Hey everyone, an interested starting birder asked me for 
tips on birding the Paint Branch Stream Valley Park trail 
between the University of Maryland and Cherry Hill Rd. 
After I finished writing it up I realized it might be of 
general interest, so here you go!...

Here's a quick rundown of some of the best spots on the 
Paint Branch trail, starting from campus where the trail 
runs past parking lot 11b and heading north toward Cherry 
Hill Rd (total distance, ~2.5 miles).

1. As you head north away from campus, the woods on either 
side of the path just beyond the last bridge before 
Metzerott Rd usually have great birds, including the 
Wilson's Warbler I had yesterday.  Also had Scarlet Tanager, 
Wood Thrush, various warblers, and in the winter Brown 
Creeper, nuthatches, etc.

2. The forest between the bridge and Metzerott is good in 
general -- keep listening and stop if you hear something 
peculiar.  There's usually always a Red-eyed Vireo calling 
during the spring.  Wood Thrush there now.

3. Past the dog run (note the ample parking here off 
Metzerott Rd), as the trail curves to the right, note the 
trail through the bushes to your right -- this opens into a 
clearing where I've had good birds (Fox Sparrow in winter, 
various warblers).

4. Past Metzerott, up to the bridge at MD-193, the woods are 
good for warblers, sparrows, bluebirds, and the like, and 
this is where I had Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the morning 
and afternoon yesterday.  It's also where a Yellow-bellied 
Sapsucker was hanging out in the winter.  And last year I 
saw a Black-billed Cuckoo there!  Also, in winter the bushes 
along the tributary stream on the left have House Finches.

5. The next top spot is the golf pond: ride under MD-193 
(had Winter Wren there in the rocks several times), go past 
the driving range, cross the golf course access road, and 
stop there at the big pond.  Scan with binoculars for 
shorebirds (Killdeer year round, Solitary & Spotted 
Sandpiper during migration), kingfisher, kingbird (they nest 
here), geese, ducks, and so on.  Also Great Blue Heron is 
regular, and sometimes a Great Egret stops by.

6. From the pond, continue along the trail through the 
woods.  Again, listen for unusual calls.  Wood Thrush, 
Hermit Thrush, warblers, chickadees, gnatcatchers, kinglets, 
finches, etc.

7. Then the top spot: the swamp.  Here you should find Green 
Heron from now through fall (they nest there).  This is 
where we had the Great Horned Owls last month.  Great spot 
for raptors in general: Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, kestrel, 
Peregrine, Merlin, etc.  LOTS of sparrows in the winter; you 
should find Swamp Sparrow there now.  Various birds nest in 
the snag cavities.  Great spot for Pileated Woodpecker, and 
woodpeckers in general.  Also Great Crested Flycatcher. 
Had lots of swallows there last week.  In about a month 
Purple Martins will probably hang out there for a while. 
Had a Virginia Rail here last year!

8. The next stretch of trail is all about the small trees 
and shrubs on one side and the agricultural fields on the 
other.  Pay particular attention in the vicinity of the two 
bridges that you cross (these are the last bridges of the 
trail as you head north; Eastern Phoebes are especially fond 
of the bridges).  Sparrows, vireos (incl. Warbling Vireo), 
both orioles, buntings, Blue Grosbeak, etc.  Always check 
the fields: Wilson's Snipe, more Killdeer, robins, 
blackbirds (all kinds), starlings, etc.  And keep an eye 
open overhead: this section and north is where we've had 
Bald Eagle fairly regularly.

9. From the last bridge to the edge of the forest, i.e. 
through the zone that got shredded by the 2001 tornado, 
listen for yellowthroats, chats, and White-Eyed Vireo, watch 
for Red-tailed Hawks and other soaring birds (vultures, 
Osprey), notice all the sparrows, look for swallows, 
waxwings, etc.  There's almost always a towhee calling here. 
Try to get a view of the stream a few times to check for 
birds on the banks.  I had Willow Flycatcher in this stretch 
several times last year.

10. Finally, in the forest section up to Cherry Hill Rd, 
watch and listen for warblers again, especially waterthrush 
and parula, as well as flycatchers (esp. Acadian) and vireos 
(esp. Red-eyed).  Plenty of woodpeckers, and keep an eye out 
for accipiters, especially Cooper's Hawk.  Good spot for 
juncos in the winter.  There is a tiny stretch of trail just 
beyond Cherry Hill Rd where I've had warblers and other good 
birds as well.  You can park at the tennis courts at the end 
of the trail.

BTW, I posted my "trail lists" for someone else last week on 
my web page, for 2004, 2005, and up to last week 2006 (these 
were generated by eBird).  This will give you an idea of 
what species are possible when.  More than 100 species each 
year; I already broke that mark for 2006 as of last week:

    http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/xfer/PaintBranch/

(click on each ".html" file in turn).

Keep in mind that I've only been birding for ~5 yrs, so I've 
probably missed plenty of species.  Getting better though!

D

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