Sorry about the foul-up sending my message. I sent it to the wrong 
list serve address. Anyway, here it is again, without interruption:

Great news, Paul. Thanks for sharing and thanks again to Bob for 
locating this nest! I've been in touch with Rob Gibbs and the county 
park folks about this nest because there is construction planned near 
the nest site within the next few years. Seems there used to be a 
playground there and a new one is planned. Right now, it seems the 
nest will be safe--it's right over the stream and so benefits from a 
100-foot buffer zone, so it's unlikely any trees will be cut. But the 
park plans haven't been finalized.

Rob saw the nest and is aware of the situation. He asked me to send a 
letter to the park planning folks expressing concerns. I'll emphasize 
the relative rarity of this bird in Montgomery County and MD in 
general and request that they consider timing construction so it 
occurs while the birds are on their wintering grounds, also stress 
the need to protect the buffer zone, and my hopes that placement of 
the park will not impact the nesting birds. Right now, bikes whiz 
past these birds every day, and dogs run beneath the nest tree. I 
might also request that they try to put a short fence along the path 
edge to discourage people from short-cutting beneath the nest tree to 
access the park-to-be. It's hard to know what the birds will do once 
visitation to the site undergoes a big boost, once the park is in. If 
anyone else needs the address for the park planning person, email me off-line.

Howard Youth

Bethesda, MD