Hi Everyone,

Stan Arnold and I did some atlasing in our Curtis Bay blocks in Anne Arundel
County this afternoon. We got a late start, but entered our favorite patch
of woods there to find a wonderful amount of migrant songbird activity. As
we waded through the great numbers of birds, we noted 1 GOLDEN-CROWNED
KINGLET, 5 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETs (the vanguard), 1 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER,
30+ MYRTLE WARBLERs, 10+ PINE WARBLERs (lots of singing), and 30+ YELLOW
PALM WARBLERs. Overhead were 4-5 TREE SWALLOWs, 8 BARN SWALLOWs, and our
first CHIMNEY SWIFT of the season. Six WOOD DUCKs flushed from a water area,
and we saw an OSPREY carrying nesting material. A real highlight was hearing
a nasal "enk, enk" emerge from the cacophony, then tracking down the
attractive RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.

We spent the last hour of daylight kayaking backwater areas of Curtis Bay,
where we found one Canada Goose on a nest and another pair of Wood Ducks
that we hope have a nice nesting cavity picked out. These water areas will
be really exciting to explore in another month.

Last year, these very developed blocks hosted a surprising wealth of great
birds. Just over two weeks from this date, our finds here included Green
Heron, Solitary Sandpiper, Chuck-will's-widow, Whip-poor-will, Veery, and
Swainson's Thrush. By then we also had good numbers of catbirds, Ovenbirds,
Common Yellowthroats, and Blue Grosbeaks. What a great time of the year! 

Now if only we could do something about the whole work thing...

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Linthicum, Maryland

<www.billhubick.com>