Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2001 16:22:22 EDT Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Rick Sussman Subject: sightings from Rock Creek Park Comments: To: voice@capaccess.org MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi all, I spent Saturday and Sunday birding Rock Creek park, along with many others. Started at "the ridge", then the maintenance yard, followed by the dog run. Birding was slightly better Saturday than Sunday, but good both days. Personal highlights are in CAPS. Saturday, Sept. 29. Highlights included a brief look at a PHILADELPHIA VIREO, BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, Palm Warbler, many B-T-Green warblers, a pair (m&f) of B-T Blue warblers, A.Redstarts, Blackburnian warbler, N. Parula, C. Yellowthroat, a few Magnolia's, a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, a kettle of about 30 Broad-winged Hawks (over the dog run), Sharpie and Cooper's Hawks, and both RUBY-CROWNED and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, and a beautiful molting male Scarlet Tanager (mottled orange and yellow). At least 2 Indigo Bunting (females) were at the dog run, along with a Brown Thrasher. Sunday, Sept. 30. The birding began a bit later this morning, as it was both windier and colder. First WHITE-THROATED SPARROWs and DARK-EYED JUNCOs of the season, E. Towhee, many B-T Green warblers, another pair of B-T Blue warblers, B & W Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, many passing Blue Jays and Northern Flickers, dwindling numbers of Chimney Swifts, E. Phoebe, and House Wren. Best birds were at the maintenance yard, with a group of flyover Cedar Waxwings, a small number of Broad-winged Hawks, Brown Thrasher, BROWN CREEPER, Pileated Woodpecker, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK which was being chased by a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, which in turn was being chased by an adult COOPER'S HAWK. This scene happened very quickly right in front of a small group of us, but it appeared that the grosbeak made good its' escape, as did the sharpie. The Coop landed in a snag just in front of us and we watched it from perhaps 30 feet as it stood looking around, wondering what happened to breakfast! This was certainly the mornings highlight. Best find at the dog run were a group of Eastern Bluebirds and another pair of Black-throated Blue Warblers. Rick Sussman Ashton,MD warblerick@aol.com 301-221-6868 ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================