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Subject:

Big day at Rock Creek for May Count 5/14

From:

Gail Mackiernan

Reply-To:

Gail Mackiernan

Date:

Sat, 14 May 2005 19:44:26 -0400

Hi all --

After lots of so-so days at Rock Creek Park DC, finally all the planets
aligned (or something) and we had one of those great days when the woods are
alive with birds. Probably the early morning rain after a clear night really
helped bring birds down. Since this was May Count, Barry and I spent a lot
of time (5 1/2 hours) covering the area from the Equitation Field through
the ridge (picnic areas 17/18), Nature Center, Maintenance Yard, stable and
also, Military Field. There seemed to be Scarlet Tanagers, Black-throated
Blues, Blackpolls and Red-eyed Vireos singing everywhere. We tallied 70
species and want to thank some of the other birders for alerting us to
various goodies, especially the family in the Nature Center parking lot who
found a Black-billed Cuckoo sitting out for all to admire! Still some odd
misses -- only *one* crow (of unknown species), no nuthatches (which breed),
sparrows almost gone except for the resident Songs and three lonely
White-throats. Twenty warbler species but we missed Cape May, Blackburnian,
No. Waterthrush, Tennessee (not to mention Mourning!) -- all of which could
be expected at this time of year. Thrushes are definitely in! We heard a
Gray-cheeked singing with the rising-at-end final song phrase which
indicates Bicknell's -- but we never could locate the bird. Hmm-m-m-m.

Here's the tally: 

Warblers: Black-and-White (7), Black-throated Blue (21), Black-throated
Green (2), Blackpoll (25), Bay-breasted (2-3), Canada (5), Chestnut-sided
(4), Hooded (3), Louisiana Waterthrush (1), KENTUCKY (1, seen very well!),
Magnolia (13), Myrtle (44, they're still hanging on...), Nashville (2),
Ovenbird (20), Parula (4), Redstart (13), Yellow (2), Com. Yellowthroat
(12), Wilson's (1, seen by another birder), Worm-eating (3).

Other migrants: Scarlet Tanager (36!!), Baltimore Oriole (5), Rose-breasted
Grosbeak (8), Red-eyed Vireo (~40), Veery (10), Swainson's Thrush (8),
Gray-cheeked (1, plus 1 Bicknell's?), Wood Thrush (12), Yellow-billed Cuckoo
(9), BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO (1), Acadian Flycatcher (2), YELLOW-BELLIED
FLYCATCHER (1), Great Crested FC (1), Eastern Kingbird (4), Wood Pewee (3),
Indigo Bunting (13), White-throated Sparrow (3), BG Gnatcatcher (10),
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (3), Blue Jay (mostly flying in diurnal migration,
72!!), Cedar Waxwing (37).

Plus lots of local resident and breeding species.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD