Just got back from a week's vacation with the family at Herrington Manor in
always-beautiful Garrett County. I didn't get to bird much outside of
Herrington Manor and Swallow Falls, but that was OK, as the two parks turned up a good
collection of the regulars plus some nice "winter" birds.

Most interesting were the Red-breasted Nuthatches, which I first heard on
6/20, then visually ID'd on the 23rd. Having fun with the new digital camcorder,
I found them again on the 25th and shot some poor but recognizable video. The
video appears to show an adult poking its head into a cavity about 30 feet up
in a white pine. Nesting is probably over, but this may (?) constitute
evidence of nesting this year. The bird was very agitated with my presence and
perched near the cavity for several minutes, constantly giving its "eeen eeen" call.
Another bird was calling nearby. The same morning there was a male Purple
Finch singing from the conifer treetops, and the unmistakable metallic, rising
buzz of a couple of Pine Siskins among the Goldfinches.

Other birds in and around the parks were a male Ruddy Duck on Herrington
Manor Lake, seen on 6/22/and 6/25; Least Flycatcher, Veeries, Hermit Thrushes, and
lots of Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian and Magnolia Warblers. I didn't find any
Golden-winged or Canadas, but they've probably stopped singing already.
Swallow Falls had some Northern Waterthrushes.

A morning at Mt. Nebo WMA on 6/24 produced several RB Grosbeaks, and an Alder
Flycatcher seen at close range, at eye level. It wasn't singing but called
excitedly with its flat "pip" note before disappearing into the bog.

I sure could've used a few more days up there.

Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD