Hi --

We arrived at Nolan's Ferry at about 10:45, just as Mark Hoffman, Bob Ringler and his dog, and another birder were leaving. Linda Freidland had just arrived. Mark told us that they had been watching the warbler for about an hour and flashed a great photo to tantalize us! Linda, Barry and I walked up the towpath until we heard a flock of Kinglets calling -- a lot of Golden-crowned, a few Ruby-crowned and several Brown Creepers and some woodpecker hangers-on. They were mostly feeding fairly high up in the trees on the canal side, and moving around quickly. Barry spotted the Townsend's Warbler fairly shortly and we all got good, if not brilliant, views of the bird before it managed to elude us. By then a number of other birders had started to arrive, and we scattered trying to relocate the flock.

Bob had warned us that the warbler was only "loosely" associated with the kinglet flock, and this proved to be case as when it was rediscovered by Mike Burchette and Paul O'Brien, it was alone, again feeding rather high in a tree on the canal side of the towpath. This time we had far longer (and better) looks, enjoying the bright yellow breast, strong facial pattern and the spotted undertail coverts of this adult bird. The warbler was actively gleaning along branches and even along the trunks of trees, a bit like a Black and White.

We left around 12:50, the bird still being seen -- all our sightings were upstream (north) of the entrance road to the parking lot, which is at the end of New Design Rd. although there seems to be some confusion with one sign saying Nolan's Rd. (Anyway, if you just take New Design Rd. south across Rt. 28, follow to end under RR bridge and at C&O Canal NP, park near the porta-potty, you are in the right place!).

A really nice bird and thanks to the finders! Phil Davis says it is first record for Maryland!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD