Today I saw my first coot for the year at Jug Bay.  The lone bird was 
trying to keep company with a pair of wood ducks, which were not in the 
mood for a threesome, and managed to elude the coot with superior swimming 
ability.

I looked every evening this week for the interesting gull that I saw on 
Monday, with no luck.  The number of Laughers has grown a little since 
then (~350 total now), and the number of other gulls fluctuates daily but 
remains low (< 40 herring and ringers).  I saw about 22-25 Bonies feeding 
in the main channel on Tuesday in late afternoon.  The number of Caspian 
terns has slightly increased; tonight there were 11 on the same mudflat 
where they have been at every evening.

I enjoyed reading Bill Hubick's post including mammal, insect and 
vegetation observations.  This week one of my favorite spring emergents - 
VA Bluebell - is in peak bloom along one of the few spots in PG County 
where I know it can still be found.  For some reason this plant seems to 
be getting scarce here.  It's a great time to be looking for whatever you 
can find along a floodplain or forested wetland.  Many ephemerals are out 
and its exciting to be out even if birding is slow.

At home this evening I saw my first fireflies of the season, and heard 5 
amphibians calling (in order) Green, Pickerel, and Leopard Frogs, Spring 
Peepers and American Toad.  The full moon rising over the river was 
spectacular!

Cheers-
Jeff Shenot
Croom MD