I live in Clintonville, a suburb on the north side of Columbus. Around noon today a small group of starlings was hanging out in the top of my silver maple tree. But one of them just didn't look right. Its tail looked too long! So I checked it out through my binoculars and sure enough, it was the first Red-winged Blackbird I've seen this year! I love Red-wingers, and they are my personal first sign of spring, so as far as I'm concerned, it's officially spring! Last year, I didn't see the first RWBB in my yard until March 3rd. In 2006, my first one appeared Feb. 25th. In 2005, the first one in my yard was March 11th. I believe each of those years I had seen them elsewhere before they appeared in my yard. So this year is special! On Sat. morning, Feb. 16th, I had a female Brown-headed Cowbird in. It can't be long now til I see my first Grackle! **************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living. (http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/ 2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598) ______________________________________________________________________ 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]