Hi all --

For any of you who struggle daily with rush-hour traffic on the Beltway, especially those stuck in the usual jam from New Hampshire to Georgia Avenues, I am sure you will be pleased to learn that as you sit and sit there is a Louisiana Waterthrush singing on territory 100 feet below you in the Northwest Branch canyon, essentially directly below the 495 bridge.

This stretch of NW Branch (Rt. 29 down to 495) supports an amazing number of Wood Thrushes, Acadian Flycatchers, at least 4 pairs of Waterthrushes, Veeries etc. and is a lovely cool canyon with huge old beeches and oaks. In fact, with the mist rising off the stream and the large trees, it is very "jungle-y" and reminds Barry and me of a similar area in Taman Negara NP, Malaysia, alas without the broadbills! It is certainly the wildest part of our Kensington SE atlas block.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD