It has been a frustrating first month of spring birding here at Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm (my "yard") on Flint Ridge in far western Muskingum County. (57 acres of upland pastures and successional fields, with three connected, wooded ravines.) My frustration may well have to do with timing, issues having to do with that pesky out-of-state employment, inclement weather at inopportune times, late nights with the band (and so no early mornings observations thereafter,) and then there is that frustrating knee sprain that I suffered in November, still bugging me and limiting my usually nimble and pain-free ramblings. The weather as well has been hit and miss. Oh well... (enough whining!) The following birds are later than everyone else's FOS sightings: Brown thrasher - this morning in the howling wind I heard the first of this species I have seen here this spring. I caught a brief glimpse at distance (50m) confirming that it was not just a mockingbird of few words. Wood thrushes - I returned from my latest California work trip Monday night. Yesterday morning (4/19) during our daily walk around the property I noted a couple singing wood thrushes. Always nice to have them back. Warblers - nada, zilch, zero. Not even a Louisiana waterthrush yet, particularly listened for since the first of April (earliest date here in the past decade was March 31.) They may well be around but I have to get out earlier. No hoodeds, no common yellowthroats, no blue-winged, etc. This place is not a migrant trap in any sense of the word. It is just a well-observed upland of average Appalachia, and a nesting destination for particular individuals of many species (usually seven, eight or nine warblers,) few of which have arrived. All in good time. All in good time. I keep reminding myself that birding requires patience. - - - All the short-distance migrants and resident birds are reveling in the vernal wetness: cardinals, robins, titmice, chickadees (Carolina,) and the black gang: red-winged, grackles, starlings, cowbirds. The finches, both house and goldfinches are having a field day, at the feeders and in the field. Jane put up our hummingbird feeder last week, this time before the hummingbird came to the kitchen window to say, "Hey! Get with it!" Other species seem to be on schedule for the most part. Three of my seven "bluebird" boxes (#s 5, 6 & 7) have tree swallows, and one has bluebirds (#4.) I'm not sure about #s 1 & 2, and #3 has house sparrows, which I will evict later when the current squall passes. The only flycatchers thus far are phoebes. So, for the moment, patience. I should be pretty much at home for the next couple weeks, so observations should improve shortly. Bob Evans Geologist, etc. Hopewell Township, Muskingum 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]