I've been trying to work on my seven OBBA II blocks at least 2 or 3 hours every day (one at a time!), and today I headed back out to Utica 3, 59C6SW. This is an interesting mix of rolling hills, occasional heavily wooded areas, streams with riparian habitat and heavily cultivated agricultural land. Today, just southwest of the intersection of Chatham Road and Chestnut Hills Road, I stopped for a while near an unmowed pasture field. I was watching some northern flickers and Baltimore orioles mainly, in the wooded area adjacent to the field, when I thought I heard a bobwhite. I spent at least 20 minutes scanning the field and turned up two male bobolinks, and finally, a single bobwhite on the wing briefly. The bobolinks were a stunning surprise - not what one would expect to find in Licking Co. I did not, however, hear or see any interesting grassland sparrows in that long-grass field. I hope to discover who the owner is, and request permission to walk the field. Right now, both the bobolinks and bobwhite are OS (possible nesters), and I'd like to get a little better look at them to confirm. By the way, the field was full of eastern meadowlarks, as well, but I didn't see many red-winged blackbirds, which is the bird that usually dominates any tall grass areas I have birded recently. However, I now have 82 species on my atlas lists, which I think is pretty good considering my blocks represent urban and agricultural areas, and there are no public access areas (parks or wildlife areas) or lakes in any of my blocks. Also, I just signed up for these blocks after the blockbusting weekend of June 8-10, and am still getting to know the roads and interesting areas. For those of you who haven't considered atlasing, please do. It doesn't require expert skills - if it did, I wouldn't qualify. It does require patience, and a willingness "to boldly go where no man", etc, etc. - but isn't that what birders do? Bill Whan teased me a little when he suggested that as soon as I confirmed northern cardinals in every block, I could get down to the serious work. Well, I've only confirmed the cardinal in one block. Care to guess what bird will probably be the first to be confirmed in all seven blocks? Right now, it looks like Baltimore oriole! I can't say that I've seen nests in every block, but the fledglings are all out and begging for food. Keep your eye on them, and soon here comes mom or pop, carrying food! CY = confirmed! Without a doubt, that is the easiest way to confirm nesting. In my county, every day is a great birding day! May each of you experience the same joy where you live. 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]