Paul and I did a short walk Saturday morning in 
Leakin Park, Baltimore City.   It was not a birdy day. 
We did see two Yellow Warblers, an American Redstart,
a Worm-eating Warbler, and a Canada Warbler, however.   
We also had close looks at a Yellow-billed Cuckoo 
along the Gwynns Falls.  While a second bird called that 
soft, two-syllable call, our bird clacked softly.   We were 
also pleasantly surprised to find a Solitary Sandpiper in the
 park dump.

The city has been dumping leaves in the park in an area to 
one side of the model railroad, screened by a tall row of 
cedars.  They've been dumping them, plastic bags and all.
In an interview, I heard this called "recycling."  Well, of 
course, the bags don't biodegrade, and they have created 
a foundation for a little sludge pond.  It is an interesting 
spot. Squash that I've never seen in the grocery store are 
growing wild there, cross-fertilizing one another - - Paul 
and I made two meals out of one and found a few cherry 
tomatoes to go with them.   This is no one's garden - - you 
have to bushwhack and climb unstable trash bags to get to it.  
Anyone, the Solitary Sandpiper was perched on one of the 
plastic bags, and we had a good look.  We've also found 
Canada Geese floating around there on another occasion. 

Elise Kreiss
Baltimore City