Howdy all...

I've been lucky enough to spend some days outside around the lake at St Mary's River State Park (I've been working hard to clean up the Hurricane Isabel damage around the trail for work) lately and have been enjoying the increased bird activity. Today's birds of note were a lone Green Heron (#113 for the year) sitting quietly within a downed trees canopy along a creekbed, a pair of Palm Warblers (Life #134 Year #114) feeding on the ground and a little fellow I noticed first by the call as he flew above me, a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Life #135 Year # 115). He was at the parking lot in a treetop busily bashing a grub or some such thing into submission on a branch.

Other recent birds of note (at least for me) have been: Glossy Ibis - 2 feeding just north of Point Lookout between Camp Brown Rd & Long Neck Rd - Brown Thrasher here at the house (year bird) - Yellow rumped Warbler at SMR - Pileated Woodpecker at SMR (a pair the first sighting last week) - assorted gulls and terns for the year.

Many THANKS to Mike Callahan for helping me to get the Red-Headed Woodpecker last week also. I volunteered to help with some bird banding and he stuck around after work to help me track down one (we found 4 or 5!), we also had Yellow-Throated Warbler. Both were Life/Year birds for me so Thanks a bunch Mike!!

Speaking of St Marys River State Park... the trail around the lake offers a variety of nice bird habitat for those willing to make the hike. The entire White trail is 7.5 miles long and goes through marshy areas, stretches of pine forest, mixed conifer/deciduous stands and plenty of border zones in between. Not to mention good habitat for some waterfowl. I'd encourage anyone (especially new birders like me) to check it out, you don't have to go all the way around of course. I've seen at least a few dozens species there so far. And pleeeeease pay the service charge at the parking lot, that's where my paycheck comes from!! :) If anyone is interested in hiking around the trail but doesn't want to do it alone drop me a line, maybe a few of us could get together one day. I could certainly use some help identifying birds I can hear but not see!! I don't mind playing Tour Guide. :)

Till next time...
Chris Ordiway


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