Hi all,
 Yesterday while birding Blue Mash, I had 2 rather interesting observations
(at least to me). First was the very first bird I heard while putting on my
boots as I arrived, a singing Yellow-breasted Chat which was doing the odd droopy
winged, flight with its tail hiked way up behind it, singing and carrying on.
Thoug i have often read about theis, and have seen dozens of chats, I had
never seen this before. Quite a show!

The second odd behavior, though not so odd that I'd never heard of it (and an
article in this months BWD mentions it) was the only Tufted Titmouse I saw
yesyerday, flittting back and forth pulling hairs from the rump of a raccoon.
There were 2 raccoons trying to get some zzzzz's way up in a dead snag, and this
titmouse kept coming in and snatching hairs from the lower one. This went on
for probably over an hour, as I watched for a while, then went into the woods
for a bit of sit-down birding. After a short while I met up with Tom Marko and
his wife and we birded a bit, then we came back out and the titmouse was
still at it!

As I was finishing up my first go-round, I ran into Bob Augustine and we went
out again, me following his lead through the park as he likes to bird it.
Personally, I think he walks too fast.

Anyway, had a nice morning with 67 species, but few migrant warblers.

Rick Sussman
Ashton,MD


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