Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2002 15:20:53 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Paul P." Subject: Olive-sided, Yellow-bellied Flys in DC Comments: To: Janni Ottavio MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Saturday (8/17) morning I went to the Rock Creek Park Maintenance Yard in the hopes of seeing some migrant passerines (last year I saw an Olive-sided Flycatcher in the Yard on 8/19). It was miserably hot and incredibly slow, and apart from 3 very active RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, and residents such as BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS, CATBIRDS, and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, there wasn't much happening. So being a glutton for punishment (or as we DC listers say, being overcome with blind, stupid persistence), I decided to do it again this morning (Sun, 8/18). And again it was miserably hot and slow. No warblers, and the singing RED-EYED VIREOS were probably local breeders. However, as John Hubbel & I found out, it turned out to be a good morning for flycatchers. First we saw a pair of EASTERN WOOD-PEWEES (adult feeding young), and then I found a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. Unfortunately it didn't stick around, and John was unable to get decent looks at it. In searching for the Yellow-belly, we found a GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER. So there was a bit of activity in spite of the heat. But it soon died down after that, so we decided to head out. Just as we got to the "Maintenance Yard Wetlands" (really a small retention pond), John stopped and drew my attention to a bird in the top of one of the dead trees. Sure enough, he found an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. Unfortunately it didn't stick around either, flying behind some trees, and we were unable to relocate it too. But in searching for it, I saw 2 EASTERN KINGBIRDS fly by. It was about that time that Rob Hilton, Lisa Shannon & Jennifer Hansen showed up, but the best we could do is find 2 more Great Cresteds and another Pewee. So persistence paid off - at least for me & John, unfortunatley I can't say the same for Rob, Lisa & Jennifer. Good birding, Paul Pisano cheep@erols.com Arlington, VA ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================