In between shuttling my boys to events and a birthday party, I went birding
at Governor Bridge Park and Merkle.  I was at Merkle from about 2:15 until
4, and highlights included:

15 Least Sandpipers
9 Semipalmated Sandpipers
2 Western Sandpipers
1 Solitary Sandpiper
1 Spotted Sandpiper
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
1 Semipalmated Plover

All of the birds were at the pond behind the visitor's center.  Also heard
near the visitor's center was a Northern Bobwhite, my first one at Merkle
in several years.

In the plowed field behind and to the left of the visitor's center, I had:

2 Black-bellied Plovers (1 in breeding plumage, one still mostly in non-
breeding plumage)
1 American Pipit
4 Horned Larks (including one fledgling.

Also heard were several Chipping Sparrows, a Grasshopper Sparrow, a Song
Sparrow, and Yellow Warbler.  Purple Martins, Tree Swallows, and Barn
Swallows were flying overhead.

This morning, at Governor Bridge Park from 6:15 until 7:45, highlights
included:

No less than 3 Yellow-breasted Chats
Many Towhees and Indigo Buntings
Several Wild Turkeys (heard near the Patuxent River)
1 Prairie Warbler
Several Ovenbirds
1 Yellow Billed Cuckoo
1 Brown Thrasher
7 or 8 Blackpoll Warblers
1 Scarlet Tanager
1 Hooded Warbler

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS