> A new species for the Cicada feast list: WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH. We had
> two of them riding out the storm on a dry section of our large silver
maple
> -- a parent (did not note which sex), and a male (very black crown stripe)
> downy young. Stan Arnold will read this and say "Yes!"

YES!  We didn't even have WB Nuthatch in the Relay NE block till the one in
Bill's yard held on through safe dates last month.  Guess there were really
two, and now three (or more?).  Hooray.

On a separate note, Bill and I had a very soggy but productive morning at
Southwest Area Park in SW Baltimore Co.  A walk in the rain produced at
least one SAVANNAH SPARROW, now safe for the atlas, first noted as a pair by
Bill on Wednesday, and one or more still there today.  Actually, they may
have never left, since they were there all winter.  A couple of other finds,
representing quarter-block tics for the atlas were an AMERICAN BLACK DUCK on
one of the water areas, and a flyover PURPLE MARTIN.  Other birds of
interest were a GREAT EGRET, three flushed WOODCOCKS, WILLOW FLYCATCHER
(fairly good look), vocalizing YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and a well-viewed 1st
year male ORCHARD ORIOLE, practicing his song, but not quite sounding like
an Orchard Oriole yet.

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie