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Updated on Wednesday, May 14 at 08:55 AM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Siamese Fireback,©BirdQuest

14 May Bank Swallow, Rock Creek (DC) [Clive Harris ]
13 May Dunlin & Purple Finch - Finzel, Garrett, Co. [David Yeany II ]
13 May Lake Roland, 05/13/08 [Kevin Graff ]
13 May Franklin's Gull [Max Wilson ]
13 May Yellow-Crowned Night Herons [Lou DeMouy ]
13 May Hains Pt (and a MD sighting) [Paul Pisano ]
13 May Excellent migration continues in AA Co. [Stan Arnold ]
13 May Wood Sandpiper [Stephen Horvath ]
14 May Hains Point Franklin's Gull ["Gail B. Mackiernan ]
13 May Pasadena Morning [Dan haas ]
13 May migrants in parks within the Anacostia river watershed, Washington DC (May 13) [Dhananjaya Katju ]
13 May A Franklin's Gull at East Potomac Park [Rob Hilton ]
13 May FW: [MDOSPREY] Birding along the National Mall, correction [Kathy Reiser ]
13 May Philadelphia Vireo, warblers at Nat'l Arb, 5/13 ["Strobel, Warren" ]
13 May Common Yellowthroat [Paul Mackey ]
13 May Birding along the National Mall [Kathy Reiser ]
13 May Re: which Franklin's [Clive Harris ]
13 May Blk-bellied Plover, Summit Hall TF, MoCo 5-13-08 [Andy Martin ]
13 May Re: Chat a Nats fan? [Rob Hilton ]
13 May Re: Chat a Nats fan? [Rob Hilton ]
13 May Upper Watts Branch Park for 5/13/08 [Paul O'Brien ]
13 May Chat a Nats fan? [Paul Pisano ]
13 May FW: DC Area, 5/13/08 [Norm Saunders ]
13 May Willow Fly at Blue Mash; Hooded and Kentucky at Rachel Carson, May 13 [Michael Bowen ]
13 May Piney Orchard Nature Preserve - Cape May Warblers [Elaine Hendricks ]
13 May Very unexpected yard bird, post-storm [Janet Millenson ]
13 May Rock Creek Park, DC, Tue. 5/13 [Wallace Kornack ]
13 May A Franklin's Gull still present this morning, Hains Pt [Clive Harris ]
13 May A Cape May Warbler encounter ["Gail B. Mackiernan ]
13 May Cliff Swallow and Bank Swallow - Hughes Hollow M/B/ WMA [Eric Skrzypczak ]
13 May Seaside Sparrows continue at Sandy Point State Park [Matt Hafner ]
13 May Wilson's Warbler in Pasadena [Bill Hubick ]
12 May May Count, Irish Grove and Vicinity [Paul Bystrak ]
12 May Hart-Miller Island Seminar ["Eugene J. Scarpulla" ]
12 May Nighthawks in PG Co. [Denise Ryan ]
12 May Lower Eastern Shore, 5/10-11 (Chucks, Whips, Shorebirds) [John Hubbell ]
12 May White-rumped Sandpiper - North Branch C&O, Allegany, Co. [David Yeany II ]
12 May Re: West Annapolis [Dan haas ]
12 May West Annapolis [Dan haas ]
12 May Oxbow Lake: Black Tern, 5 species swallows [Marcy Stutzman ]
12 May Sora, Am Bittern, Hughes Hollow, 5/12/08 [Andy Martin ]
12 May Re: Southern St. Mary's Co., May Count totals [Patty Craig ]
12 May Re: World Series of Birding, Cape May 2008 [jim brighton ]
12 May Seneca Grasslands Project [Bonnie Coe ]
12 May Franklin's Gull III in DC, May 12, afternoon [Michael Bowen ]
12 May Hains Pt - 3rd Franklin's Gull & Bank Swallow [Gary Allport ]
12 May Re: 3rd Franklin's Gull at Hains Pt! ["Gail B. Mackiernan ]
12 May 82nd Dorchester County May Bird Count (in part) & Ferry Neck, May 8-11. [Henry Armistead ]
12 May Bob Mumford at PGAS/PBC Mtg tom'w [Lynette Fullerton ]
12 May White-crowned Sparrow in Pasadena [Scott Michaud ]
12 May 3rd Franklin's Gull at Hains Pt! [Paul Pisano ]
12 May Downtown Baltimore backyard birds [Joe Halloran ]

Subject: Bank Swallow, Rock Creek (DC)
From: Clive Harris <clivegharris AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 06:55:14 -0700
A very pleasant morning at Rock Creek, though not many new migrants seemed to 
be in based on postings from yesterday. 


The biggest surprise was a flyover Bank Swallow that I saw just after getting 
out of my car on the Ridge. It was in the company of two Barn Swallows. The 
lower part of the Ridge near the horse field was best first thing; in contrast 
the Yard was rather quiet, though not helped by a worker firing up his 
cherr-picker when I got there. 


Warblers:
Northern Parula (3, including a female)
Nashville (1)
Yellow-rumped (c. 30 or so, still the most numerous)
Blackburnian (2 - one male in full sunlight by horse field)
Chestnut-sided (at least 6)
Blackpoll (c. 10)
Magnolia (5)
Possible Bay-breasted singing once on Ridge
Black-throated Blue (1)
Black-throated Green (5)
American Redstart (4)
Common Yellowthroat (2)
Black-and-White (1)
Canada (1, by stables)

Others included good views of Scarlet Tanager; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; 
Baltimore Oriole; Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireos; Swainson's Thrush (4 - 
near Nature Center) and several flyover Eastern Kingbirds. 


Good birding

Clive Harris
Cabin John, MD


--- On Tue, 5/13/08, Paul Pisano  wrote:

> From: Paul Pisano 
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Hains Pt (and a MD sighting)
> To: MDOSPREY AT HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
> Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 6:55 PM
> I drove around Hains Pt on my way home from work today
> (5/13, about an hour
> after Sandy & Dave).  I did not see any gulls on the
> golf course at all.
> There were a number of Ring-billeds riding the flotsam on
> the river, but I
> couldn't find any other gull species.  However, I did
> find a COMMON TERN -
> seen sitting on a log on the river, and briefly in flight.
> 
> Unfortunately I have been unable to get any pictures of
> these Franklin's
> Gulls.  Clearly there have been at least 2 individuals (an
> adult and a 1st
> summer).  Whether the individual seen these past 2 days is
> the same as the
> adult bird seen on 5/3 is the big question.
> 
> And here's a belated MD report - there's a
> YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
> hanging out along Jones Mill Rd.  Both my sister and I saw
> it on Saturday,
> 5/10.  When it's wet, it seems to favor the grassy
> field opposite Farmington
> St. (were Farmington intersects with Jones Mill).  This is
> just north of the
> intersection of Jones Mill/Beach Dr & East-West
> Highway.  My sister saw the
> bird in the morning, and I saw it at about 6:15pm.  I know
> it was reported
> from this spot last year, which suggests to me that there
> is a pair
> somewhere along Rock Creek in that area.
> 
> Good birding,
> Paul Pisano
> Arlington, VA
Subject: Dunlin & Purple Finch - Finzel, Garrett, Co.
From: David Yeany II <dyeany2 AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 23:12:16 -0400
Tonight while on my way up Samson Rock Rd. going to Finzel Swamp, I saw two
Dunlin in full breeding plumage right in the middle of the road.   I'm not
sure if this is unusual, but I know it's the first that I've seen Dunlin in
Finzel, and it was especially odd to see these two and hear a male Purple
Finch singing at the same time. It's times like these that you just scratch
your head. Any enlightenment is welcome.

Good birding,

David

-- 
David Yeany II
109.5 Pennsylvania Ave
Cumberland, MD 21502
Cell: (814) 221-4361
Subject: Lake Roland, 05/13/08
From: Kevin Graff <whitemarlin2001 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 20:08:32 -0700
Hi all,



Baltimore Bird Club's seventh in a series weekly walks

to follow the progress of Spring Migration, next walk
on May 20th at 830am.

05/13/08 - 8am-1235pm
Robert E. Lee Park "Lake Roland" Hollins Ave.,
Riderwood, Baltimore Co., MD

WEATHER: MC/PC, 52-67 degrees, NW 4 mph- NW 13 mph
LEADER: Paul Noell
OBSERVERS: 19

Canada Goose - 9
Mallard - 8
Great Blue Heron - 2
Great Egret - 1
Black-crowned Night Heron - 1
Black Vulture - 2
Turkey Vulture - 1
Osprey - 1
Cooper's Hawk - 1
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 (on way out)
Red-tailed Hawk - 2
Solitary Sandpiper - 1
Spotted Sandpiper - 5
Least Sandpiper - 1
Mourning Dove - 8
Chimney Swift - 31
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1
Belted Kingfisher - 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 6
Downy Woodpecker - 2
Northern Flicker - 1
Pileated Woodpecker - 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1
Acadian Flycatcher - 2
Eastern Phoebe - 2
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
Eastern Kingbird - 2
White-eyed Vireo - 1
Yellow-throated Vireo - 1
Warbling Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo - 6
Blue Jay - 1
American Crow - 1
Fish Crow - 3
Tree Swallow - 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 4
Barn Swallow - 29
Carolina Chickadee - 5
Tufted Titmouse - 6
White-breasted Nuthatch - 2
Carolina Wren - 2
House Wren - 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 9
Eastern Bluebird - 2
Veery - 1
Swainson's Thrush - 1
Wood Thrush - 3
American Robin - 30
Gray Catbird - 9
Northern Mockingbird - 2
European Starling - 7
Cedar Waxwing - 28
Yellow Warbler - 2
Magnolia Warbler - 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler - 1
Black-and-white Warbler - 3
American Redstart - 1
Prothonotary Warbler - 1 (seen by one, heard by few)
Ovenbird - 3
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat - 2
Wilson's Warbler - 1 (seen by one observer)
Canada Warbler - 4
Scarlet Tanager - 1 (seen b one observer)
Chipping Sparrow - 2
Song Sparrow - 3
White-throated Sparrow - 1 (seen/heard by one ob)
Northern Cardinal - 10
Red-winged Blackbird - 12
Common Grackle - 9
Brown-headed Cowbird - 2
Orchard Oriole - 1
Baltimore Oriole - 4
American Goldfinch - 7
House Sparrow - 1
SPECIES: 76
TOTAL BIRDS: 334

MAMMALS
Eastern Chipmunk - 1
Gray Squirrel - 11

REPTILES
Eastern Painted Turtle - 1

BUTTERFLIES
Cabbage White - 4
Question Mark - 1

***I left out one Earth-boring Beetle at Cylburn
Arboretum along stump dump trail on 5/11/08***


    Kevin Graff
    Jarrettsville, MD & West O.C., MD
    WhiteMarlin2001 AT yahoo.com
 



      
Subject: Franklin's Gull
From: Max Wilson <jmwilson AT LAW.GWU.EDU>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 22:42:53 -0400
I walked down to Hains Point after work to look for the Franklin's Gull.  I 
reached East Potomac Park a little after 6:00.  On my circuit of the point I 
watched a Bald Eagle grab a fish out of the channel and get mobbed by 
several crows.  I only saw a few gulls on my walk down the channel side.  
Working my way back up the Potomac side, I walked the grassy margin 
between the road and the golf course.  Right about where the road was 
submerged, I spied through a break in the brush a large flock of gulls sitting 
on 

the golf course.  After scanning the flock for a while and picking out four 
Bonaparte's Gulls and the Common Tern, I finally found the adult FRANKLIN'S 
GULL at 6:40.  It was initially facing away from me giving me a good view of 
the dark back and the black and white wingtips. It would occasionally turn it's 

head, showing the very prominent broken eye ring and straight red bill.  After 
studying if for five or ten minutes, the whole flock flushed and I noted the 
very light underside of the wings. I found the flock again further north on the 

golf course but could not refind the Franklin's despite two other birder's 
joining 

in the hunt.  I did manage to find a GLOSSY IBIS on the golf course and 
WOODCOCK along the fence while searching and another birder reported 
seeing a WILSON'S WARBLER, but I couldn't relocate it.

Thanks to all those that have been reporting these great DC rarities!

Max Wilson
Kensington, Montgomery County, MD
mercretas AT hotmail.com
Subject: Yellow-Crowned Night Herons
From: Lou DeMouy <ldemouy AT STARPOWER.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 22:35:25 -0400
Regarding the yellow-crowned night herons on the wet field close to Jones Mill 
Road -- these are quite possibly the same herons, which are nesting on Chevy 
Chase Lake Drive about 1/4 mile to the east of Connecticut Avenue.  As the 
heron flies, this is a short distance to Jones Mill Road.

Lou DeMouy
Chevy Chase, MD
Subject: Hains Pt (and a MD sighting)
From: Paul Pisano <cheep AT STARPOWER.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 20:55:40 -0500
I drove around Hains Pt on my way home from work today (5/13, about an hour
after Sandy & Dave).  I did not see any gulls on the golf course at all.
There were a number of Ring-billeds riding the flotsam on the river, but I
couldn't find any other gull species.  However, I did find a COMMON TERN -
seen sitting on a log on the river, and briefly in flight.

Unfortunately I have been unable to get any pictures of these Franklin's
Gulls.  Clearly there have been at least 2 individuals (an adult and a 1st
summer).  Whether the individual seen these past 2 days is the same as the
adult bird seen on 5/3 is the big question.

And here's a belated MD report - there's a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
hanging out along Jones Mill Rd.  Both my sister and I saw it on Saturday,
5/10.  When it's wet, it seems to favor the grassy field opposite Farmington
St. (were Farmington intersects with Jones Mill).  This is just north of the
intersection of Jones Mill/Beach Dr & East-West Highway.  My sister saw the
bird in the morning, and I saw it at about 6:15pm.  I know it was reported
from this spot last year, which suggests to me that there is a pair
somewhere along Rock Creek in that area.

Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington, VA
Subject: Excellent migration continues in AA Co.
From: Stan Arnold <dy.dx AT EARTHLINK.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 21:53:18 -0700
Hi Folks,

Not only is this the wettest Spring I've ever experienced in Maryland, but 
it has been the best migration I've encountered here in Ferndale.  We had 
our first SWAINSON'S THRUSH in the yard last Thursday (5/8), and a female 
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK has been dining at our feeders since the day 
prior--the first time we've ever had one for more than a day.  She was one 
of the last birds to leave the feeders at dusk this evening.  Yesterday 
(5/12), following several days absence, four WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs visited 
our yard, and as the rain was turning into a light drizzle, Elaine called me 
to the north side of the house.  She said she had a warbler with a green 
back.  A parula, I asked?  No, it's all pale underneath.  I was excited at 
the prospect, and even more so when my binoculars landed on a TENNESSEE 
WARBLER, not only a new yard bird (#127), but also a new county bird, and 
yard bird #99 for the year.

This morning (5/13) began with several singing warblers in the yard before I 
had to go to work, including Black-throated Blue, Blackpoll, and Redstart. 
While I was at work, Elaine sighted a CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, and our yard's 
first COMMON YELLOWTHROAT this year (#100 for year).  After I got home from 
work and while working in the back yard this afternoon an adult BALD EAGLE 
flew over, and later while I was on the phone with Bill Hubick 
(congratulating him on the World Series win), a late MERLIN zipped by 
heading north, our sixth sighting of this species from the yard this year. 
The day ended with our first COMMON NIGHTHAWK, species #101 for the year.

On two different days last week we had ten species of warbler in the yard, 
and typically we've had six or seven each day this month.  Never before have 
we experienced a migration like this.  Is it the weather?

Stan Arnold
Ferndale (AA Co.)
dy.dx AT earthlink.net
Subject: Wood Sandpiper
From: Stephen Horvath <falcon85 AT PRODIGY.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 21:39:00 -0400
Is there anybody going to see the Wood Sandpiper this weedkend that 
wouldn't mind giving a ride to a college student. I will gladly help pay for 
gas. 

Subject: Hains Point Franklin's Gull
From: "Gail B. Mackiernan <katahdinss AT comcast.net>"
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 01:26:48 +0000
Hi all --

We both think that the Franklin's gull we found in the rain yesterday is the same one seen by others  -- viewing conditions yesterday and today were quite different and color and detail was not as easily made out yesterday, thanks to the downpour.

Barry visited some of the literature and writes this: 
"The Franklin’s Gull Gail and I saw yesterday at Hains Point looked to us to be an adult, or pretty close to it – As far as we could see it had a complete black hood and bold white eye crescents. The white panel or bar separating the black on the primaries from the grey wing and mantle, as well as the white primary tips, were obvious both when the bird was in flight and on the ground. The bill and soft parts looked more dark than red but that was undoubtedly the light. There is a nice photo of adult and second summer Franklin's Gulls together in flight in "Gulls of North America, Europe and Asia." The bird we saw looked closer to the adult in the photo than the second summer bird. Also looking at the various photos in this book,  there seems to be a fair degree of variation amongst adults in summer plumage. Having said this, the bird yesterday did not look as "pristine" as the bird found by Paul over a week ago, and it lacked the pale pinkish shade to the underparts that bird had. 
This maybe simply the result of timing as some birds take longer than others to reach full breeding plumage."

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD

Subject: Pasadena Morning
From: Dan haas <nervousbirds AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 20:35:45 -0400
Before visiting schools in the Northern section of Anne Arundel County
this morning, I dropped by Bill Hubick's home to see my lifer WILSON'S
WARBLER.  Thanks Bill and Becky!!!  Wilson was a very cooperative
bird.  I purposely didn't bring the camera so that the bird would be
there in perfect light.

As soon as I left, the pull of doing some additional morning birding
magically pulled my car into the lot at Weinberg Park.  It was a lot
of fun and a fantastic way to start the day.  Here are the results.

Location:     Weinberg Park
Observation date:     5/13/08
Number of species:     39

Canada Goose     2
Great Blue Heron     1
Little Blue Heron     1
Black Vulture     1
Osprey     1
Bald Eagle     1
Spotted Sandpiper     2
American Woodcock     1 FANTASTIC LOOK RIGHT ON THE PATH
Mourning Dove     2
Chimney Swift     1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     1
Eastern Kingbird     1
Red-eyed Vireo     5
Blue Jay     1
American Crow     2
Fish Crow     3
Barn Swallow     2
Carolina Chickadee     8
Tufted Titmouse     5
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     2
Eastern Bluebird     1
American Robin     7
Gray Catbird     9
Northern Mockingbird     1
European Starling     1
Northern Parula     5
Chestnut-sided Warbler     1
MAGNOLIA WARBLER 1 TAUNTING ME AT EYE LEVEL IN PERFECT LIGHT WITH NO CAMERA 

Black-throaTed Blue Warbler     1
Black-and-white Warbler     1
American Redstart     5
Common Yellowthroat     6
Eastern Towhee     2
Northern Cardinal     7
Red-winged Blackbird     2
Common Grackle (Purple)     3
Baltimore Oriole     1
American Goldfinch     2

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Good Birding (and thank you again Bill & Becky!),

Dan Haas
West Annapolis, MD
nervousbirds AT gmail.com
Subject: migrants in parks within the Anacostia river watershed, Washington DC (May 13)
From: Dhananjaya Katju <onebiteonesip AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 18:25:15 -0400
It was a hopping 'migrant' day within the Anacostia river watershed in the
District of Columbia. I had spectacular views of a male Scarlet Tanager, a
singing Great Crested Flycatcher and a Wild Turkey foraging along the Oxon
Run (near the intersection of Southern Avenue and S. Capitol St. SE).

On a non-avian note, a gorgeous Gray Fox stepped out from the gallery forest
along Oxon creek and provided very clear looks right down to the black
streak running dorsally on its tail.

*Migrants & miscellaneous highlights:*

*Barnard Hill Park*
House Wren
N. Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat

*National Arboretum*
 Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Acadian Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
E. Wood-Peewee
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wood Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
N. Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Blackpoll Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager

*Kenilworth Park*
Barn Swallow
N. Rough-winged Swallow
E. Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
N. Parula
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Indigo Bunting

*Fort Dupont Park*
 Acadian Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
E. Wood-Peewee
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wood Thrush
Veery
N. Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Scarlet Tanager

*Bald Eagle Hill Park + Oxon Run*
Wild Turkey
Barn Swallow
N. Rough-winged Swallow
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wood Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
N. Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
 Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
 Common Yellowthroat
Rose-breasted Grosbeak


*Dhananjaya Katju*
*Washington DC*
Subject: A Franklin's Gull at East Potomac Park
From: Rob Hilton <aimophila10 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 14:17:52 -0700
Hello MDOsprey, 

At about 4 pm, David Sperling and Sandy Farkas were looking at a Franklin's 
Gull, I presume an adult. The gull was on the golf course and they were on the 
river side of Ohio Drive "opposite Gravelly Point". 


Rob Hilton
Bethesda

       
Subject: FW: [MDOSPREY] Birding along the National Mall, correction
From: Kathy Reiser <kathyreiser AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 16:07:36 -0500
Sorry, I meant to say Great Crested Flycatcher.
Kathy Reiser
Washington, D.C.

> Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:29:46 -0500
> From: kathyreiser AT HOTMAIL.COM
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Birding along the National Mall
> To: MDOSPREY AT HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
>
> It is surprising what interesting birds show up alongside the National Mall 
during migration. 

> This morning, at about 7:15 to 7:30, my husband and I walked through the 
grounds of the National Academy of 

> Sciences, where the statue of Albert Einstein is located, between 21st and 
22nd Sts. along Constitution Ave. 

> We heard an Ovenbird, Crested Flycatcher and House Wren, and flushed a 
roosting Red-tailed Hawk. 

> These were in addition to the usual residents.
>
> Kathy Reiser
> Washington, D.C.
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Make Windows Vista more reliable and secure with Windows Vista Service Pack 
1. 

> http://www.windowsvista.com/SP1?WT.mc_id=hotmailvistasp1banner

_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends.

http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_052008 
Subject: Philadelphia Vireo, warblers at Nat'l Arb, 5/13
From: "Strobel, Warren" <wstrobel AT MCCLATCHYDC.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 17:04:12 -0400
 Very birdy this morning at the National Arboretum Azalea Collection. There was 
also some serious damage to the area, with several large trees down and parts 
of the paths blocked for repair. 


 Highlight was a PHILADELPHIA VIREO, feeding in a tall tree by one of the 
paths. First mistook it for a Blue-Headed, but got good looks at dark cap, 
strong white supercilium, dark eyeline, dark lores, whitish underparts and 
darkish tail. Size was right for Philadelphia, rather than Red-Eyed... 


	Other treats included:

	_ American Redstart 
	_ N Parula
	_ Common Yellowthroat (both m and f)
	_ Black and White Warbler
	_ BT Blue Warbler (heard)
	_ Ovenbird (heard)

	_ Scarlet Tanager (m and f)
	_ Red-Eyed Vireo
	_ GC Flycatcher (heard)
	_ E Wood Peewee (heard)
	_ Wood Thrush (heard)
	_ Eastern Towhee (m)


    Warren & Lisa Strobel 
    Annapolis, MD
    birdingcouple AT yahoo.com
    www.birdcouple.com
 



	
Subject: Common Yellowthroat
From: Paul Mackey <paul.mackey AT MYACTV.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 16:53:36 -0400
I had a big surprise this afternoon at my home in Hagerstown when I saw my
first ever yard bird/warbler.  A male Common Yellowthroat flew into a small
shrub where I was able to get a good look, albeit very briefly.  
Subject: Birding along the National Mall
From: Kathy Reiser <kathyreiser AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:29:46 -0500
It is surprising what interesting birds show up alongside the National Mall 
during migration. 

This morning, at about 7:15 to 7:30, my husband and I walked through the 
grounds of the National Academy of 

Sciences, where the statue of Albert Einstein is located, between 21st and 22nd 
Sts. along Constitution Ave. 

We heard an Ovenbird, Crested Flycatcher and House Wren, and flushed a roosting 
Red-tailed Hawk. 

These were in addition to the usual residents.

Kathy Reiser
Washington, D.C.

_________________________________________________________________
Make Windows Vista more reliable and secure with Windows Vista Service Pack 1.
http://www.windowsvista.com/SP1?WT.mc_id=hotmailvistasp1banner
Subject: Re: which Franklin's
From: Clive Harris <clivegharris AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:47:37 -0700
Paul

I couldn't see any trace of brown or other signs of immaturity on the bird I 
saw today. It looked very clean and with a lot of white on the primaries, i.e. 
an adult or near-adult that had completed its last molt. But my views were 
brief and birds can look different when soaking wet, as yesterday. I assumed it 
was either gull #1 or #2 (or conceivably its another one.....). Did anyone 
managed to get a picture of any of this remarkable influx? 


Regards

Clive

--- On Tue, 5/13/08, Paul Pisano  wrote:

> From: Paul Pisano 
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Chat a Nats fan?
> To: MDOSPREY AT HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM
> Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 10:36 AM
> > 
> I wonder if the bird that
> Clive saw is the same as the one that Gail, Barry &
> Gary saw yesterday.  It sounds like that one had a fair
> amount of brown in the tertials and coverts and minimal
> white in the primaries.  The crisp adult I saw on May 3rd
> didn't have any brown, had a prominent white band
> between the gray and black of the primaries, and a pale
> pink wash to the breast.
> 
> Good birding,
> Paul Pisano
> Arlington, VA
Subject: Blk-bellied Plover, Summit Hall TF, MoCo 5-13-08
From: Andy Martin <apmartin2 AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:27:42 -0500
Dave Czaplak alerted me to a BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER at the Summit Hall 
Turf Farm. I walked up (maybe 3/4 mile) along canal from the Sycamore 
Landing parking lot and was able to "peek" between foliage with 'scope 
across the canal to puddles on turf farm.

I actually could not find the bird at first, and desperate for a new 
addition to my county list, I started to wade across a very full C&O 
Canal. I'm "wimped" out however part way across when I ended up in neck 
deep water holding my scope above me military style. Back on dry land, I 
finally found it in a puddle visible between a break in foliage.

Warblers along canal included:
American Redstart
Northern Parula 3
Prothonotary 2
Black-and-White
Northern Waterthrush 2
Black-throated Blue
Black-throated Green
Yellow-rumped
Magnolia
Common Yellowthroat 2

Good and "safe" birding,

Andy Martin
Gaithersburg
Subject: Re: Chat a Nats fan?
From: Rob Hilton <aimophila10 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:22:29 -0700
Oops, I didn't mean for my last reply to go to MDOsprey.  

Back to work I go. 

Rob Hilton
Silver Spring

       
Subject: Re: Chat a Nats fan?
From: Rob Hilton <aimophila10 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:21:38 -0700
Something long-winged, gray, erm, grey, and slender with red legs just flew by 
... just kidding. 


Paul Pisano  wrote: Today at lunchtime I took a walk 
around my office (US Dept of Transportation HQ in SE DC). The only access to 
the Anacostia in the immediate vicinity is at the intersection of Frist St. & 
Potomac Ave. (by the Earth Conservation Corp bldg). This is in the shadow of 
the new Nationals stadium. There's a small green patch there, and in that patch 
today was a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Obviously a migrant on it's way north. Also 
present was at least 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. 


And for what it's worth, this morning, on my way to work I stopped by Hains Pt. 
The road was closed at Buckeye & Ohio Drs at first, and later it was opened to 
the clubhouse but not beyond (this was between 6:45 and 7:30am). In any case, I 
did not see *any* Franklin's Gulls (he says, in a voice dripping with 
incredulity). I only saw 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL, plus the usual suspects, either at 
the pond opposite the tennis court parking lot or from the clubhouse parking 
lot. I wonder if the bird that Clive saw is the same as the one that Gail, 
Barry & Gary saw yesterday. It sounds like that one had a fair amount of brown 
in the tertials and coverts and minimal white in the primaries. The crisp adult 
I saw on May 3rd didn't have any brown, had a prominent white band between the 
gray and black of the primaries, and a pale pink wash to the breast. 


Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington, VA


       
Subject: Upper Watts Branch Park for 5/13/08
From: Paul O'Brien <PObrien776 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 15:08:08 EDT
It seems that nothing left during the deluge, but today we could actually see 
birds!

Red-eyed Vireo 5
Veery 2
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush 2
Nashville Warbler 3
Northern Parula 4
Chestnut-sided Warbler 4 (1 female)
Magnolia Warbler 4
Cape May Warbler 
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3 (1 female)
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black and White Warbler 2
American Redstart 3
Ovenbird 2
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat 3
Scarlet Tanager 3
Indigo Bunting
Baltimore Oriole 1 female

Paul O'Brien
Rockville, Mont. Co., MD


**************
Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? 
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(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)
Subject: Chat a Nats fan?
From: Paul Pisano <cheep AT STARPOWER.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 13:36:15 -0400
Today at lunchtime I took a walk around my office (US Dept of Transportation HQ 
in SE DC). The only access to the Anacostia in the immediate vicinity is at the 
intersection of Frist St. & Potomac Ave. (by the Earth Conservation Corp bldg). 
This is in the shadow of the new Nationals stadium. There's a small green patch 
there, and in that patch today was a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Obviously a migrant 
on it's way north. Also present was at least 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT. 


And for what it's worth, this morning, on my way to work I stopped by Hains Pt. 
The road was closed at Buckeye & Ohio Drs at first, and later it was opened to 
the clubhouse but not beyond (this was between 6:45 and 7:30am). In any case, I 
did not see *any* Franklin's Gulls (he says, in a voice dripping with 
incredulity). I only saw 1 BONAPARTE'S GULL, plus the usual suspects, either at 
the pond opposite the tennis court parking lot or from the clubhouse parking 
lot. I wonder if the bird that Clive saw is the same as the one that Gail, 
Barry & Gary saw yesterday. It sounds like that one had a fair amount of brown 
in the tertials and coverts and minimal white in the primaries. The crisp adult 
I saw on May 3rd didn't have any brown, had a prominent white band between the 
gray and black of the primaries, and a pale pink wash to the breast. 


Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington, VA
Subject: FW: DC Area, 5/13/08
From: Norm Saunders <marshhawk AT VERIZON.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 13:31:23 -0400
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cordle [mailto:scordle AT capaccess.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 11:47 AM
To: birdeast AT listserv.arizona.edu
Subject: DC Area, 5/13/08

Hotline:            Voice of the Naturalist 
Date:               5/13/2008 
Coverage:           MD/DC/VA/DE 
Telephone:          301-652-1088 option 1 
Reports (voice):    301-652-1088 option 2 
        (email):    voice AT AudubonNaturalist.org 
     (deadline):    midnight Mondays 
Compiler:           John Bjerke 
Sponsor:            Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central 
                      Atlantic States (independent of NAS!) 
Transcriber:        Steve Cordle (scordle AT capaccess.org) 

Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of
the Voice (Individual $40; Family $50; Nature Steward $75; Audubon
Advocate $150). The membership number is 301-652-9188, option 12; the
address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; and the web
site is http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org. 

This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon 
Naturalist Society. This report was completed Tuesday, May 13, at 8:00
a.m. 

Top bird this week is WOOD SANDPIPER* in DE.

Other birds of interest include NEOTROPIC CORMORANT*, AMERICAN
BITTERN, MISSISSIPPI and SWALLOW-TAILED KITES, GOLDEN EAGLE, SORA,
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, FRANKLIN'S GULL, COMMON RAVEN, 
LE CONTE'S SPARROW, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW,
BOBOLINK, PURPLE FINCH, and RED CROSSBILL. 

A WOOD SANDPIPER* first found on May 5 along the Broadkill Road in
Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE was seen every day in the last week. The
bird has been in the pools on the north side of the road approximately
2.2 miles past the entrance to Prime Hook.

Migrants continue their annual passage to and through the area. A DE
Big Day on May 7 recorded 26 species of warblers and 25 species of
shorebirds. Other hot spots included Rock Creek Park, Washington DC
with 16 warblers on May 6 and May 8, Rock Run Mill, Harford Co, MD
with 20 warblers on May 6, multiple locations in Harford Co with 19
warblers on May 8, Flag Ponds SP, Calvert Co, MD with 19 warblers on
May 10, Jug Bay section of Patuxent River Park, Prince Georges Co, MD
with 18 warblers on May 11, Compton Mt., Buchanan Co, VA with 18
warblers on May 10 and Highland and Bath Cos, VA with 20 warblers on
May 10.

A possible NEOTROPIC CORMORANT* was reported from the Potomac River
near Harper's Ferry on May 9.

An AMERICAN BITTERN was seen at the Hughes Hollow impoundments,
Montgomery Co, MD, on May 12. LEAST BITTERN is again being heard in
the Jug Bay section of Patuxent River Park, Prince Georges Co, MD.

A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE flew over the hawkwatch at Cape Henlopen SP,
Sussex Co, DE on May 7. Three MISSISSIPPI KITES were seen near
Petersburg, VA on May 8. MISSISSIPPI KITES were reported to have
returned to Halifax Co, VA on May 10. A single MISSISSIPPI KITE was
spotted at the Jug Bay section of Patuxent River Park on May 11.

A GOLDEN EAGLE in the roadway near Linden, Warren Co, VA surprised a
birder on May 7.

SORAS were heard at the Jug Bay section of Patuxent River Park this
week and one was seen at the Hughes Hollow impoundments on May 12.

A RED-NECKED PHALAROPE was found near Fishersville, Augusta Co, VA on
May 12.

The golf course at Hains Point, Washington DC has apparently become a
haven for FRANKLIN'S GULL. Two additional birds were seen after the
bird of May 3. One described as a first summer bird was seen on May 9
and May 10. A molting adult was found on May 12.

Two COMMON RAVENS were seen at the Beltsville Agricultural Research
Station, Prince Georges Co, MD on May 7.

A LE CONTE'S SPARROW* was found at Greenbury Point, near Annapolis,
Anne Arundel Co, MD on May 7. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was seen on the Blue
Mash Nature Trail, Montgomery Co, MD on May 11.

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS decided to postpone migration a bit showing up
in a yards in Bethesda, MD, Havre de Grace, MD, Eldersburg, MD, and
Baltimore, MD.

BOBOLINKS made welcome news at several spots including Gravelly Point
at National Airport, Washington, DC and several hundred in a field on
Harrison Road, Fauquier Co, VA on May 11. 

A lingering PURPLE FINCH was in Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD on
May 7.

Up to 15 RED CROSSBILLS are visiting a feeder in Rockingham Co, VA. 

Some of this week's reports have been gleaned from the MDOsprey,
VA-Bird, and DE-bird list servers.

Finding Birds in the National Capital Area by Claudia Wilds is an 
excellent source for directions to many birding sites. The ANS 
Bookstore (301-652-3606 or
www.audubonnaturalist.org/cgi-bin/mesh/store) is an excellent source
for this and many other nature-related titles. 

To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to
voice AT AudubonNaturalist.org or call 301-652-1088 and select menu
option 2. Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the
county as well as state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning
contact, either e-mail or phone. 

Thank you for calling, and GOOD BIRDING. 

*Of interest to the records committee.
Subject: Willow Fly at Blue Mash; Hooded and Kentucky at Rachel Carson, May 13
From: Michael Bowen <dhmbowen AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 13:28:11 -0400
I birded Blue Mash Nature Trail in Montgomery County this morning, 
starting late at about 9 a.m. -- too late to hear or see any 
Black-billed Cuckoos, which have been a fixture there for the last 
couple of weeks.  But I did hear dueting Barred Owls from the wood 
over Zion Rd. at about 10:30 a.m.

Best sighting today was of two singing WILLOW FLYCATCHERs.  The Trail 
continues to be good for Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroats and 
Yellow-breasted Chats.  Anyone going there for the next few days 
needs to wear waterproof boots -- it's really wet.

I then moved on to seriously underbirded Rachel Carson Conservation 
Park. Having not been there in a good while, I was pleased to see 
that the trails are now marked and it is somewhat less easy to get 
lost.  I was even more please to hear and see singing HOODED and 
KENTUCKY WARBLER.  Both birds were along the Rachel Carson Trail in 
areas where there is substantial understory, with the Hooded being at 
a higher elevation.

Good Birding.

Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda, MD

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom 
Subject: Piney Orchard Nature Preserve - Cape May Warblers
From: Elaine Hendricks <ehendric AT VERIZONMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:06:46 -0500
This morning the dog and I decided to do a little birding in Anne 
Arundel County.  First we tried Patuxent North Tract but found that 
it was closed "until further notice due to flooding," according to 
the sign on the gate.  So, we went to Piney Orchard Nature Preserve 
in Odenton instead.  There the highlight of our walk was not one 
but TWO beautiful male Cape May Warbers, engaged in a bit of a 
singing duel, alongside the paved pathway before the first bridge.  
I got decent looks at both, which more than made up for my 
frustration last Friday, when I was unable to see the Cape May 
reported by Jeff Shenot at Jug Bay the day before (I heard it sing 
several times, in the same area where Jeff saw it, but couldn't 
locate it).

Although the bird activity was somewhat subdued, I managed to 
see or hear (mostly hear) nine additional species of warblers 
(including Northern Parula, Pine, Prairie, Prothonotary, and Hooded)
and both orioles.

   
Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)
ehendric AT verizonmail.com


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Subject: Very unexpected yard bird, post-storm
From: Janet Millenson <janet AT TWOCROWS.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 12:35:21 -0400
After sufficiently heavy rains (notice any lately?) a "lake" usually forms, 
100 feet long but only a few inches deep, around the willow in the old field 
alongside our driveway. On several occasions we've even had a pair of 
mallards show up and paddle around until the water gets absorbed. However, 
just now I was amazed to find a SOLITARY SANDPIPER out there -- definitely a 
new species for my yard list!

Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)
janet AT twocrows.com
----------------------------------------------------------------
"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot 
Subject: Rock Creek Park, DC, Tue. 5/13
From: Wallace Kornack <wallace AT KORNACK.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 11:01:28 -0400
A very good day for warblers on a beautiful morning at Rock Creek  
Park. Scarlet Tanagers and Baltimore Orioles put on beautiful displays  
in the bright sunlight.

Highlights:

Tennessee Warbler  (heard)
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula     5
Yellow Warbler     2
Chestnut-sided Warbler     2
Magnolia Warbler     5
Black-throated Blue Warbler     3
Yellow-rumped Warbler     30
Black-throated Green Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler     (Sheila)
Blackpoll Warbler     (Jim)
Black-and-white Warbler     4
American Redstart     3
Ovenbird     (2 heard)
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler     2  (Marjorie and Daniel)

Red-shouldered Hawk
Chimney Swift     2
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird     2
White-eyed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo     8
Barn Swallow
Veery  (heard)
Swainson's Thrush
Scarlet Tanager     8
Chipping Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Rose-breasted Grosbeak     3
Baltimore Oriole     8

Observers:  Lou, Jim, Marjorie, Dave B., David, Wallace, Sheila, Daniel

Have Fun Birding!

Wallace Kornack
Washington  DC

  
Subject: A Franklin's Gull still present this morning, Hains Pt
From: Clive Harris <clivegharris AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 07:43:53 -0700
At least one of the Franklin's Gulls is still around at Hains Pt. I saw what 
seemed to be a full adult at about 9AM this morning. I did not have prolonged 
views but it seemed to have very extensive white in the outer primaries at 
least. This and the gulls it was with dispersed when a groundsman came by in a 
golf cart soon after I'd found it. The location was on the Potomac river side 
of the golf course, in a pool seen south from near the first toilet block. I 
came across another large group of gulls about 1/4 mile loafing round a pool 
further up but could not refind the Franklin's. This did seem to be a good spot 
to look though. 


As well as the Ring-billed there were about 5 Bonaparte's and a couple of 
Herring and Great black-backed, and a single Caspian Tern. Shorebirds included 
both Yellowlegs, and Solitary, Spotted and Least Sandpipers. 


Regards

Clive Harris
Cabin John, MD
Subject: A Cape May Warbler encounter
From: "Gail B. Mackiernan <katahdinss AT comcast.net>"
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 14:25:08 +0000
Hi all --

I had an early doctor's appointment on Shady Grove Rd. in Rockville this morning so couldn't get out birding.  But I still had a nice bird -- leaving the office & walking back to my car I heard a Cape May Warbler singing in a small maple beside the parking lot. I squeaked at him and he flew very close to me, so I could enjoy all the details of his brilliant plumage without binoculars. We looked at each other for a few moments and then he flew off. I heard him singing away as I continued to my car.

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD

Subject: Cliff Swallow and Bank Swallow - Hughes Hollow M/B/ WMA
From: Eric Skrzypczak <ericskrz AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 09:31:12 -0400
Today,

Cliff Swallow and Bank Swallow were grouped with all of the Tree Swallows
perched over the water this AM (about 7:30 am).  I had initially ID'ed the
Cliff Swallow as the elusive California Surfer Swallow due to the white
patch above the beak.  But . . . According to Sibley . . . . well . . . he
feels that no such bird as the "California Surfer Swallow" actually exists.
Yea right . . . what does he know anyways.

If anyone wants to take up a petition to rename this species, I'll sign.
Subject: Seaside Sparrows continue at Sandy Point State Park
From: Matt Hafner <mh1920 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 09:08:07 -0400
This morning Bill Schreitz and I saw 3 Seaside Sparrows at Sandy Point State 
Park.? These birds have been present in this same area since at least May 3rd.? 
Bill described the area in his previous post as: 


"near the fishing jetty that divides the reserved beach area from the beach 
with the small craft launch ramp." 


If you walk the trail north along the beach from the parking lot at the point, 
look for the row of phragmites and watch for the sparrows feeding along the 
edge. 


The only migrants I saw were 2 Red-eyed Vireos, a Yellow Warbler, and a 
Black-and-white Warbler. 


Things were much more lively at my grandfather's house in Glen Burnie. 
Red-eyed Vireo - 2
Northern Parula - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1
Northern Waterthrush - 2

Matt Hafner
Bel Air, MD
Subject: Wilson's Warbler in Pasadena
From: Bill Hubick <bill_hubick AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 03:39:19 -0700
Hi Everyone,

While the Maryland Yellowthroats were taking the Cape May-Lewes ferry home from 
the World Series, my fiancee Becky described to me a bird she'd just seen in 
our yard. It was an all yellow warbler with a roundish black cap. Having 
repeatedly learned to trust her sightings, I had my coffee outside this 
morning, and soon I heard several harsh chips from one of our hollies. An adult 
male WILSON'S WARBLER then hopped out and foraged in the open for a couple 
minutes. I'm going to let it get a little lighter outside and then try for some 
photos. Yesterday afternoon the yard held a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, a male 
Magnolia, a male Black-throated Blue, and two Common Yellowthroats. 


For anyone interested, I've posted some photos of the Wood Sandpiper (how could 
we resist?) and a handful of photos from scouting for the World Series. That's 
better than sleeping, right? Maybe? A real highlight of the week for me was 
finding a Curlew Sandpiper on the mudflats north of Nummy Island--talk about a 
rush! It was an incredible week, and I'd like to thank everyone for their 
support before and during the event. A special thanks to Matt Hafner for his 
intense logistical support before the event. He wasn't physically there, but he 
was certainly a part of the team. Thanks to the rest of the team--captain Jim 
Brighton, Mikey Lutmerding, and Zach Baer--for making it one of the most 
intense and memorable days of birding I've had. And of course, a big 
CONGRATULATIONS to the Centreville teams! Awesome job! 


Photos: http://www.billhubick.com/new_set.html

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland
bill_hubick AT yahoo.com
http://www.billhubick.com
Subject: May Count, Irish Grove and Vicinity
From: Paul Bystrak <shrike AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 23:12:28 -0400
Marylee Ross and I covered Irish Grove and surroundings on the May 
Count.  As everyone knows, it was a rather miserable day, with steady 
rain and high winds most of the day. There were no real shorelines or 
tidal flats due to the heavy rains and the high tides, so shorebird 
counts were very low.  We drove into Crisfield to get some supplies 
around noon, and picked up a few species that we would have missed 
otherwise. However, about 2:30 the clouds cleared out and we were 
able to launch the canoe and travel many of the tidal creeks on the 
property. Sunset was actually spectacular - dead calm and blazingly 
beautiful.

Location:     Irish Grove Sanctuary
Observation date:     5/10/08
Number of species:     88

Canada Goose     5
American Black Duck     17
Mallard     4
Wild Turkey     4
Double-crested Cormorant     2
Great Blue Heron     7
Great Egret     6
Snowy Egret     3
Black Vulture     1 (sitting on the roof of the sanctuary house)
Turkey Vulture     13
Osprey     1
Bald Eagle     2
Northern Harrier     4  (including 1 male doing a spectacular sky dance)
Red-tailed Hawk     1
Clapper Rail     62
Virginia Rail     12
Killdeer     1 (in town)
Spotted Sandpiper     1
Greater Yellowlegs     6
Willet (Eastern)     28
Lesser Yellowlegs     7
Least Sandpiper     2
Dunlin     18
Laughing Gull     192
Ring-billed Gull     3 (in town)
Herring Gull     1
Forster's Tern     4
Rock Pigeon     3 (in town)
Mourning Dove     9
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     1
Barn Owl     1  (same location as 2 years ago)
Eastern Screech-Owl     2
Great Horned Owl     5
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Downy Woodpecker     2
Hairy Woodpecker     2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     3
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Eastern Wood-Pewee     1
Acadian Flycatcher     1
Least Flycatcher     1? (small, grayish, silent Empidonax in yard at 
Irish Grove)
Great Crested Flycatcher     14
Eastern Kingbird     8
White-eyed Vireo     6
Red-eyed Vireo     3
Blue Jay     1
American Crow     11
Fish Crow     1
Tree Swallow     20
Barn Swallow     15
Carolina Chickadee     13
Brown-headed Nuthatch     8
Carolina Wren     37
House Wren     16
Sedge Wren     2  (unlike previous years, these were in good breeding 
habitat.  It would be worth checking the place again, but it's nearly 
impossible to get to)
Marsh Wren     65
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     9
Eastern Bluebird     6
American Robin     8 (in town)
Gray Catbird     4
Northern Mockingbird     3 (in town)
European Starling     21 (in town)
Yellow Warbler     1
Pine Warbler     13
Prairie Warbler     3
Ovenbird     6
Common Yellowthroat     61
Yellow-breasted Chat     6
Eastern Towhee     11
Chipping Sparrow     2
Field Sparrow     2
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow     1
Seaside Sparrow     92
Song Sparrow     16
White-throated Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     30
Rose-breasted Grosbeak     1
Blue Grosbeak     4
Indigo Bunting     16
Red-winged Blackbird     77
Eastern Meadowlark     9
Common Grackle     46 (in town)
Boat-tailed Grackle     11
Brown-headed Cowbird     8
Orchard Oriole     3
American Goldfinch     1
House Sparrow     6 (in town)

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2


3709 Devonshire Drive
Salisbury, MD 21804
410-572-9950
443-783-1268 (cell)
shrike AT intercom.net 
Subject: Hart-Miller Island Seminar
From: "Eugene J. Scarpulla" <ejscarp AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:58:46 -0400
If anyone happens to be wandering around Annapolis on Thursday, May 15 at 
noon, and you are interested in learning about Hart-Miller Island, I would 
like to invite you to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources MANTA 
(Monitoring and Non-Tidal Assessment) Noon Seminar.

DATE:  May 15, 2008

TIME: Noon

LOCATION: Tawes State Office Building, C-1 Conference Room, 580 Taylor 
Avenue

SPEAKER:  Gene Scarpulla, Maryland Ornithological Society & Maryland 
Entomological Society

TITLE:  HART-MILLER ISLAND - PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE:  the transformation 
of dredged material into beneficial wildlife habitat

SYNOPSIS:  Hart-Miller Island is located in the northern Chesapeake Bay, 
approximately 6.5 miles east of Baltimore.  Hart-Miller was created in the 
early 1980s by connecting the rapidly eroding Hart and Miller Islands with a 
6-mile perimeter dike and thereby creating a 1100-acre impoundment.  The 
impoundment was then subdivided by a cross dike into the 300-acre South Cell 
and the 800-acre North Cell.  These two cells received dredged material from 
Baltimore Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay shipping channels.

Members of the Maryland Ornithological Society began weekly monitoring of 
avian usage of the facility in 1983.  The placement of dredged material into 
the cells created mudflat and pool habitats that are a mecca for waterbirds. 
Migrating shorebirds use these habitats as feeding sites during spring and 
fall on their way to and from breeding grounds in the Arctic.  Gulls and 
terns have historically nested on the island dikes, and both regularly use 
the cells for feeding and resting from spring through fall, with a large 
influx of birds during post-breeding dispersal.  Wintering waterfowl are 
attracted to the cells for feeding and resting from fall through spring. 
Additionally, insect monitoring began in the late 1990s.

Dredged material was no longer added to the South Cell after 1990.  A 
restoration effort began there in the early 2000s that created open water, 
wetlands, upland habitat, and a 1-acre nesting island.  The restored South 
Cell has unexpectedly attracted breeding populations of several of 
Maryland's Rare, Threatened, and Endangered breeding birds.  Additionally, 
some of Maryland's rarest insects have been observed on Hart-Miller Island. 
After the North Cell ceases receiving dredged material in 2009, a similar 
restoration project will follow.

Gene Scarpulla
Millers Island, Maryland
ejscarp AT comcast.net 
Subject: Nighthawks in PG Co.
From: Denise Ryan <screechowl AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:01:29 -0400
Who said refilling your bird feeders at night can't be fun. Around 9:30 tonight 

I had 1 nighthawk called repeatedly from the trees in my yard.  Then a second 
joined, and then a third. Thought I heard a fourth calling back in the 
distance. 


They must have been perched as I didn't see them flying around and they 
sounded very close.

I haven't been paying close attention to see if they have been seen in good 
numbers yet this year.

Makes me think of Frank Powers.  Frank and I used to trade notes on 
nighthawks in downtown DC.

Denise Ryan
Cheverly, MD
screechowl AT gmail.com
Subject: Lower Eastern Shore, 5/10-11 (Chucks, Whips, Shorebirds)
From: John Hubbell <johngilhub AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 21:53:23 -0400
Dave Powell and I spent the weekend on the lower Eastern Shore, primarily in 
Somerset and Wicomico Counties.  Despite the lack of migrant songbirds (2 
total), the night birding and shorebirds made for a productive outing.

We left DC after dinner Friday, arriving a little later than planned at Tanyard 

due to Bay Bridge traffic.  In the area between Hog Island Rd and Skeleton 
Creek Rd, we had 4 Whips and a Chuck.

Next stop was Dorchester County for Whips.  We missed them on Puckham Rd, 
but found one at the entrance of Camp ESPA on 313 between Eldorado and 
Sharptown.   That was our last nightjar of the evening despite a few more 
stops in Wicomico and Somerset Counties.   We heard a King Rail on Rumbly Pt 
Rd north of Irish Grove, but nothing interesting out in the marsh.  

Shorebirds were the highlight of Saturday's birding.  There were a number of 
good puddles in fields in Somerset County.

 - Pond at north end of Rumbly Pt Road - 2 Spotted Sandpipers

 - Flooded field on Rt 667 (Hudson Corner Rd) between Burnettsville Rd and   
   Lovers Lane:
      - 1 Solitary Sandpiper
      - 4 Least Sandpipers
      - 2 Spotted sandpipers
      - 1 Killdeer
      - 1 Greater Yellowlegs
      - 1 Blackpoll Warbler

 - Flooded field on Rt 413 between Rt 361 and Kingston - 10 Semipalmated 
   Plover

 - Flooded field on Dublin Rd between Follow Ditch Rd and Cokesbury Rd (near 
   Wellington WMA)
      - 8 Greater Yellowlegs
      - 3 Lesser Yellowlegs
      - 1 Short-billed Dowitcher
      - 18 Bald Eagles

 - Messick Rd pond near Deal Island
      - 14 Semipalmated Plover
      - 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper
      - 6 Least Sandpipers

For county listers, another notable stop was the pond on Clyde Ford Rd south 
of the landfill on Rt 361, which had 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

Our second migrant warbler of the day was another Blackpoll at the Salisbury 
Zoo.

Our Saturday night birding started shortly after dusk on Laws Rd in Worcester 
County.  Driving west from the intersection of Shockley Rd, we had 4 Chucks 
and 1 Whip.  We then zipped across the county line into Wicomico, where we 
had 1 Chuck at the intersection of Spearin and Mt Olive Church Rd.  
Continuing west, we had 3 more Chucks on the Worcester side of Meadow 
Bridge Rd between McGrath Rd and Sea Tick Rd.  Finally, we drove WNW on 
Sea Tick Rd in Somerset, getting 4 Chucks and a Whip.  We again heard the 
King Rail on Rumbly Pt Rd driving back to Irish Grove.

Sunday was a bit on the slow side with 0 migrant song birds.  We had 3 good 
stops on the way back.  At the end of the road (rt 349) in Waterview, 
Wicomico, we had 2 Boat-tailed Grackles, 1 Seaside Sparrow, 5 flyby 
Sanderlings, and 3 Semipalmated Plover.  

The trail along Puckham Branch off of Puckham Rd in Dorchester County had 1 
Kentucky Warbler, 2 Louisiana Waterthrush, a 1 Tom Feild.  The three of us 
then headed up to a trail off of North Tara Rd that had 1 Yellow-throated 
Vireo, 3 Louisiana Waterthrushes, 2 Prothonotary Warblers, and 4 Worm-
eating Warblers.  The vireo was close-out #100 for Dave.

John Hubbell
Washington DC



 

Subject: White-rumped Sandpiper - North Branch C&O, Allegany, Co.
From: David Yeany II <dyeany2 AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 20:52:42 -0400
I just wanted to report that amid a group of shorebirds at the North Branch
just this evening (8:20PM) was one WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER.  Other shorebirds
included:

Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper - most abundant shorebird present
Least Sandpiper
Killdeer

No plovers were seen which were present earlier this past weekend.
Also, a good many Barn Swallows were busy hawking insects and I heard one
Yellow-throated Vireo.

Good birding,

David

-- 
David Yeany II
109.5 Pennsylvania Ave
Cumberland, MD 21502
Cell: (814) 221-4361
Subject: Re: West Annapolis
From: Dan haas <nervousbirds AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 20:39:52 -0400
Whoops.  My apologies.  I had an error in my description.  There were
more than just three bird sightings that interested me these past few
days here at the house.  In addition, I forgot to mention the
Baltimore Oriole that dropped by Sunday morning.

Still wishing you Good Birding,

still Dan Haas
still from West Annapolis
still at nervousbirds AT gmail.com

On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 8:27 PM, Dan haas  wrote:
> I wanted to make a trip out to Sandy Point this afternoon, but the
>  park was closed due to no electricity.  I tried to find a ranger to
>  let them know that my birding needn't the use of anything electrical,
>  but they were no where to be found.
>
>  So, I'll tell you about the only three interesting things I've noticed
>  in the last two days.
>
>  1 Yellow-Billed Cuckoo in the tree above my house both yesterday and
>  this afternoon.
>  1 Green Heron flushed out of the tree tops and down the street (a
>  nearby neighbor's pond originally, I suspect) yesterday afternoon...
>  being chased by two Crows (Fish).
>  3 Blackpoll Warblers in the trees out front for the past three days.
>  Well, today I only had time to locate one... but they've remained here
>  during the rains, which I've rather enjoyed.
>  1 Great-Crested Flycatcher has returned to our neighborhood.
>  1 fledged Common Grackle.  Two parents feeding it a hot dog from the
>  street.  Oh, the joys of suburban living.
>  1 dead Mockingbird (hit by a car) and it's mate above it perched on a
>  nearby tree limb.
>  Lots of Yellow-Rumps, two Yellows Warblers, two Northern Parulas and
>  an American Redstart.
>
>  Aside from that, I'm just waiting for the new pond in my back yard to
>  attract some shorebirds.
>
>  Good Birding,
>
>  Dan Haas
>  West Annapolis, MD
>  nervousbirds AT gmail.com
>  http://wahzoh.blogspot.com/
>
Subject: West Annapolis
From: Dan haas <nervousbirds AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 20:27:00 -0400
I wanted to make a trip out to Sandy Point this afternoon, but the
park was closed due to no electricity.  I tried to find a ranger to
let them know that my birding needn't the use of anything electrical,
but they were no where to be found.

So, I'll tell you about the only three interesting things I've noticed
in the last two days.

1 Yellow-Billed Cuckoo in the tree above my house both yesterday and
this afternoon.
1 Green Heron flushed out of the tree tops and down the street (a
nearby neighbor's pond originally, I suspect) yesterday afternoon...
being chased by two Crows (Fish).
3 Blackpoll Warblers in the trees out front for the past three days.
Well, today I only had time to locate one... but they've remained here
during the rains, which I've rather enjoyed.
1 Great-Crested Flycatcher has returned to our neighborhood.
1 fledged Common Grackle.  Two parents feeding it a hot dog from the
street.  Oh, the joys of suburban living.
1 dead Mockingbird (hit by a car) and it's mate above it perched on a
nearby tree limb.
Lots of Yellow-Rumps, two Yellows Warblers, two Northern Parulas and
an American Redstart.

Aside from that, I'm just waiting for the new pond in my back yard to
attract some shorebirds.

Good Birding,

Dan Haas
West Annapolis, MD
nervousbirds AT gmail.com
http://wahzoh.blogspot.com/
Subject: Oxbow Lake: Black Tern, 5 species swallows
From: Marcy Stutzman <marciastutzman AT NETSCAPE.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 19:10:20 -0400
Location Location name: Oxbow Lake 
Observation type:  Casual Observation 
Observation date:  5/12/08
Start time:  5:30 PM
Duration:  0 hour(s) 30 minute(s) 
Number of people in party:  2 
Comments:  Rain poured down for about 24 hours starting Sunday 5/11/08 
around 4:30 p.m. The Little Patuxent River peaked at about 11 feet around 
6:00 a.m. Monday morning, 5/12/08, pushing water back into Oxbow Lake. At 
5:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, most of the vegetation in the lake was 
underwater, except for a little part of the peninsula extending from the 
northern shore.
 
 2 Canada Goose 
4 Great Blue Heron 
5 Great Egret 
1 Osprey 
1 Red-tailed Hawk 
1 Greater Yellowlegs 
6 Black Tern 
10+ Chimney Swift 
1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 
1 Great Crested Flycatcher 
20+ Tree Swallow 
20+ Northern Rough-winged Swallow 
10+ Bank Swallow 
10+ Cliff Swallow 
50+ Barn Swallow 
5 Carolina Chickadee 
1 Tufted Titmouse 
1 Gray Catbird 
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 
2 Red-winged Blackbird 
  
Total species reported: 20
Subject: Sora, Am Bittern, Hughes Hollow, 5/12/08
From: Andy Martin <apmartin2 AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 18:33:47 -0500
Got out in the rain today between 1:30 and 3 pm. The impoundments at 
Hughes Hollow were quite full. Most of the spatterdock was submerged. 
Spooked a SORA off the right side of dike along Buttonbush Swamp just 
before you cross the concrete culvert. Heading down the cross dike also 
flushed an AMERICAN BITTERN. Other birds of interest included 3 Lesser 
Scaup in large impoundment and 2 or 3 Solitary SP.

There are some nice puddles near the intersection of Sugarland and 
Montevideo Rds which held Least and Solitary SP. They should last a week 
or so after this rain and might be worth checking again for shorebirds 
for anybody out that way. I could not get down to Riley's because Seneca 
Crk has come up over the road. Tried Violette's but it was tough to get 
a good look at the river.  Dave Czaplak had both Common and Forster's 
Terns there earlier today.

On the night recording front, its been tough to keep up with the data on 
recent recordings but have added some new species to my list including 
Spotted and Least SP and Greater Yellowlegs, Blue Grosbeak, and 
Black-and-white Warbler. I was very impressed with Matt Hafner's recent 
post on night migration and his ability to id night calls in real time. 
Unfortunately, at this point I must still substitute technology for ability.

Good birding,

Andy Martin
Gaithersburg
Subject: Re: Southern St. Mary's Co., May Count totals
From: Patty Craig <eyrie AT HUGHES.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 18:06:35 -0400
Matt,

Could you check the list again?  I can't seem to find some species that 
we had.  It is probably me, but I don't see things like Mallard, 
Northern Gannet and Brown Pelican.

Thanks,
Patty Craig
Dameron, St. Mary's County, MD
Subject: Re: World Series of Birding, Cape May 2008
From: jim brighton <jdbrighton3 AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 21:29:03 +0000
Jim Wilson wrote,

 And the girls want to give a special thanks to Jim Brighton for the spot for 
 Red-headed Woodpecker and Blue Winged Warbler.  They also want to apologize 
 for waking him up in Belleplain Forest while they were scouting on Thursday 
 morning.  No wait, I probably should not have written that he was sleeping. 
 He was probably just sitting there reviewing the birds he needed to find, 
 but he did have his eyes closed while doing so.  He probably thinks better 
 that way.

Jim,

Your going to get me trouble with my team. I was going over our route -- trying 
to get all the locations and times straight in my head :)! The Centreville 
teams are the real stars of this years WSB. The Maryland youth teams and their 
teachers/parents should all get standing ovations. I have to admit I was a 
little shocked to open my eyes and find myself and my car surrounded by 
elementry school kids in one of the most secluded spots in all of Belle Plain 
State Forest (I thought it was a safe place for a quick nap). When I got out of 
the car they informed me that they had just heard what they thought was a 
Golden-winged Warbler, which is a bird we have never seen/heard during 

the WSB. As Jim Wilson Sr. said, "How many elementry school kids know what a 
Golden-winged Warbler sounds like?" That's why the Centreville teams rock! 
Can't wait to see you guys next year. Hopefully we will all be on the awards 
podium once again. 


Jim Brighton 

> 
>

_________________________________________________________________
Stay in touch when you're away with Windows Live Messenger.

http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_messenger_052008 
Subject: Seneca Grasslands Project
From: Bonnie Coe <bcoe1 AT VERIZON.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 16:37:23 -0400
I volunteer at Woodend on Mondays and this morning, had a conversation with
Randy Phoebus of the Native Grassland Conservancy.  He has recently signed a
7 year lease with Montgomery County to restore a 27 acre field in Seneca
Park to its original state - i.e., remove the invasive plants and let it
revert to its original condition.  He needs help with establishing a
baseline survey of birds present in the field's current degraded state so
that he can hopefully show the return of grassland dependent species over
time.  Would anyone on this list be willing to help?  He can be reached at
nativegrasslands AT aol.com 301-440-8915.   Thanks!  Bonnie Coe, A.U. Park DC
bcoe1 AT verizon.net  
Subject: Franklin's Gull III in DC, May 12, afternoon
From: Michael Bowen <dhmbowen AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 16:15:30 -0400
Thanks to Paul Pisano's posting of Gary Allport's sighting of a 
FRANKLIN'S GULL on the Hains Point (East Potomac Park) golf course 
just after 1 p.m. today, I was motivated to make a swift trip from 
Bethesda into DC.  And thanks to timely help from Gary and Frank 
Hawkins, who were just finishing their "short lunch break" when I 
arrived on the scene, I knew where to go to look -- on the golf 
course a short distance south of the clubhouse.

The bird was quickly spotted just off the edge of the 2nd green 
("Whatcha think, Johnny, should he chip it or putt it?") in the 
company of many immature Ring-billed Gulls.  The much smaller size 
and black hood stood out like a beacon.

I watched the gull for 30 minutes, between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., 
mostly from a covered bench area midway between the 2nd and 3rd 
greens, which afforded some shelter from the steady rain.  Most of 
the time it snoozed with its head tucked in and only occasionally 
looking around.  The front half of the bird certainly looked like a 
full adult - the hood was solid black with no lighter flecks, the 
white eye crescents sensational, the bill all dark red, and the 
breast and belly very bright white (with however no hint of pinkish 
flush, which would be characteristic of breeding).  The legs were, as 
far as I could tell, black (as opposed to dark red).  The back half 
of the bird looked a bit less like an adult (I agree with Gary that 
there was quite a bit of brown in the tertials and some, not much, in 
the coverts.)  Looked like quite a few wing feathers were missing.

I  later moved around to view the bird from the other side of the 
chain link fence, by the road down to the point.  The gull suddenly 
took off once and flew very briefly before landing again by the 
shelter I'd just been standing under!  I did not note much dark below 
the primary tips.  I don't have enough experience with Franklin's 
Gull to be sure, and perhaps it's a 2nd cycle bird (I can't find a 
suitable photo in my various gull books),  but I would guess that 
this bird is in its 3rd year and just undergoing its pre-alternate 
moult before becoming a gorgeous looking (snazzy was Gail's 
description and a good one) adult up there somewhere in the upper 
midwest or Canadian prairies. Let's hope it gets there safely - it's 
a long way east of the normal migration route.

Nearby were 2 BONAPARTE'S GULLS still in basic plumage.  I had a 
SPOTTED and a SOLITARY SANDPIPER in a rain pool and I am sure there 
were more around, but beat a hasty retreat before pneumonia set in.

Mike Bowen
Bethesda, MD



D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom 
Subject: Hains Pt - 3rd Franklin's Gull & Bank Swallow
From: Gary Allport <gallport AT AUDUBON.ORG>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 15:26:24 -0400
Dear All

Frank Hawkins and I thought we would do a quick whip round Hains Pt DC in 
our lunch hour so headed down there at 12.30 in our office clothing only to 
find that, as Gail mentioned, the roads were closed with lots of standing 
water. Slightly disappointed we hopped out of the car for 'just a quick' look. 

One and half hours later we returned to the car two very soggy but happy 
birders.

As Gail said there was a single Blownaparts Gull in with the ringers on the 
pool 

before the club house but we cut in through the golf course and tacked round 
the back of the car park and immediately picked up the Franklin's Gull where 
Gail and Barry had left it (not that we knew that at the time...). At a 
distance 

we concluded that it was a 2nd summer based on the apparent lack of white 
tertial crescents, brownish looking tertials and a very ragged set of 
primaries. 

But closer up we concluded that it was just a funny moulting adult - which 
certainly tallied with the nice hood, white eye lids, bright soft part colours 
etc.  Close up it did show very thin worn white, wet and ragged tertial 
crescents and the other unmoulted wet tertials looked a dirty blackish brown.  
The primaries were heavily work with a lots of dirty white tips and much 
reduced black sections, with a single moulted-in fresh outermost primary. I am 

not sure of the moult sequence of Franklin's Gull but this seems a bit odd.  
Anyway it looked quite different from the first bird that Paul found (although 
I 

only saw that in flight).  

There were lots of other birds around with the following of note:
Solitary Sand (6), Spotted Sand (3), Orchard Oriole (2), Baltimore Oriole (4), 
Yellow Warbler (1), Blackpoll (1), White-crowned Sparrow (1), Savannah 
Sparrow (2), Chipping Sparrow (1). 

We bumped in to Mike Bowen on the way out so he may well give an update 
on the Franklin's Gull III later today.

We left via the river side of the point and were pleased to find two Bank 
Swallows feeding with the many hirundines around the railway bridge (incl 3+ 
Rough wings).

Excellent.

Gary Allport
GAllport AT Audubon.org
    
Subject: Re: 3rd Franklin's Gull at Hains Pt!
From: "Gail B. Mackiernan <katahdinss AT comcast.net>"
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 18:28:51 +0000
Hi all --

We also saw this second-summer Franklin's at about 11:00 am, it was first with a lot of other gulls at the large pool between Buckeye Dr. and the golf course clubhouse. It then flew south past the club house, and we walked up along Ohio Drive  (the road was flooded about a foot deep!) to find the gull just beyond the parking lot sitting on a green quite close to the fence. It is in very fresh plumage and looks pretty snazzy! There was also a first-summer Bonaparte's Gull on the big pool amongst Ringbills and a few Herring and GBB Gulls. We had rather stupidly forgotten our cell phone so couldn't call Paul (or anyone else)

It was heaving with rain so we opted not to walk much further, there was a scattering of Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary and Spotted SPs on the many small pools. Alas, the clubhouse grill was closed as no one could access the clubhouse parking lots -- sure could have used a cup of hot coffee at that point!

We also checked out the Tidal Basin, Constitution Gardens and Georgetown Reservoir and didn't see anything of interest.

(Barry notes that he had seen just one Franklin's Gull in DC in 25 years and now has seen three in 9 days! )

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Paul Pisano 
> I just got a call from Gary Allport who is looking at a yet another Franklin's 
> Gull on the Hains Pt. Golf Course!  He said it is in 2nd summer plumage - fully 
> hooded but with some brown feathers in the coverts or tertials (can't remember 
> which).  This means it's the 3rd Franklin's to show up in DC since May 3rd.
> 
> He said the bird is about 5 minutes walk down the golf course on the Washington 
> channel side.  The gate is closed but you can walk the roads.
> 
> Good birding,
> Paul Pisano
> Arlington VA (& SE DC)
> 

Subject: 82nd Dorchester County May Bird Count (in part) & Ferry Neck, May 8-11.
From: Henry Armistead <74077.3176 AT COMPUSERVE.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 13:41:10 -0400
SUNDAY, MAY 11.  2 Wild Turkeys in John Swaine's field. 

Rt. 481 wet area: just 2 Great Blue Herons and 1 Lesser Yellowlegs today. 

82nd DORCHESTER COUNTY MAY BIRD COUNT, Saturday, May 10, 2008.

Herewith is the report of, only, my own day.  There are 4 other parties
with participants Bob Abrams, Joan Boudreau, Diane Cole, Dave Curson, and
Jared Sparks.  As soon as their totals come in I'll do an overarching
report on all of our efforts, with a complete list of all species.

3:30 A.M. - 10 P.M.  186.3 miles by car.  2 on foot.

131 species, 101 of them by noon, very poor.

WEATHER:  highly variable.  Crystal clear starlight with no wind 3:30-4:30
A.M.  Light rain and little wind most of the morning, oppressive and
totally overcast with some fog and much mist.  Low ceiling but lifts, a
lot, after noon.  Fair becoming clear in the afternoon with (mostly) NW
winds ranging from <5 to >25 m.p.h., diminishing late.  Clear and calm
after sunset.  Cool, with temps from 50-62 degrees F.  Water levels
disadvantageous, above normal tides and water in impounded areas high.

In "Beautiful swimmers" William W. Warner writes of rising at 1:30 A.M. to
go out on a crabber's boat, saying this is less like getting up this
morning, more like last night.  I'd agree.  Today I rise at 1:50 A.M.  Bob
Ringler spends last night at Rigby, rises early to help out in
birder-starved Somerset County.

Run into Bob Abrams and Joan Boudreau - the rascals are poaching - at 4:30
P.M.  They join me for the rest of the day.  Bob does the most astounding
imitations.  They are SOMETHING.  Virginia Rails answer his utterances as
readily as they do my CDs.  He also does a remarkable Sora.

MY ROUTE:  Sewards and central BNWR area plus Tranquaking River, all in the
pre-dawn.  Greater central BNWR area including Shorter's Wharf Road and
Robbins.  Cambridge.  Moneystump Swamp.  Hooper's Island.  Elliott Island
Road.

ABBREVIATIONS:  BNWR, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.  EI, Elliott
Island Road.  HI, Hooper's Island.  SH, Swan Harbor.

OF (some) INTEREST:  

2 Blue-winged & 7 Green-winged teal.  7 Northern Bobwhite.  1 Horned Grebe
at Sailwinds Visitor Center in Cambridge.  4 Brown Pelicans (HI).  1 Cattle
Egret (BNWR).  4 Glossy Ibis (EI).  40 Bald Eagles.  5 harriers.  1
Red-shouldered Hawk (Old Field Road, a lot of calling, and at close range -
nice).  

RAILS:  1 BLACK (calling, unsolicited), 1 Clapper, 1 King & 26 Virginias
plus 2 Common Moorhens.

SHOREBIRDS.  15 species, incl. 1 oystercatcher (HI), only 6 Willets, 275
Dunlin & 3 American Woodcock (EI).  Due to the high waters, rain and tide,
shorebirds are hard to find today.  5 Black-necked Stilts (2 BNWR, 3 EI). 

Bonaparte's Gull 1 (SH).  5 TERNS: 1 Caspian (BNWR), 8 Leasts (Best Value
Inn rooftop), 18 Royals, 2 Commons & only 18 Forster's.  

OWLS:  1 Barn, 1 screech, 1 Barred & 3 horneds.

14 Chuck-will's-widows, coming on strong in the calm, clear dusk.  4
hummers.  2 Red-headed Woodpeckers (Robbins & Moneystump Swamp).  1 ea. of
wood pewee & Acadian Flycatcher.  20 Bank Swallows (BNWR).  5 Brown-headed
nuts.  8 Ovenbirds.  6 Yellow-breasted Chats.  1 Scarlet Tanager.  

SPARROWS.  8 species:  1 Savannah, 20 chippies, 4 Fields, 1 Grasshopper, 8
Saltmarsh Sharp-taileds, 50 Seasides, 3 Songs, and a Swamp.     

5 Boat-tailed Grackles, 1 a male at the junction of Andrews Road X Rt. 336,
an unusual location for the species.  9 meadowlarks (Egypt Road remains a
good place for them, in spite of all the cultivation there).   

THANKS TO the staff of Blackwater N.W.R. for permitting access to
Moneystump Swamp, where I found first-of-the-day: Scarlet Tanager, Acadian
Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, and catbird.  Thanks to Neil and Kate
Birchmeier for letting me scope Tar & Chesapeake bays from their nifty
dock, resulting in first-of-the-day Sanderling, Ruddy Turnstone, Brown
Pelican, Royal Tern, Bonaparte's & Great Black-backed gulls.

DIMINUENDO:  It used to be on these counts that the following species were
a given:  Whip-poor-will, Common Nighthawk, Black Rail, Henslow's Sparrow,
Sedge Wren, Yellow Warbler (of all species!), Sora, King Rail, and
woodcock.  Nowadays almost all of these are missed, almost every time.  I
made about a dozen stops at traditional whip places at dusk, to no avail.  

AU CONTRAIRE:  some birds seem (or actually are) commoner:  Bald Eagle and
bluebird (especially), Swamp Sparrow, Clapper Rail, Common Moorhen, House
Finch, and Mute Swan (formerly absent, although lately has been for the
most part deliberately extirpated; used to see hundreds, now only a few). 

THE MISSING:  Somewhat strange, on both of these counts, to have missed:
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (especially), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, White-throated
Sparrow, and Baltimore Oriole.

PRESUMED FATAL IMPACT.  At 4 A.M. as I rolled gently across the causeway at
Seward's at c. 20 m.p.h. a shorebird thumped into the windshield.  I
stopped and found the bird behind the car, a Spotted Sadnpiper, bopping up
and down as they do, on the pavement.  I took that as a sign it was O.K,
captured it with my left hand, raised and released it into the air, because
stunned birds when suddenly airborne often "find" themselves.  It flew,
pretty well, but then, unfortunately, landed in the Little Blackwater
River.

AMPHIBIANS.  Too cold for their tastes, but did hear Southern Leopard Frogs
at 7 spots, 2 Carpenter Frogs at one place (EI north of Savanna Lake), and
2 Fowler's Toads.  REPTILES.  A couple of Mud Turtles on the roads, a few
Painted Turtles on the pond's edges, and, that's it.

MAMMALS.  9 species, more than usual:  5 Red Foxes (2 of them kits), 2 Gray
Squirrels, 1 Eastern Skunk, 1 Raccoon, 1 Virginia Opossum, 15 Sika Elk, 4
White-tailed Deer, 1 Eastern Cottontail, and 2 Woodchucks.  Missed Muskrat,
Fox Squirrel, bat, mouse, which would have put me well into double digits. 
I have not seen or heard a Nutria in several years, their extermination
program probably more successful than that directed at Mute Swans (Sky
Carp).   

BUTTERFLIES.  Almost non-existent.  See several that looked liked ladies,
Painted or American?

Best to all.-Henry ("Harry") T. Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia,
PA 19119-1225.  215-248-4120.  Please, any off-list replies to: 
harryarmistead at hotmail dot com  (never, please, to 74077.3176 ....)


GRASSHOPPERS.  A recently-received catalog from Princeton University Press
lists a guide to grasshoppers, katydids, and their ilk.  I can't find it
now but one review excerpt says - I think I remember this verbatim - that
some grasshoppers are "as richly panoplied as a medieval knight," a
splendid way of describing their appearance.  The accompanying color
painting certainly bears this out, showing a grasshopper of many colors
with its sporty antennae and heavily-plated thorax and head.  
Subject: Bob Mumford at PGAS/PBC Mtg tom'w
From: Lynette Fullerton <l_fullerton_1999 AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 10:38:17 -0700
Hi all!

The Prince George's Audubon Society and the Patuxent Bird Club would like to 
invite you to our monthly meeting, tomorrow, Tuesday 5/13 at 7:30 for a talk by 
Bob Mumford. He's drawn good crowds in the past couple years and this year's 
talk promises to be every bit as exciting. The meeting is at the College Park 
Airport Annex and is, as always, free and open to the public. Light 
refreshments will be served. For more information, please read the following or 
see our website: http://www.pgaudubon.org . 


Hope to see you there!
Lynette Fullerton
President, PG Audubon

>>>>
"Exquisite Ecuador: A Taste of the Andes"

Maryland photographer Bob Mumford will present images from three recent visits 
to this South American birder's hotspot. These trips included time in the wet 
season and the dry season, although in the mountains, it can rain any day of 
the year and often does! 


With over 1,600 species of birds spotted there, Ecuador has become one of the 
most coveted travel locations in the world for naturalists. We will see images 
of more than 20 of Ecuador's 125 glittering hummingbird species, many glorious 
tanagers, big-billed toucans and toucanets, colorful trogons, the elusive giant 
antpitta and the amazing torrent duck. Birds in Ecuador, as elsewhere, are 
often separated by elevation, with sometimes just 1000 feet determining which 
species can be seen. Elevations covered in the ten major locations of this show 
range from 4000 humid rainforest to the windswept and very chilly slopes of 
Volcan Antisana at over 14,000 feet. 


Mr. Mumford will be bringing copies of his book, "Spring Comes to Washington," 
for sale. 




 
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Subject: White-crowned Sparrow in Pasadena
From: Scott Michaud <mazhude AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 13:24:09 -0400
Just had a white-crowned sparrow in the cherry tree in my front yard. This is a 
new yard bird for me. Very cool. 

 
-- Scott Michaud
Riviera Beach, MD
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Subject: 3rd Franklin's Gull at Hains Pt!
From: Paul Pisano <cheep AT STARPOWER.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 13:12:11 -0400
I just got a call from Gary Allport who is looking at a yet another Franklin's 
Gull on the Hains Pt. Golf Course! He said it is in 2nd summer plumage - fully 
hooded but with some brown feathers in the coverts or tertials (can't remember 
which). This means it's the 3rd Franklin's to show up in DC since May 3rd. 


He said the bird is about 5 minutes walk down the golf course on the Washington 
channel side. The gate is closed but you can walk the roads. 


Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington VA (& SE DC)
Subject: Downtown Baltimore backyard birds
From: Joe Halloran <lowkey AT SPEAKEASY.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 11:36:12 -0400
On my annual visit to my row house backyard this weekend:

Fun and unusual (for my house) transients:

White-throated sparrow
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat ( a first)

Our regulars:

Gray Catbird couple
Cardinal couple
(last year we had Carolina Wren, I think with a nest - but have not seen 
them this year so far)


And the usual city suspects:
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Starling
House Sparrow
Pigeon
Common Grackle
American Crow (lurking for eggs)

Joe Halloran
lowkey AT speakeasy.net
410 889 9307