At 09:31 AM 5/21/2004, Tyler Bell wrote:


>We ran across a third male that had me fooled. I didn't recognize the song
>at all. It wasn't even remotely like the weeta-weeta-weTEEoh. It continued
>this odd song even after we finally tracked it down.

Just for the record, I've spent time stalking many different warbler sounds
only to find out it's a Hooded. They seem to have many variations in their
repertoire. Just last week in Texas I thought I was hearing a
Chestnut-sided and it turned out to be a Hooded. When I finally found the
bird I watched the song emanate right from it's mouth.

Purple Gallinule:  Yesterday I braved the Beltway and drove to Hughes
Hollow hoping to find the gallinule. I arrived about 11 AM and walked
around the dikes for about an hour not seeing the bird and worrying that
there were far too many hiding places in this beautiful spot. Steve Sanford
and Gail Franz arrived and as we were talking, I caught a glimpse of a dark
bird with very white undertail feathers fly up for just a second or two and
then disappear into the vegetation. We were standing at the far end of the
dike on the left as you walk out from the parking lot. The bird repeated
the quick flight one more time and again, I was the only one who noticed
it. At last it decided to fly up one more time and landed so we could see
it from the neck up. It was very far off and a scope was needed to see any
details but we all got definitive views of the bird. It remained quite
active for a while, flying more than I expected of a gallinule. I attempted
a few digiscopes and got enough evidence that it was a PUGA but the lack of
light and distance prevented anything I'd want to show anybody. <s>

Thanks to everyone who has provided details and directions for finding this
great bird.


Arlene Ripley
Calvert County, MD

http://nestbox.com