June,
   White-throated Sparrows do not nest in Maryland but sometimes stay through the summer though this is rather rare as indicated by the dotted line in the Yellow Book. It is best to see the bird to be positive of the identification because starlings can do a pretty good imitation.
--
Bob Ringler
Eldersburg MD

 
---- June Tveekrem <> wrote: 
> I heard a White-throated Sparrow singing in the woods on the north 
> side of Centennial Lake at 8:30 this morning. I did not see the bird.
> 
> I returned to Centennial around 12:00 and heard the White-throat 
> again, but did not see it. I was able to more precisely pinpoint its 
> location. It was back in the woods, well away from the path, along 
> the north side of the lake, east of Volk's Falls and west of the 
> Wood Duck pond. Roughly near the geo-stash with the turquoise wading 
> pool, if you know where that is. (There is no need to overly disturb 
> things by bushwacking, by the way! There are several existing dirt 
> or mowed trails through that area of the woods.)
> 
> It didn't even dawn on me at first that this would be a very early 
> date, because I recently returned from vacationing in Minnesota, 
> where I heard dozens of them singing everywhere I went!
> 
> The Yellow Book shows a dotted line through July and August.  I 
> figure these birds nest in the Appalachians. Might a young one do an 
> early altitudinal migration?
> 
> Of course, since I only heard it, I can't rule out Mockingbird. I 
> saw Mockingbirds at Centennial today (of course), but on the wood 
> edges near the lake, not in the area where I was hearing the sparrow 
> song.
> 
> The mystery remains...
> 
> 
> -- 
> June Tveekrem
> Columbia, Howard Co, MD
> tweekiebird AT toadmail DOT com