Yesterday (9/4) I spent the morning between Rockburn Branch Park (Howard) and 
Halethorpe Ponds (Baltimore County). While nothing as exciting as a 
Connecticut Warbler turned up, there were enough pockets of activity to keep things 
interesting, and diversity was pretty good for early September (12 warblers) even 
if numbers weren't real high.

At Rockburn there were lots of BALTIMORE ORIOLES moving through the treetops 
early, and a SCREECH OWL called. I encountered 3 pockets of warblers with 
CHESTNUT-SIDED and MAGNOLIA dominant, but one group had 3 Vermivora species in one 
small tree. There were lots of WOOD-PEWEES and empids about, most of which 
defied positive ID. Studying these fall empids is getting to be as much fun as 
watching warblers.

At 10:00 I moved on to Halethorpe, were things were already getting slow. But 
one group of warblers in the always-birdy area behind the small pond held a 
bright male BLACKBURNIAN. More flycatchers were here, including an apparent 
LEAST.

Some highlights:

Rockburn Branch Park:
YB Cuckoo - 1
E Screech-Owl - 1
E Wood-Pewee - 6
WE Vireo - 5 - still singing
Brown Thrasher - 2
Blue-winged Warbler - 1
Tennessee Warbler - 1
Nashville Warbler - 3
Chestnut-sided - 6
Magnolia - 12
BTB - 1 f
BTG - 4
Prairie Warbler - 1
Redstart - 1
Ovenbird - 2
Yellowthroat - 3
RB Grosbeak - 3, all f or immature
Baltimore Oriole - 8, all f or imm.

Halethorpe Ponds:
Broad-winged Hawk - 1
YB Cuckoo - 1
Least Flycatcher - 1 (bold eye ring, broad dark tip on lower mandible)
WE Vireo - 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 2
Magnolia Warbler - 3
Blackburnian Warbler - 1 adult m
Prairie Warbler - 1
Yellowthroat - 2

Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD