For those in Southern Ohio, periodical cicadas are starting to emerge. Gene Kritsky's website at http://inside.msj.edu/academics/faculty/kritskg/cicada/Site/Cicada_home.html has a map of emergences. After the rain, I figure they will pick up. The website also has daily soil temperatures. In the upcoming weeks, one should be on the lookout for kites. Since the range for Mississippi Kites appears to be expanding, chances are good that some should be found soon. During the emergence of Brood X in 2004, 4 kites were observed in SW Ohio (1 swallowtail, the rest Miss.) I have learned to bird conditions (weather, biological, etc.) to find rarities - with somewhat success. Also, this emergence coincides with the OBBA II. One could get a lot of confirmed "CF" observations. Doing some reading on the subject, it seems that the Cuckoos are benefited the most from the cicadas. An interesting study on periodical cicadas and effects on birds is at: http://repositories.cdlib.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3710&context=postprints ------------- Don Morse Jr http://donaldthebirder.blogspot.com/ - my blog ______________________________________________________________________ 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]