A wave of birds came thru the Lock 8 parking lot as I got out. Singing and/or seen were Yellow-rumped Warblers (natch), Northern Parula, American Redstart, Palm Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Hairy Woodpecker also came in.

A very interesting small bird sang what sounded like a Cerulean Warbler's song from the top of a tree across the canal from the Lockhouse.  However, it showed up in the scope looking more like a female Cerulean (yellow wash on the throat, white underneath, two very visible white wingbars, greenish on back).  I don't know what to make of that.

Purple Martins and Bank Swallows were out over the river (down from the Lockhouse, and beyond the Prothonotary Warbler singing there).  Black & White Warbler and Warbling Vireo sang from nearby.

On the way down the towpath to Cabin John creek and the Red-shouldered Hawks, 2 Yellow-throated Vireos were singing their "3-8" song.  Just beyond them was a Yellow-throated Warbler.  And, in the same spot (same trees) where one appeared last year, an Acadian Flycatcher "sang" its 'peetsup' song/call.  A Baltimore Oriole was heard singing from the opposite direction, toward the river.

Common Yellowthroats sang from the creek...and the Red-shouldered Hawk was on its nest.  It left to hunt, and a downy-covered chick popped up and showed its head.Over the course of the next hour, the hawks brought food up to the nest 3 times.  On the third (a rat, brought in by the male), 3 chicks showed themselves as the food-handling adult ripped the rat into pieces, and fed each chick beak-to-beak.  I'd guess the chicks are 1-2 weeks old.

Good birding,

Frank Powers
Glen Echo, MD
Montgomery County
frankpowers at comcast.net

=======================================================================
To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to 
with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey
=======================================================================