Hi --

Today we took our British friends around Montgomery and Frederick Counties
to wrap up some target species; the beautiful weather and some successes
made it quite a nice day out.

We started out at Blue Mash Trail, and soon connected with excellent views
of our two targets, Yellow-breasted Chat and Willow Flycatcher, plus other
enjoyable birds such as Yellow Warbler, Orchard Oriole, and Scarlet Tanager.
From there we ran up to a site near Emmitsburg for Dickcissel, hearing them
even before we exited the car. We eventually saw a pair nest-building (well,
the female was nest-building) as well as another singing male. At the same
site we had a male Vesper Sparrow and some Grasshopper Sparrows. At the
nearby river crossing, our friends added Phoebe and Belted Kingfisher to
their trip lists, plus Kestrel over the fields.

Then on to Lilypons where we failed to find Least Bittern but did find two
Virginia Rails with two little black chicks! (Atlas block alert!) -- very
satisfying. Also some more raptors such as Cooper's and Red-Shouldered
Hawks.

Our last stop was Sycamore Landing Road and the C&O Canal, where we had
great views of a male Cerulean Warbler, plus Acadian Flycatcher and
Redstart.

This proved to be all the time we had, so back to the house, where they
packed and are now en route to BWI as I write this.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Clesville, MD