Folks

Last night, while scouting for the Southern Maryland Audubon Society birdathon (May 1) from my deck, I heard a Northern Mockingbird (#93 yard year bird) singing at 2 AM.   The same bird (I assume) was singing at 4 AM.  I was actually trying to determine what time the Whip-poor-will down the road would be singing so we could optimize our night birding.  The Whips were singing at 2 but not at 4 AM.  They were singing again at 5:20 AM.  When do I sleep?  When I can.

The birdathon numbers may be low this year since all non-breeding waterfowl have moved out.  Kestrel are gone, and most of the other wintering birds like Rusty Blackbirds, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and sparrows are also absent.  I wonder if this is the case in other counties?  Most of the neotropical migrants have not shown up yet in good numbers, so it could be a slow day.

Oh well, a bad day birding is better then a good day in the office.

George



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