Folks

As part of the MOS convention this year, Gwen Brewer and I lead the Charles County listers trip.  We tallied 108 species in nine (9) hours dragging around eight harder birders to about half of Charles County.  With the skills of these folks we really only needed to take them to the locations.  Thanks all for helping.

Highlights were a few late waterfowl (Lesser Scaup, Red-breasted Merganser, and Ruddy Duck), Cooper's Hawk (likely a nesting bird), Barn Owl young in nest (confirmed breeder), a nice mix of shorebirds at Allen's Fresh (Semipalmated Plover, both yellowlegs, spotted, solitary, semipalmated and least sandpipers, Short-billed Dunlin, and Dowitchers),  Rock Pigeon (one sharp-eyed observer), all the nesting flycatchers, four species of swallows including Bank, three wrens including Marsh Wren, all three mimics, two Cedar Waxwing, 15 species of warblers which included most of the nesting species (only two true neotropical migrants - Black-throated Green and Blackpoll (I did not hear any!)), both tanagers, five species of sparrows, and one late Bobolink.  The big misses were White-breasted Nuthatch and Hairy Woodpecker.  We should have gone to the backyard.  

Not a great list, but a good day out birding with friends.  If anyone wants more details, please let me know.

Good atlasing time.  Please get out.

George Jett
Waldorf, MD 20603