Today DC Audubon made its annual trip to Pennyfield Lock, led by Paul 
DeAnna. We walked about a 1.25 miles west along the canal towpath and 
back. The highlight of the trip was a CERULEAN WARBLER, a life bird for 
me and many others. There were at least two singing Ceruleans, in the 
tulips and sycamores just beyond the second impoundment. It flew down 
and perched about fifteen feet off the ground so we all got great views.

This part of the canal is loaded with orioles. Both species are 
represented, but there are far more Baltimores; in some places they 
appeared to be dripping from the trees. We spotted one Baltimore female 
constructing a nest. Prothonotary warblers are also quite common here; 
we saw and heard them at several points, including at a nest box. Lots 
of great-crested flycatchers, too.

We did not see the common moorhens reported previously.

Here are some other sightings from the day.

Green Heron
Wood Duck (with ducklings)
Hooded Merganser (female, second impoundment)
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Solitary Sandpiper (between the impoundments)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Barred Owl (heard only)
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo (at a nest, feeding youngsters)
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole

Good birding,

John Beetham

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John D. Beetham
Washington, DC

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