Hi Folks!
 
I took a long weekend to do the May Count in Allegany County.  While heading out Friday 5/13/05 I walked the Billy Goat Trail "A" in a fruitless search for Summer Tanager.  There were very few migrants to be found, but the local Ceruleans and Yellow-throated Warblers has returned.  Will admiring the view at the cliffs near marker 2,  I was shocked when 3 COMMON RAVENS headed north out of Virginia in a line.  The lead was a bird of the year and the trailing two were adults in wing molt.  Curiously, each of them seemed to be carrying a food item...maybe they were off to picnic.  
 
Earlier I was at Hughes Hollow and had 1 American Bittern, 2 Least Bittern, 1 Sora, 1 American Coot, 1 Common Moorhen and a Willow Flycatcher.  Returning to Hughes Hollow after walking Billy Goat and stopping at Violette's Lock produced fewer birds, however an adult male Peregrine Falcon made a pass through the swallow flock.
 
The American Bittern, Sora, Peregrine and ravens were all new for my Montgomery County list.
 
Good Birding!
 
Jim
 
Jim Stasz
North Beach MD