A River Road idyll today--began with dawn at Hughes Hollow, then drove to Sycamore Landing and walked the towpath back to Hughes Hollow.

Impoundment highlights included both BITTERNS: 2 repeatedly calling LEASTS and one flyover AMERICAN.  Also a pair of BLUE-WINGED TEAL, a calling SORA, and 3 AMERICAN COOTS.

Elsewhere, best birds were 3 Cerulean Warblers heard along the towpath.  They were not generally very close and remained out of sight.  Others:

Both Cuckoos, including a nice (albeit brief) view of a Black-billed in the woods between the fields.
Acadian Flycatcher (2, they're back)
White-eyed, Yellow-throated, Warbling, and Red-eyed Vireos
Indigo Buntings (they're also back)
Both Orioles
Other Warblers: Parula, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Black & White, Redstart, Prothonotary, both Waterthrushes, and plenty of Yellowthroats.  Along the side of Hughes Road north of River, Prairies were also singing.

In the afternoon, my wife and I took a stroll along the towpath north from Pennyfield Lock, where additional birds of note were 2 SPOTTED SANDPIPERS (on rocky islets in the river), a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (at least one is still here), and at least 4 singing BALTIMORE ORIOLES.

Total of 85 species for the day--most I've had in a while, but let's see if we can get some south winds now!

Jason Waanders
NW DC
jwaandersATstarpower.net