Since nobody else seems to be birding today (All laugh in unison please)
I'll fill the void of reports.

It's good day when you drop in on a favorite trail near Hashawa and hear no
less than a dozen new songs for the year -starting with the King of them
all - WOOD THRUSH. Also got good looks at some birds- Ovenbird, Indigo
Bunting, Yellow-throated Vireo,Yellow Warbler and some nicely colored
WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS before they leave shortly.

It's a good day when you walk around the lake across the road and find a
tiny painted turtle making his was to the lake from wherever he just
hatched. Also heard a Baltimore Oriole down there. They're back.

But it is a VERY good day when you glance down at the box from the front
window, check the scope and see a male House Sparrow sticking his head out
as he relieves the wife for lunch. Yes folks, this is a golden opportunity.
With Laura manning the scope, I did my usual sneak up from the blind side of
the box, reached around and slipped my hand over the hole.  "Do I have him?"
I called out. A chill went down my spine as she answered "YES!"
    To aid in the successful maneuver, Laura then left the scope and came
down and slipped a board over the hole where my left hand had been. She
hates the idea of the bird pecking at her hand as it might try to escape.
This frees up both of my hands to carefully maneuver the top off enough to
get my hand inside. I grabbed both a warm body and a handful of eggs that
soon turned to mush as I squeezed tight. Somehow the head of the bird landed
about thirty yards to the right while the body went left. Gee. I musta
mishandled it.
    To quote Larry the Cable Guy, "Lord, I 'pologize fer that."

    None the less, mission accomplished. Now the bluebirds in the other box
will live in a nicer neighborhood, hopefully undisturbed by the aggressive
creeps from England. And a note to the novice bluebirders out there- getting
the MALE House Sparrow is worth at least 3 times a female. I live for
moments like this.

Jerry Tarbell
Successful bluebird housekeeper in Carroll County