Eleven people gathered for a gentle early autumn bird walk at Myrtle Grove on 
Sunday, October 03, 2004. The weather was perfect for the season, and the 
birding had few surprises. Still, a lovely day for a walk. 

The Top 5 Birds of the Day were:

5. Blue Jay - nominated for this list just for the sheer numbers of them. 
They were everywhere, and feeding freely on acorns and other bounty of the area. 

4. Sharp-shinned Hawk - One individual flew a lazy path over the group, 
allowing for lingering looks and giving time for a mini accipiter clinic to 
develop. 

3. Eastern Phoebe - Common and in very clean plumage, this species even came 
forth with some singing. 

2. Cedar Waxwing - Another bird on the list due to the huge numbers of flocks 
observed. Many individuals were juveniles. 

And the Bird Du Jour….

1. Red-headed Woodpecker - Seven or eight individuals seen, including adults 
and juveniles. Myrtle Grove has had a history of hosting this species, but 
numbers of it in the past few years have been low. We all were glad to see and 
hear so many today. 

A complete bird list, along with a few pictures of the trip, is posted at 

http://hometown.aol.com/fburggraf/mg100304.html


Fred Burggraf
Dentsville, MD
Charles Co.