Just returned from a 3 night trip to Garrett County.  Thanks again to all who responded earlier with advice.  Since all but one of my target species were major long shots, in the end I decided to take a fairly relaxed approach to birding this weekend--focus mainly on getting Alder Flycatcher and doing some nice hiking.

Finzel Swamp was about 20 minutes from the Savage River Lodge, where my wife and I were staying, and that was where I headed Saturday morning.  A large group of other birders, some from around here and VA, was also there.  Didn't take long to find my life ALDER FLYCATCHER, and in the end I totalled at least 3.  Other birds of interest were a SORA that called just once while I was there, a flyby RAVEN, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER.

The Savage River Lodge and surrounding forest turned out to have very nice birding in its own right, and I spent the next morning birding there.  Highlights were drumming RUFFED GROUSE and calling BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS (first time I've ever heard them vocalize).  The area also had a nice selection of warblers and others.  At our cabin, singing BLUE-HEADED VIREOS and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS were a constant--there were actually very few times during the day when I couldn't hear them.  GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS were also singing in the area.

A nice afternoon walk at Mt. Nebo WMA on Sunday produced nothing of note.  This morning I returned to Finzel Swamp and had more Alders and the Sora again, but nothing new.  On the way home, a quick detour into Alleghany County near Frostburg produced a singing male GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, also seen by Mike and Joy Bowen, giving me one more of my target species at the last minute.

All in all a great trip--now I need to try it in the fall!

Jason Waanders
NW DC
jwaandersATstarpower.net