Leslie Sours and I birded at Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve in Licking County today. We could not have asked for better weather or a better show by the birds. From the time we arrived in the morning until we had to quit to go home the time was filled with great birds. The crème de la crème without competition was a spectacular male Golden-winged Warbler that put on a show for us. This I would have never expected as I had another Golden-winged Warbler Sunday at Hoover Meadows in the Hoover Nature Preserve in Delaware County. Leslie and I had about 20 species of warblers for the day. I say about as we each managed to miss at least one that the other got. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve is like a pilgrimage for me in early May. I have had more century days here than anywhere else and a dozen or so species of warblers nest in the preserve. Birds present, in part, at Blackhand today include: Turkey Vultures were plentiful but no Black Vultures. Usually I spot one or two. Red-shouldered Hawks were soaring overhead and being quite vocal at day. A Belted Kingfisher was fishing along the river. Woodpeckers included Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker and Pileated Woodpecker. Flycatchers included Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe and Great Crested Flycatcher. No Eastern Kingbirds. Vireos included White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Philadelphia Vireo and Red-eyed Vireo. Only a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets were observed. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were thick as gnats. With a little phishing they constantly came in close. They are always a favorite of mine. Thrushes were strangely absent except for Wood Thrushes. They are in good color and looking handsome. One escorted us along the trail. Gray Catbirds were everywhere. They were sounding off with their gibberish babbling. Warblers always steal the show this time of year and today was no exception as the species present included Blue-winged Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat. Both Summer Tanagers and Scarlet Tanagers were observed. Eastern Towhee were in high numbers and the males and females are paired off. For Little Brown Bird (LBB) fans we had Chipping Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow and White-crowned Sparrow. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were everywhere and we usually would see a female surrounded by two to three males looking for her attention. Indigo Buntings were present in moderate numbers. Most looked quite handsome although we did see one that looked like a candidate for rehab. Baltimore Orioles in their flashy black and orange were seen high in the trees . We did have a mystery bird. Unfortunately we did not get a clear or long view of it. Our first impression was an Indigo Bunting as we could see the blue as it perched in a group of leaves. Slight movement by the bird gave an impression of brown or rufous on the wing but before that could be totally determined the bird flew. It appeared to be a little bigger than a bunting, but by itself that is not fact, but only impression. A Blue Grosbeak or an Indigo Bunting pulling a fast one on us birders? We will never know therefore it goes down as a “hum?” A day well spent enjoying nature and the birding company of a friend. Charlie Bombaci ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]