Hello, I participated in the first spring bird walk for the season at Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Kirtland, Lake County. The best bird was a Louisiana Waterthrush that was singing and visible in a ravine off of a trail by the nature center. Other good birds of note were Wood Duck (2), Red-shouldered Hawk (1), Eastern Phoebe (2), BLUE-HEADED VIREO (1) (great looks at eye level!) Tree Swallow(about a dozen), Brown Thrasher (1 heard only), Field Sparrow (about 6), White-throated Sparrow (1 heard only), and a pair of Eastern Meadowlarks. After Penitentiary Glen, I stopped at Chagrin River Park in Willoughby. I walked out onto the bridge that goes over Chagrin River and noticed a couple swallows flying around. At first, I thought they were Tree Swallows, but then I noticed their brownish bellies and saw them flying in and out of little holes on the river bank. I looked more closely at the birds and identified them as Northern Rough-winged Swallows! In my oppinion, I think the swallows are nesting in the river bank. It started sprinkling after I saw the swallows, so I left after that. Only other birds of note were Mallard, Canada Goose, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, and Turkey Vulture. Lastly, on Route 2 in Willoughby, I saw a fly by Barn Swallow, my first of the year for this species. Good Birding, Cole F. DiFabio Madison, Ohio Lake County ______________________________________________________________________ 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]