Too nice to be inside all day, took a break and got OUTSIDE. Hope you do the same today. The male red-wing blackbirds are all flexing their epaulets and singing away! Love to hear that in the spring. A few early tree swallows are claiming their nesting boxes already! The painted turtles are out sunning and I saw two butterflies along the boardwalk. (commas) Beautiful Fox Sparrows along the boardwalk, a few Yellow-rumped warblers, a nice male E. Towhee, and another of my favorite spring arrivals..........E. Phoebe. The eagles behind the Bird Center are sitting on eggs (not sure how many yet) The Bird Center remains closed due to a water problem. WE should know more after Thursday. I will keep you posted. Many of you have asked me, and many more will be asking................What are all of the yellow X's on the trees along the boardwalk for??? Most of these are dead or dying ash trees, or trees that are in danger of falling on the boardwalk (and people!) So as a safety issue, they will be cut down over the course of the next couple of years. On March 22, we will be having our monthly Bird Count at Magee. Leaves from the Bird Center at 8 am. Join us if you can. Woodcocks are very active and abundant right now. We are having a Woodcock Walk on Saturday March 24th. It will leave from the Bird Center at 7 pm. Happy Birding! Mary L. Warren Wildlife Communications Specialist Magee Marsh Wildlife Area 13229 W. State Route 2 Oak Harbor, OH 43449 419-898-0960 #31 FAX: 419-898-4017 [log in to unmask] Keep the WILD in Ohio, learn how you can help @ wildohiostamp.com <http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/ExperienceWildlifeSubHomePage/conservat ionstamp/tabid/21476/Default.aspx> "I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." John Burroughs ______________________________________________________________________ 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]