Northwest Branch Park today 10/7
GAIL@UMDD.UMD.EDU
Wed, 7 Oct 98 19:35:51 EDT
Early am dentist appointment prevented any excursion to Rock Creek, so
emboldened by yesterday's success, we tried another mid-day "dog-walk cum
birding" excursion into NW Branch Park off of Locksley Lane. We found that
there were still plenty of birds around, but that new faces had appeared.
Most obvious were GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS seemingly everywhere, ditto
for BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS. Little, vocal feeding flocks could be
located by following Chickadee calls, and would always yield some neotropic
migrants as well.
Needless to say, the "goodies" of yesterday were gone (Orange-crowned and
Mourning), but we added PALM (yellow), REDSTART, BLACK-AND-WHITE , PARULA
and CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLERS. Still some Yellowthroats about, too. As we
left the weedy patch with the mysterious blue berries (which had been crawling
with BT Blues), we saw a bird with long, yellow undertail coverts skulk
into some weeds. It turned out to be an adult female CONNECTICUT WARBLER,
walking along quite happily, giving wonderful views for a bit before she flew
off deeper into the tangle. WOW!
On the way out, we encountered a late WOOD THRUSH and our first HERMIT
THRUSH of the autumn.
Counts: Black-throated Blue (~25), "Myrtle" (~12), Common Yellowthroat (8),
Parula (1), Chestnut-sided (1), yellow Palm (1), Magnolia (2), Black-and-White
(1), Redstart (1), Connecticut Warbler (1), Golden-Crowned Kinglet (~15),
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (6), Red-eyed Vireo (4), Hermit Thrush (1), Wood Thrush
(1), Sharpshinned Hawk (1).
Thirteen species of warbler isn't too shabby for an area that we always
thought to be sort of marginal -- it obviously *isn't*, at least in fall.
Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
gail@umdd.umd.edu