Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 11:01:06 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Common Tern, Bobwhite in DC Hi all -- Yesterday afternoon Barry made a trip down to Hunting Creek (Virginia, sh-h-h) and Jones Point (DC and MD). The tide was at a good stage, Hunting Creek had 3 Pectoral SPs, ca. 20 Lesser Yellowlegs, Ca. 20 Least and 1-2 Semi-p SPs, 1 Short-billed Dowitcher, and about 30 Forster's Terns. From Jones Point, on Hydrilla mats which migth have been more closely viewed from Old Town waterfront, he had ca. 20 Forster's and one COMMON TERN, also 5 Caspian terns. So there IS at least one Common Tern in DC this July, which for shorebirds and many terns, is already autumn. We also went down to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and Kenilworth Park this am, in hopes of catching up with the Bobwhite Mary Paul reported. In this we were successful (!) hearing one caling quite closely from the end of the Marsh Trail but across the little inlet which separates KAG from the National Arboretum -- that is, the quail was on NA gounds. We then went to Kenilworth Park, where we heard two other Bobwhite calling, one was close along the no-mow area and edge of the woods, the other more distant and possibly also on Arboretum grounds which are just across the little inlet here. Are these wild birds or has someone released them? I must say that Bobwhite were not my most expected new DC bird! Other birds of interest include (at KAG) Willow Flycatcher (2), Baltimore Oriole (3), Great Crested Flycatcher (1), Phoebe (4-5), Marsh Wren (2, one carrying food), heard Warbling, White-eyed and Red-eyed Vireo. Also in the little pool (it was high tide) 1-2 Solitary, 2-3 Spotted SPs, and 4 Little Green Herons, and an immature Great Blue. At Kenilworth Park, 2-3 Grasshopper Sparrows, pair of Blue Grosbeaks. Butterflies included (check out the Kenilworth Park no-mow area, it is brilliant now with lots of wildflowers and alive with insects): Viceroy, Red Admiral, Monarch, Black and Tiger Swallowtails, Clouded and Common Sulphur, one small yellow not a Sulphur but it got away!, Meadow Fritillary, and Silver-spotted Skipper. Dragonflies; (KAG) Eastern Pondhawk, Black Saddlebags, Blue Dasher; (KP) Common Whitetail, Widow Skimmer, Eastern Amberwing, and Halloween Pennant. Cheers, Gail Mackiernan Colesville, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================