Hey MDOSPREYers,

I just got back from 2 weeks in Brazil (!) and finally had a 
chance today to bird my familiar area, Paint Branch Stream 
Valley Park in College Park.  One hour of birding from 9 am 
didn't produce a lot of species, but I got a surprising 
variety, including 2 species I haven't seen here in many 
months: AMERICAN KESTREL and PILEATED WOODPECKER (both in 
the swamp area across from the golf course).  I *may* have 
glimpsed a male Bobolink, but only briefly and in 
silhouette.  Thought I heard a kingfisher and a Downy as 
well, but couldn't be sure.  The cicadas were *loud*...  My 
complete confirmed species list for this morning:

Canada Goose  			6
Green Heron 			1
Turkey Vulture 			2
Red-tailed Hawk 		2
American Kestrel 		1 (male)
Killdeer 			1
Mourning Dove 			10
Chimney Swift 			4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 	1
Pileated Woodpecker 		1
Great Crested Flycatcher 	1
Eastern Kingbird 		3
Blue Jay 			1
Carolina Wren 			1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 		3
American Robin 			2
Gray Catbird 			1
Northern Mockingbird 		15
European Starling 		75
Cedar Waxwing 			1
Song Sparrow 			1
Northern Cardinal 		7
Blue Grosbeak 			1 (female)
Red-winged Blackbird 		5
American Goldfinch 		5
House Sparrow 			5

Good birding,

D

-- 
Derek C. Richardson, Ph.D. (CANTAB) ________
Astronomy, U Maryland, College Park MD 20742
Tel: Office 301-405-8786 Fax 301-314-9067 __
Home page: http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/ __