Date: Sun, 28 May 2000 12:55:17 -0400 Reply-To: bott@erols.com Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Bonnie Ott Subject: Ho Co highlights MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A dozen souls braved the threatening skies and attended the Rockburn Branch walk. It was a lovely comfortable morning for birding (providing you were wearing a jacket). The birds were very vocal and it was a great opportunity to brush up on the songs. Most exciting was a GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH that perched briefly out in the open. We also had a WOOD THRUSH (one of many) that perched in the top of a dead tree and sang his heart out -great looks through the scope for all-! Another pleasant surprise were 3 BLUE GROSBEAKS, 2 males and one = female up in the kudzu clearing. Hopefully on territory but it is the first time I have ever seen them in that spot. There were some warblers singing, the BLUE-WING that we found on may count was still in the exact same spot. LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH was singing by the wooden bridge along the stream. A few YELLOWS here and there and a REDSTART (breeding?). A KENTUCKY that we actually SAW perched and singing and a smattering of HOODED along the trails. A good study lesson we fortunate to encounter- we had an ovenbird, kentucky and common yellowthroat singing one after another over and over. The CHATS are in good numbers this year also. 59 species in all and the rain held off until we reached the cars. I tried to call out my "reliable" barred owl but immediately attr= acted 2 crows and a few scolding jays. My wise old owl kept quiet (thankfully). Bonnie Ott (Ellicott city) ========================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ========================================================================= ===========================================================================