This report will be old news to many who have been reporting woodcocks from around the state for some time. But I am happy to report that woodcocks are present and active here at our upland farm on Flint Ridge in western Muskingum County. My sporadic business travel means that sometimes I have witnessed this annual occurrence, and sometimes I have missed it. The past two weeks I have been out of state, and earlier this week I was busy in the evenings. Still, I truly look forward to these charming and interesting birds every year, and I must admit I have been deeply disappointed the years I haven't seen or heard them. All is right with the world, at least with the avian part of the world at our place. This evening at dusk I circled around the edge of our pastures and fields. I didn't necessarily expect to hear anything during my walk across the hilltop pasture. Nothing but a robin or two down by the neighbor's cattle. I wandered around the edge counterclockwise, flushing a robin and a sparrow sp., until I got to the back forty, actually six acres of successional scrubby field that is ideal for woodcocks. Then, according to plan, I heard an ascending twitter of wings followed by the lilting whistle of the descent. No peenting until after the second flight, but the wing-song is unmistakeable. I smiled, and celebrated with a private fist-pump. Then one individual peented nearby, with an answering call from some more distant point. A couple more flights and calls, and I proceeded around the remainder of the edge. I think I discerned a third calling woodcock somewhere down in the young forest. Beautiful evening! So we have woodcocks. I am happy about it. Spring is "officially" here. There was some discussion about signs of spring a while back on this list. I note each sign in its turn, but for me, the presence of woodcocks is always welcome. Now if the pasture would just get growing, we could feed less hay. To every thing there is a season. Bob Evans Geologist, etc. Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm 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]