Late this morning I ventured into our deepest ravine and found my first-of-season Louisiana waterthrush. Spring is now officially here with the arrival of our first warblers. This individual was singing from somewhere along the gushing run, just east of "Valhalla Falls," a small cascade over the Lower Mercer Limestone. Technically, the bird was east of our property line, but it's my yard and I make the rules. If I can see it or hear it from my property it counts as a yard bird. Checking again on my bluebird boxes I was delighted to find that we actually have bluebirds interested in box 3. I saw a female enter the box, and then a male emerged. Looks good! Boxes 2 and 6 have tree swallows, while boxes 1 and 4 were hosting the dreaded house sparrows, which I have now cleaned out. No lack of killdeer here on Flint Ridge. I can hear them screaming in the crepuscular rain right now (8:20 PM). Bob Evans Geologist, etc. Hopewell Township, Muskingum County DeLorme 70 A1 (classic editions) ______________________________________________________________________ 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]