From May 10-31, we had many blackpolls every single day, usually at least 6-
8 among the three big trees (30-33 inch dbh and ~ 100 years old) next to 
the house.  I really enjoy their constant singing (seems like more of a 
call than singing) - more or less all day long!  However, today the avian 
symphony is without them, and as exciting as the breeding season and MD 
Atlasing is, I will miss the blackpolls song until next May.  To me, their 
arrival and departure seems to be timed perfectly (for here - Jug Bay area) 
with the peak and end of Spring migration, respectively.

On a (sort of) positive note, the bobwhite that showed up last week is 
still here and has been singing vigorously throughout each day.  I wish 
they were still a common bird; with such wide recognition among both 
birders and non-birders as an enjoyable bird to see and hear, why can't we 
(people in general) rally to do something about their sharp and presumably 
irreversible population decline in Maryland?  I have no problems with 
hunting as a game management tool, but how is it that they still have a 
hunting season for them, when clearly they are on their way to extinction 
in most of their very recent former range west of the Chesapeake.  The DNR 
needs to step up to the task with this species now, if MD wants to continue 
seeing and hearing them.  The DNR has done a great job when action was 
needed with several "game" species, but why do they fail so miserably with 
this one?

Jeff Shenot
Croom MD