This morning (Sat., 10/15) was the birdiest day I've had a Rock Creek Park
all fall (though I'll admit that I haven't been getting there as frequently
as the regulars).  In any case, both the Ridge and the Maintenance Yard were
quite active.  Unfortunately, most of the activity at the Ridge consisted of
flyovers, but birds did come down into the trees, and there was plenty to
look at around the Maintenance Yard (MY).  Here are some highlights (numbers
are very rough estimates) based on just c.2 hours birding.  I'm sure others
could add a lot to this, especially if they stuck around a little longer.

  1 Sharp-shinned Hawk (MY)
c.100 Chimney Swifts 
  1 Belted Kingfisher (flew over MY)
  6 Eastern Phoebes (MY)
  3 Blue-headed Vireo (both places)
  2 Red-eyed Vireos (MY)
  3 House Wrens (MY)
  2 Winter Wrens (Ridge)
15 Golden-crowned Kinglets (Ridge mostly)
40 Ruby-crowned Kinglets (both)
  2 Eastern Bluebirds (Ridge)
-00's Am. Robins (both)
  1 Tennessee Warbler (MY)
  2 Nashville Warblers (MY)
  1 No. Parula (Ridge)
  3 Cape May Warblers (2 at Ridge, 1 at MY)
15 Yellow-rumped Warblers (both)
  2 Black-throated Green Warblers (Ridge)
  1 Scarlet Tanager (MY)
12 Eastern Towhees (both)
30 Chipping Sparrows (both)
  2 Field Sparrows (MY)
  3 Swamp Sparrows (MY)
10 White-throated Sparrows (both)
  6 Dark-eyed Juncos (MY)
  1 Indigo Bunting (MY)
  1 Purple Finch (Ridge)

Good birding,
Paul Pisano
Arlington, VA