Hi,
   I had a surprising find in College Park on Wednesday 
evening.  While checking up on a family of blue birds that 
hang out under the high tension wires off of Metzerott road, 
I came across some type of feral cockatiel apparently 
existing in the wild (if you can call suburban MD "the 
wild").  It was perched on the top wire (a good 30 
meters high or so), and I had dismissed it as a mourning dove 
until it screeched.  It screeched a few more times and then 
flew off over the adjacent woods.  Due to distance and 
lighting I can only say it had a white breast, white crest 
and parrot-like beak and posture. I don't know if this is of 
enterest to anyone here  but I thought I'd report it.  This 
is the second time I've observed an escapee.  The last time 
was about 25 years ago in southern Illinois when we recovered 
a cockatiel from the top of an oak in my parents front yard 
(my brother climbed to the top and caught it).

Also this morning there was a black-crowned night heron at 
George Washington cemetery off of Riggs road in nearby 
Adelphi. It was perched in a willow on the small island in 
the marshy pond.  Green Herons are common there but this was 
the first BCN heron I've seen in this location.  This was a 
mature bird and may have been accompanied by a juvenile which 
called and flew briefly but did not provide a good view.