An amazing day weather & bird wise today on the Paint Branch 
Stream Valley Park trail in College Park, PG County.

Top highlight was an adult GREAT HORNED OWL (being harassed 
by AMERICAN CROWS) and a baby/juvenile in an adjacent tree. 
This is my first GHOW for the path (an individual was 
reported here a few months ago by someone else).  This was 
also my first juvenile owl, so I have no experience with 
aging them, but here are my field notes: there were two 
obvious protuberances at the top of the head, yellow eyes, 
downy with tawny brown colour overall, pink(?) feet, what 
looked almost like a white horizontal mustache across the 
face, and an almost yellow-green colour to the top of the 
head (the bird was in full face-on sun, unlike the adult, 
who was shaded behind a tree).  Wow!  I can provide location 
details to established atlasing experts if needed.

But there were plenty of other good birds too.  In fact I 
think this was my high species count for the year on the 
path (41), despite missing some regular birds like Great 
Blue Heron, dirunal raptors, Eastern Phoebe, and Fish Crow.

The other highlights included my first CHIPPING SPARROWs of 
the year (that made it an 8-sparrow-species day), and my 
first TREE SWALLOW and HERMIT THRUSH for the path this year. 
Also a nice look at a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (it's been over a 
month since I've seen one on the path).

Here's my full report, submitted to eBird:

Report Details
Location name: Paint Branch Stream Valley Park
Observation date: 4/10/06
Duration: 1 hour(s) 40 minute(s)
# of people in birding party: 1
Are you reporting all the species you identified? Yes
Total # of species: 41
Observation type: Traveling Count
Start time: 8:10 AM
Distance covered: 2.5 mile(s)
Area covered: N/A
Weather had a negative effect on my ability to collect 
birding information: No

Checklist diary notes:
Beautiful clear day with a light breeze. Cool. Outstanding 
highlight: an adult Great-horned Owl with a baby! The baby 
was already pretty big (difficult to judge size; it was in 
an adjacent tree). I found the owls courtesy of some 
irritated crows. Other highlights: my first Tree Swallow 
(for the path) and Chipping Sparrows of the year. It was 
also nice to see the Ruby-crowned Kinglet and the Hermit 
Thrush (only the briefest of glances for the latter, but the 
rufous tail was obvious). Some of the House Sparrows were 
engaged in mating activity. May have heard a Red-shouldered 
Hawk and a second kingfisher. Had a glimpse of a small bird 
"creeping" in a fast upward spiral on a large tree, but I 
couldn't relocate it. Another dozen ducklings (same ones as
Friday?).

Species Details
Species Name Number Reported
Canada Goose 15
Wood Duck 2
Mallard 18
Killdeer 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 10
Great Horned Owl 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 5
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 7
Tree Swallow 1
Carolina Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 15
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 6
Eastern Bluebird 2
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 50
Northern Mockingbird 3
European Starling 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler 2
Palm Warbler 3
Eastern Towhee 3
Chipping Sparrow 8
Field Sparrow 1
Fox Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 20
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 40
Dark-eyed Junco 3
Northern Cardinal 20
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
American Goldfinch 20
House Sparrow 8

D

-- 
Derek C. Richardson, College Park, PG County, MD
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/Archives/Photos/birds.html