Hi all,
 I spent the morning in my atlas block , confirming a few "easy"  birds, and
one not so easy, Louisiana Waterthrush, adult and chick, below Brighton Dam. I
had about one pair every 200 yards or so along this stretch of the Patuxent
River, but could only confirm when a baby flew up and chipped at me, while an
agitated parent scolded from nearby.

My best sighting however, was along Haviland Mill Rd. by the powerline cut,
where I was trying to confirm American Kestrel (female), which I saw here last
weekend. The female was still flying around, and I was watching, hoping to see
her carry some food in to the top of the high-tension lines, where they
sometimes build nests.

Eventually a Red-tailed Hawk flew in, coursing around over the clearing, and
the kestrel flew out after it, diving on it repeatedly, trying to get it out
of its territory. Lots of ki-ki-ki-ki scolding from the kestrel, but the
Red-tail just flew lazy circles and stayed above the powerlines, until a pair of
Eastern Kingbirds flew in. They really harassed the hawk, and as I watched, one
actually landed on the back of the Red-tail, right behind its head, briefly,
pecking, before flying back up and continuing its harassment! I have never seen
this behavior before, and wasn't even sure that I witnessed it, but after I
got home I looked in Sibley's Guide to Bird Life and Behavior, and there on page
391 is an illustration of exactly what I saw. Amazing!

 The atlas work, besides giving us an inside look at breeding behavior, often
can provide us with other wonderful sightings as well.  Happy atlasing!

Rick Sussman
Ashton,MD