Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003 13:02:04 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Gail Mackiernan Subject: Good day at Rock Creek (9/1) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hi all -- Good turnout of birders for the first of September at Rock Creek Park, DC, at the ridge (picnic areas 17/18) and luckily, we were not disappointed! The first major flight came at exactly the same time as yesterday (about 7:25) with very much the same behavior -- suddenly there were birds, lots of them darting and calling and zipping around -- and challenging everyone to get on them. Just as suddenly they were gone, and we all stood around pretty for about another hour, when a second larger flock appeared down at the equitation field (down the hill from the ridge) and this kept everyone busy for quite a while before they all moved south into the trees. Then returning to the picnic area, we found good activity in low scrub for a while. Interestingly enough, other areas (usually good) seemed rather quiet today (Nature Ctr., Maintenance Yard, Military Field) with just a few birds. A definite change in species mix from yesterday, far fewer Orioles and far more Blue-winged Warblers. We estimate that several hundred warblers (200 or more) moved along the ridge but probably well less than half were actually seen well enough to ID. We also had a number of larger birds passing over the ridge in rather poor light early. At least some were Bobolinks. We tallied the following: Warblers: Black-and-White (~20), Blackburnian (4), Blue-winged (10-12), Brewster's (1, Blue-winged like with yellow wingbars), Black-throated Blue (1), Black-throated Green (1), Blackpoll (1), Canada (6), Chestnut-sided (~30, all immatures), Magnolia (5), Nashville (2), Redstart (8), Ovenbird (2), Common Yellowthroat (4). Others: Red-eyed Vireo (~30), Warbling Vireo (1), Yellow-throated Vireo (2), Baltimore Oriole (6), Scarlet Tanager (2) Bobolink (~10), Least Flycatcher (1), Empid sp. (2), Great Crested Flycatcher (2), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1), Common Nighthawk (1), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3). Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper 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 ======================================================================= =========================================================================