I went around some northern Howard Co locations this morning: Alpha 
Ridge, Henryton Rd, and River Rd.

The most notable sighting was my first-of-season Yellow-breasted Chat 
in the open area of River Rd (near the horse stable around the bend 
where the gas line goes up a steep hill.) Also one Prairie Warbler 
there.

Of possible Atlas interest: a female Baltimore Oriole building a nest 
with a male present in the gas line area on River Rd where the path 
first turns a little right into a little thicket area (before the big 
turn left by the steep hill). They were in a medium-sized sycamore on 
the right, leaning towards a medium-small tulip tree. Also, there were 
about 25 Cliff Swallows building and occupying nests under the Rt 32 
bridge over River Rd on the Howard Co side, just south of Sykesville. 
It was the best look I ever had at swallows in nests. They were 
gathering mud from a roadside puddle on River Rd under the bridge.

Baltimore Orioles were pretty common at all three locations, and there 
were 2 Orchards at Alpha Ridge. I did not see or hear any 
Yellow-throated Warblers or Cerulean Warblers at Henryton Rd. A 
Scarlet Tanager was at Henryton. Warblers were pretty scarce in 
general.

Steve Sanford
Randallstown MD (Balto Co)
scartanATverizonDOTnet