I'm still scouting Block 59C6CW in northern Licking Co. for any potential red-tailed hawk nests, which should be visible until the trees leaf out. I found four possibilities, and one almost certainly was used last summer, as it is within 100 yards of where I saw what I believed at the time was a very young red-tail. However, I'm not good at ID when it comes to aging a hawk, and I tend to err on the side of caution. I spoke with the landowner where I saw the first possible nest last week, and was told that three bald eagles used the tree in which the nest was located, all winter. He has not seen any birds in the vicinity since mid-March, at least, or possibly longer ago than that. The nest does not appear to have current residents. I did see: At Smoots Lake (private) A pair of Canada goose A pair of ruddy ducks A possible red-shouldered hawk, but didn't see well enough for positive ID A belted kingfisher in an unlikely spot - very small drainage stream through a cultivated field A flock of about 20 wild turkeys in a corn field Lots of field sparrows singing on territory Lots of eastern towhees - also singing 2 brown thrashers, both singing (different locations in the same block) 1 northern mockingbird Many pileated woodpeckers - calling, two drumming Northern flickers - several Downy woodpeckers Red-bellied woodpeckers All the regulars: robins, cardinals, chickadees, etc. Passing through: 3 fox sparrows (possibly more, all together) A lot of brown creepers Based on today's observations, I think spring is just about here! 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]