sometimes an issue in Ohio, I deem it worthy of note. 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]