I went out early Saturday morning to the big Halethorpe Ponds (Baltimore 
County) looking for some new arrivals, and found some along with a couple of 
surprises and a few new birds for my Halethorpe list. One unexpected bird was a 
calling RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH along the powerline cut near the river; I've been 
looking for this one at Halethorpe but didn't expect to find it on a bright 
late April day. There was a singing BLUE-WINGED WARBLER at this spot too, the 
first of 2 for the morning and another new Halethorpe bird. The best find was 2 
female REDHEADS on the back side of the small pond. At first I thought they 
must be Ring-necks, but despite the bad lighting I could see the warm reddish 
brown rounded head, contrasting with the uniform gray-brown body plumage, lack of 
strong facial markings, and the narrow, all-dark bill. A newly arrived GREAT 
CRESTED FLYCATCHER was also "wheep"ing near the river.

Otherwise it was mostly the regular spring arrivals, but it was great to see 
them again. On the way home I stopped at Mears Farm for three certain FOY's: 
EASTERN KINGBIRD, HOUSE WREN and PRAIRIE WARBLER. There was also a pair of 
KESTRELS patrolling there.

Some of the notables, from Halethorpe only:

REDHEAD - 2 hens
DC Cormorant - 4
Great Egret - 1
BC Night-Heron - 1
Osprey - 2, resident pair
Solitary Sandpiper - 1
Spotted Sandpiper - 1
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1
White-eyed Vireo - 2
Blue-headed Vireo - 1
Warbling Vireo - 5
RB NUTHATCH - 1
Blue-winged Warbler - 2
Northern Parula - 4
Yellow Warbler - 6
Myrtle Warbler ~30
BW Warbler - 2
American Redstart - 6
Common Yellowthroat - 3
Orchard Oriole - 1 imm. male

Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD