Hi Everyone, I just wanted to send out a brief reminder that May 1st marked some new additions to the list of species that are now in safe dates for the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas. Basically, safe dates help us to include simple observations of a species in the Atlas database. Again, safe dates only apply to observations that you would code as 'X' (observed but not in suitable breeding habitat), 'OS' (seen or heard within suitable breeding habitat), or 'PO' (a pair of a species interacting with one another in suitable breeding habitat). So, don't let safe dates limit your atlasing activities. For more information on safe dates, please read through the Volunteer Handbook which can be downloaded at http://www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/atlasmaterials.php An example that comes to mind is a recent observation of a Whip-poor-will that flushed from a road in the Columbus area. This nightjar species is currently migrating through the state so simply seeing this bird couldn't rule out its being a migrant because no other observations were made that would indicate that it might be setting up a territory. However, a trip to southern Ohio right now would probably reveal a calling nightjar or two. I have heard from a couple of Atlas volunteers that they have had Whip-poor-wills calling incessantly from specific locations and have even observed these birds chasing other individuals. This is territorial behavior and we can conclude at a probable level that these birds are nesting in the area. The 'T1' territorial code is not constrained by safe dates (which begin May 25th for this Whips) so if you are observing territorial behavior then you should consider submitting these records to OBBA2. Of course, many species of birds sing during migration so simply having a bird in song does not necessarily indicate territoriality around a breeding location. Care should be taken to record specific behaviors that are being interpreted as territorial. Please contact us if you have questions about any aspect of what constitutes territoriality for a specific species. If you're curious about when you should start looking for breeding behaviors of certain species, I would recommend reading through the first Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas. A copy of each species account can be viewed at the OBBA2 website...just click on 1st Atlas Material. The species account for Whip-poor-will indicates that egg dates for the species have been documented from mid-May through early July. Some observations indicate that clutches may be produced as early as late-April! Species Now within Atlas Safe Dates: Rock Pigeon 1/1 Great Horned Owl 2/1 Barred Owl 2/1 House Sparrow 2/1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3/15 Downy Woodpecker 3/15 Hairy Woodpecker 3/15 Pileated Woodpecker 3/15 Carolina Chickadee 3/15 Tufted Titmouse 3/15 Northern Cardinal 3/15 Ring-necked Pheasant 4/1 Ruffed Grouse 4/1 Wild Turkey 4/1 Eastern Screech-Owl 4/1 Carolina Wren 4/1 American Woodcock 4/10 Northern Bobwhite 4/15 Belted Kingfisher 4/15 Black-capped Chickadee 4/15 European Starling 4/15 Common Grackle 4/15 Killdeer 4/20 Horned Lark 4/20 Canada Goose 5/1 Mute Swan 5/1 Trumpeter Swan 5/1 Wood Duck 5/1 Mallard 5/1 Black Vulture 5/1 Turkey Vulture 5/1 Bald Eagle 5/1 Red-shouldered Hawk 5/1 Red-tailed Hawk 5/1 Herring Gull 5/1 Mourning Dove 5/1 Barn Owl 5/1 Long-eared Owl 5/1 Short-eared Owl 5/1 Northern Saw-whet Owl 5/1 Eastern Phoebe 5/1 Loggerhead Shrike 5/1 American Crow 5/1 White-breasted Nuthatch 5/1 Bewick's Wren 5/1 Eastern Bluebird 5/1 American Robin 5/1 Louisiana Waterthrush 5/1 Red-winged Blackbird 5/1 Yellow-headed Blackbird 5/1 House Finch 5/1 -- 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]