Monday (5/2) Keith Costley, Gail Frantz and I spent the day birding 
between our western Baltimore County homes and Hughes Hollow, 
Montgomery County, where we were hoping especially for bitterns of 
either persuasion. We didn't see any bitterns although we heard sounds 
that may have been a Least Bittern, but we had a pleasant day with 87 
species of birds, and 12 species of warblers (5 heard only), mostly 
resident species, slowly eked out here and there, and lots of 
first-of-the-season birds.

The morning highlight was a flock of 10+ Bobolinks at the fields about 
a half mile west of Route 32 on Rt 99 (Howard Co) on the north side of 
the road where there is a large farm pond on the south side. They come 
there every year. There was also a Savannah Sparrow there.

At Hughes Hollow we got a brief glimpse of the famous Sora. Orchard 
Orioles were plentiful, with Baltimore Orioles as well. The star 
performer was a Prothonotary Warbler in great view by the back pond on 
the right. A few other goodies were a Yellow-throated Vireo seen very 
well, ~3 Green Herons, a Black-crowned Night-Heron, 3 Coots, Great 
Crested Flycatcher, and many Wood Ducks including a female with 6 
young.

At Sycamore Landing we had western Palm Warbler, 2 Redstarts, and a 
singing heard-only N Waterthrush.

At Little Bennett Park we had a pleasant collection of singing Prairie 
Warblers, Field Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, and Tree Swallows in the 
open area down the little road to the west from Clarksburg Rd. In the 
deep woods further down we heard Hooded and Worm-eating Warbler.

Surprising big misses were Wood Thrush and Indigo Bunting (except for 
Gail at home).

Steve Sanford
Randallstown MD (Balto Co)
scartanATverizonDOTnet