Aaron, I'm overjoyed with the "habitat-challenged" blocks I've been working in Licking Co., and this is one of my most enjoyable summers ever. With regard to your statement: "Besides, it's a lot of fun to try and top 75 species in some of these habitat-challenged areas, but it can be done!" I had 94 species on my total Licking Co. list for the month of June. (See http://www.ohiobirds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=234 ) Of those, the only one that I'm pretty sure was NOT a local nester (at least in the place I saw him) was the American redstart. (I only saw a single male, and I think he was a late migrant.) Sure, several of the birds were not in the blocks I'm working, but when I looked at "My Home Page" on the OBBA II website, it shows a total of 83 species recorded for the seven blocks as a whole (although I think the highest so far for a single block is 54.) I'm still getting familiar with my 70-square-mile territory, and have been inquiring about ownership of certain habitats, so that I can work toward getting permission for access. (I'm itching to walk the field where I saw the two male bobolinks and the single northern bobwhite!) Also, the Utica Herald weekly newspaper printed an article about me and the OBBA II. I've had several people comment on the article. The real by-product of this experience, though, is that I'm becoming a better birder. I'm really studying the birds I see, and I'm "learning" them, finally. I recently got an i-pod and the bird song software, so I can check calls in the field. That has really helped, as well. I would never have expected to find a sora where I did in Utica 2, Block 59C6CW, but after I heard it, I was able to get it to respond to the tape to verify my identification. I still don't have more than an OS for it, but at least I know where to look. Interestingly, the retired lady whose parents owned that property tells me that in the 1930's and 40's, when she was growing up, she heard whippoorwills calling at night there. Now wouldn't that be interesting. I have permission to take my camper out and stay the night, but just haven't had time. Things are slowing down. Robins, song sparrows and eastern phoebes are engaged in raising their seconds broods of the season (CM); Baltimore orioles are still feeding recently fledged young (CF), but more and more of the fledglings are becoming independent, and able to travel too far to rate FY. For example, I saw a VERY young Cooper's hawk, in the presence of a parent, no less, capture what may have been his first kill -- a recently fledged gray catbird that had ventured too far out of cover. He didn't have much trouble subduing his captive, but trying to fly with it was another matter. I suspect his parents are the same ones that raid my feeders in winter and early spring, because at the end of May I saw a Cooper's capture a mourning dove near my yard and carry it toward the river, Newark 5, Block 59D6CE, and that's exactly where I witnessed the young Cooper's making his kill last week. I will have to wait until the leaves drop this winter to try to locate the nest, I think, but now I have a better idea of where to look for it. And watching adult northern rough-winged swallows feed their young perched on utility wires and even in mid-flight is thrilling. Had I not been atlasing, I would not have witnessed these spectacles or the many others. Margaret Bowman Licking Co., OH -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Aaron Boone Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2007 1:51 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II Hello Everyone! I have really enjoyed reading all of the interesting reports to Ohio-Birds about recent atlasing discoveries and observations. It is encouraging to see how much atlasing activity is actually taking place out there. The data entry website ( http://bird.atlasing.org/Atlas/OH/Main/) has been instrumental in providing the means to track atlasing progress across the state. For example, there were around 45,000 observations that had been logged online by mid-spring of this year. Now towards the beginning of July, there are already well-over 74,000 observations that have been logged. This is HUGE! It's also interesting to scroll through each of the species and view current observations for each (check out the "View Results" quick-link towards the top of the page). Take a quick look at Bald Eagle! We all know that they've made a huge come-back in Ohio but the actual change since the mid-'80s is more meaningful when actually viewing a map. When viewing species distribution maps, click on the "View Previous Atlas Data" to access the maps from the first Atlas. If anyone would like more information about using the online data entry website, please let me know as we now have a recently published tutorial that outlines all of the useful features that this website has to offer Ohio atlasers. I can either email a PDF of the tutorial or mail you a paper copy. Just let me know! Recent weeks have seen some very interesting observations...multiple pairs of Bell's Vireo, a few Upland Sandpiper observations, Blackburnian Warbler fledglings, some additional Clay-colored Sparrows, Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Northern Saw-whet Owls, Blue Grosbeaks in lots of places...and let's not forget the Mississippi Kites (breeding confirmation pending at the moment)! Atlasing is a great way to explore Ohio and potentially make some very interesting discoveries. I encourage everyone to take a look at a map and find an area that hasn't been covered yet (the fastest way to get this information is by using the website although you can certainly give us a call if you'd rather avoid the net). Even those blocks surrounded by a sea of agriculture can provide fantastic birding. Besides, it's a lot of fun to try and top 75 species in some of these habitat-challenged areas, but it can be done! Give it a try...I'm sure that all the regional coordinators in these regions would be extremely grateful! Again, we would like to thank everyone who is out there braving the heat and the insects to provide the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II with valuable data. This project wouldn't happen without your continued support. If you're still wondering about whether or not you might be able to participate in the project, please feel free to give me a call or slide me an email. I'd be more than happy to discuss ways in which you could contribute to the Atlas. Good birding! -- Aaron Boone Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II School of Environment & Natural Resources The Ohio State University 210 Kottman Hall 2021 Coffey Road Columbus, OH 43210-1085 614.247.6458 (office) www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/ ______________________________________________________________________ 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] ______________________________________________________________________ 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]