I returned home Monday night from business in southern California. It had been eight days since I last observed the birds on our farm in western Muskingum County. One of the advantages (one of the only advantages) to my erratic and periodic schedule of observation is that changes during migration are more obvious. New arrivals (or at least new songsters) the past three days: A phoebe is now singing in the Spring Hollow below our farmhouse. Last year these birds nested in the rafters of our woodshed, and I suspect they will again. During our daily walk around the property I have heard another phoebe singing incessantly near our neighbor's house to the south of us. A sure sign of Spring. Towhees are now wheeping and urging us to drink tea at several locations in the wooded ravines. Field sparrows and their songs have been on the increase daily. Many red-winged blackbirds continue to visit the feeders, but I haven't seen any females yet. I haven't had the time or timing to go look for woodcocks in the evening, but I am hoping there are a few around by now. The number of these birds at our place has declined over the past decade, and ours never seem to arrive as early as some others around the state. Jane (my non-birding wife) reported birds she thought were acting like swallows, swooping over the fields last Sunday evening. I haven't been able to confirm this yet. They would be tree swallows, since they are always the first swallows to arrive. They should be here soon, if not already. 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]