I birded a little this evening at Black Hand Gorge and saw possibly 4 (they move fast!) bank swallows exploring a location where I have not seen them before. When I first discovered a bank swallow colony five or six years ago at Black Hand Gorge, it was in a pretty substantial bank on a curve about ¾ mile downstream on the Licking River. Later, I saw that a pair of belted kingfishers had taken up residence in that same bank, and the bank swallows did not return the following year. Last year, I saw a small colony of bank swallows at a different location. Earlier this spring, I noticed that belted kingfishers seem to have taken over that location as well. This evening, the swallows were at a third location, and did not seem to have settled on a particular site, although it was hard to tell. This site was 300 or 400 yards downstream from the place I saw them entering the bank last year. Question: Do belted kingfishers “dig” their own holes, or do they take over holes excavated by other species or even mammals? Do bank swallows excavate their own holes? Has anyone ever documented kingfishers taking over excavations previously used by bank swallows? (Yes, I’m aware of the size difference – I assume the kingfishers would enlarge an existing excavation as needed.) While I can’t be certain that the kingfishers are using the exact same holes, I’m certain that they are using the same banks as previously used by bank swallows, and that the bank swallows did not return to a bank that had been taken over by a pair of kingfishers. Of more interest to most people, I saw one of the bald eagles land at the nest with what appeared to be something in its talons. Then later, head up and down, as if tearing apart prey and feeding it to a nestling. I did not actually see a nestling, but the activity I saw was suggestive on one’s existence. I have not spoken with any of the “official” eagle watchers recently, so I don’t know what the consensus of the experts might be. With all the nasty weather, I haven’t gotten out much. However, I did see the Louisiana waterthrushes again, after the worst of the recent weather, and I saw my first blue-gray gnatcatcher last Friday evening (4/13). Waterfowl continue to be interesting at the Dawes Arboretum wetland, and Sunday I identified a greater yellowlegs by its triple-note flight call. When it landed, I lost it in the vegetation. That makes me wonder what jewels would be discovered with closer access. Margaret Bowman Licking Co., OH ______________________________________________________________________ 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]