The ides of May are upon us, and the following have arrived and appear to be staying at our Muskingum County farm and forest property. Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm has no wetlands per se, although the clay-based soil retains water for extended periods, and there are ample spring and seep zones on the hill slopes. The 57 acres property is divided, roughly equally into open upland pastures and successional scrubby fields, with plenty of edge habitat transitioning downslope to three forested ravines. The property is not a trap of any kind, although many species pass through in migration, and several obviously regard it as a nesting destination. The following charts some of my favorite species. Warblers: blue-winged yellow common yellowthroat hooded redstart ovenbird Louisiana waterthrush chat In the past 15 years I have also had territorial Kentucky and cerulean warblers, but I have not detected that this year, only a brief two-day visit by ceruleans. Flycatchers: phoebe Acadian wood-pewee Mimids: mockingbird (over-wintering) catbird brown thrasher Swallows: tree barn Others: red-winged blackbird meadowlark Baltimore oriole scarlet tanager house wren wood thrush I also have bluebirds, over-wintering and nesting. There is nothing terribly surprising here, but I always find it interesting to see what an "average" patch of countryside will harbor. Traveling great distances to see and hear birds is fine, but it is also rewarding to carefully check ones own neighborhood. The above list is by no means comprehensive. We also have a fine assortment of the usual year-round birds of field and forest. Bob Evans Geologist, etc. Hopewell Township, Muskingum County ______________________________________________________________________ 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.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]