Ohio Birders, Whether or not you're involved with the Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas, this weekend and into the first days of August is often still a good time to get out and collect important birds records. At first glance, it is quiet in most places, but a closer look and tracking down individuals and is often productive for collecting breeding confirmations, and good species lists (as a side, 'pishing' is effective right now and often turns up a parent carrying food for young). On Thursday and Friday I was camping at Pike Lake State Park (Pike County) and atlasing nearby blocks. I managed to turn up breeding confirmations (usually fledged young, carrying food for young, and recently independent young) for a good number of species, including: Canada Goose, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Chimney Swift, Eastern Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Barn Swallow, E. Starling, Am. Robin, Eastern Bluebird, Gray Catbird, N. Mockingbird, Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-breated Chat, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Common Grackle. Lots of Indigo Buntings, White-eyed Vireos, Acadian Flycacthers, Wood Thrushes, Yellow-throated Warblers, Hooded Warblers, Pine Warblers, and towhees were singing. Morning and late afternoon revealed infrequent singing from nesters like Yellow-throated Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Louisiana Waterhrush, Ovenbird, Cerulean Warbler, etc. My point? It is not a bad time to finish up blocks, or start new ones....and besides, it's pretty darn cool out there for late July! If you're out shorebirding, there are blocks adjacent to Conneaut needing attention, including priority block 33A7CW, and nearby blocks. If you are closer to Pickeral Creek you might try 38B2NW, 38B3SW, 38A1NE, or 38B1SE...and nearby non-priority blocks have little in the way of records, so a little time can contribute new records for many blocks. If you've not gotten involved, check us out at: http://www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/ Get in touch if you have questions. Thanks for your involvement and good birding! Paul Rodewald ************************************** Paul G. Rodewald, Director Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas II The Ohio State University School of Environment and Natural Resources 2021 Coffey Road Columbus, Ohio 43210-1085 Website: http://www.ohiobirds.org/obba2/ E-mail: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ 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]