Greetings,

I had off from work the last two days and I took advantage of the free time
during migration to check out a few of my favorite spring spots.  Over the
course of Monday and Tuesday I managed to tally 84 species with 77 of them
coming on Monday. Mainly I birder the Susquehanna State Park in Harford
County and my neighborhood's waterfront on Monday.  Tuesday I spent an hour
or two hiking with my one year old (we have one of those back pack thingies)
through the Elk Neck State Forest east of the town of North East in Cecil
County.

In Harford County passerines were everywhere.  You had to try NOT to find
birds, but who would want to do that!  I managed 10 warbler species (a 11th
on Tuesday in Cecil), 4 vireos, 4 Flycatchers, and both Orioles. Plenty of
other migrants were around including shore birds and nightjars.

It started Monday morning with 2 Greater Yellowlegs flying into my yard. My
daughter and I then went over to Harford and were happy to find birds
everywhere! Bonaparte's Gulls were on the River as were Cormorants and
Caspian Terns.  In the trees I found Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird,
Great-crested Flycatcher, and a silent empid sp. vireos were Blue-headed
(1), Red-eyed, Warbling (many many), and Yellow-throated (2). I couldn't,
for the life of me, find a White-eyed! Warblers were all over. Some were
quite vocal, which made ID'ing them easier! Yellow-rumped were the most
numerous with many large flocks around all over the place.  Other Warbler
species found were LA Waterthrush, Parula, Black and White, Cerulean, Palm,
Redstart, Ovenbird, Blackburnian (stunning male!), and Yellow-throated. I
found a Ruby-throated Hummer high in the trees while scanning over the
Gnatcatchers. It is always nice, I think, when you find such a small bird
by accident deep in the woods. Raptors around were Bald Eagle, Cooper's
Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Broad-winged Hawk. Catbirds
were in as well. Later on in Cecil County I found Killdeers and a Ruby-
crowned Kinglet on Carpenter's Point Road near Charlestown. Around dusk,
when I was back at home, I spent the twilight hours fishing from my bank on
Hances Point south of North East. Here I was delighted to add 4 Spotted
Sandpipers to my days list. But the best bird of the day was also the last
bird of the day. It was a Common Nighthawk that came in off the water, to
roost I suppose.

Yesterday at the Elk Neck State Forest I added Pine Warbler, Cedar Waxwing,
and Hermit Thrush to my list of interesting migrants. Also in the forest
yesterday was Ovenbird, Black and White Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern
Kingbird, and Great-crested Flycatcher.

Today at work (Edgewood Area of APG -Harford) there were 5 Eastern
Meadowlark singing around the airfield.  -what a gorgeous bird!

Good Birding,
Chris Starling
North East, MD