Date: 10/14/12 3:18 pm
From: Jason Berry <jgbrc...>
Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Nelson's Sparrow at Swan Creek


Thanks Paul!

We had wonderful, long (2-3 minutes) view of this Nelson's Sparrow today at Swan Creek.� We were heading to Baltimore and thanks to Tim's email about Swan Creek being open all weekend and at least through Tuesday (24 hrs a day!?),� we thought we'd check out this MD hotspot that we never had visited.� I didn't expect to see anything with the wind and timing (about noon), but I guess sometimes you get lucky! The small size, lack of streaking on the underparts and strong white streaking on the back ruled out other Sparrows.� I used to see Nelson's in Chicago and in direct sunlight, they're some of the most subtly beautiful birds in North America!� Other birds included a pair of Sora, Pectotal Sandpiper, Black-bellied Plover, 1 imm. Little Blue Heron and a large raft of Green-winged Teal among more common birds.

DC BIRDS:

On the way home, we checked out the nearby McMillan Reservoir (DC) and had 7 Ring-billed Ducks, 5 Ruddy Ducks, 1 Common Loon, and a Great Blue Heron.


Earlier in the day we headed to Kenilworth Park and the Aquatic Gardens. The birding was not nearly as good as what Scott Loss experienced yesterday (78 species), but there was some action: 11 Purple Fiches, 2 Eastern Meadowlarks, 1 Lincoln Sparrow, 1 White-crowned Sparrow, 1 Black Duck, 2 Green-winged Teal, 6 Great Egrets.

Good bird!

Jason Berry
Washington DC



________________________________
From: Paul Pisano <cheep.paul...>
To: <mdbirding...>
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 3:40 PM
Subject: [MDBirding] Nelson's Sparrow at Swan Creek


I got a text from Jason Berry that he saw a/the Nelson's Sparrow at Swan Creek today. �I don't have a lot of details, but it was seen at 1:00pm, and it was "past the marsh observation deck on the left side."

Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington, VA
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