Stopped at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens briefly this (Wed, 4/28) morning, and
a few birds of interest.  This included 4 species of VIREO (BLUE-HEADED,
WARBLING, RED-EYED and WHITE-EYED), and a singing BLUE GROSBEAK with only a
hint of blue in the head (perhaps a subadult male that was still in the
early stages of molt).  I also saw 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS,
and 2 SOLITARY SANDPIPERS.  Warbler diversity was pretty low with lots of
YELLOW-RUMPEDS, 2 "Western" PALMS, a YELLOW, and a YELLOWTHROAT.



After that I spent the day at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
(SERC) near Edgewater, MD.  It was depressingly quiet!  Only bird of
interest was a subadult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER in the "old growth" part of
the forest.  This bird had me confused because I wouldn't expect this
plumage at this time of year, especially having just watched the Kenilworth
Red-headed WP go from subadult plumage in Nov. to adult plumage by April.
My guess is that today's bird is from a late brood last year.  It was
virtually all brown in the head and back, with two jagged black bars in the
otherwise white secondaries.



Good birding,

Paul Pisano

Arlington, VA




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