This week I visited Pickering Creek Environmental Center, near Easton, Talbot County, for morning birding on Wednesday and again on Friday. Highlights: 4/14 Palm Warblers (2) (yellow race) Brown Thrasher (4) - singing elegantly Sparrows: Chipping, White-Throated, Field, Savannah Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Meadowlarks 4/16 Oven Bird (1) - singing White-eyed Vireo (1) - singing Grasshopper Sparrow (1) - singing 4/16 was also my day for Bluebird nest monitoring at Pickering Creek. My route covered 25 boxes, with findings as follows: Bluebird Nests 11 ( one with 5 eggs, four with 4 eggs, one with 3 eggs, and one female that stayed on the nest, preventing any egg count) - the other nests new, and nearly ready, but empty Titmouse or Chickadee nests 4 - but no eggs present Flying Squirrel nest 1 Boxes still unused 9 The Bluebirds of Pickering Creek seem to be off to a great start. Les Roslund Lroslund@bluecrab.org Easton, MD