Sometimes when bird news slows to a crawl, I like to look back to see if it 'twas ever thus. At random, I chose to look at shorebirds from July 2003 in Ohio as reported on this forum. I can send a complete version to anyone who'd like to see one, but here's a summary: ---thirteen counties were involved, six with significant reports; Wyandot and Marion counties had the most (mostly at two "accidental" specks of habitat), with transient numbers from Erie's Pipe Ck, Ottawa (mostly ONWR estuary), and Ashtabula (Conneaut Harbor only), with honorable mention to refreshing results from Williams and Fulton counties. Hoover Res had high water and was not in play, nor was Lorain. ---totals were hardly spectacular: 270+ lesser yellowlegs, 118 short-billed dowitchers, 4 sanderlings, 2 western SP, one ruff, one knot, 4 Wilson's phal for example; these might easily have been seen at a single spot on a single day in a good year. ---July 2001's list of species totaled 24 (regular Ohio spp=34, review=13) black-bellied plover semipalmated plover killdeer Am. avocet greater yellowlegs lesser yellowlegs solitary sandpiper willet ruddy turnstone spotted sandpiper whimbrel red knot sanderling semipalmated sandpiper western sandpiper least sandpiper white-rumped sandpiper pectoral sandpiper dunlin stilt sandpiper ruff (review species) short-billed dowitcher Wilson's snipe Wilson's phalarope Thus far this year, we've had only one shorebird species--a couple of piping plovers--not seen in 2003, but the month is young. But where are the usual birds like dowitchers? Things may change; a few short-lived spots seem to have quickly decayed (e.g. Pipe Creek) this month, and at least one--the Lorain impoundment--seems to have revived to at least faintly remind veterans of the good old days there, but overall the prospects for good observations--and good stopovers for these long-distance migrants--don't look all that good at the moment. Other birds reported in these habitats in 2003 included a couple of Franklin's gulls, a few black terns, and several tricolored heron reports that may have involved the same individual. June-July of 2003 in all had 63 black terns---not nearly so many now, and we seem in danger of losing more and more of this one altogether, even as a migrant. Good shorebird habitats in 2003 were few, but they were fewer this year, in part due to higher water levels, but also the usual negligence of the habitat needs of our most numerous migrants---yes, more species than warblers, more than waterfowl--continues. Best wishes to all, including the birds, Bill Whan Columbus ______________________________________________________________________ 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]