Hi Everyone,
 
I'm just back from a weekend of Atlas blockbusting in Charles Co., where I worked on the Mathias Point NW block. While mostly private property, the area is rich in field and woodland habitat, and hosts healthy populations of great species such as GRASSHOPPER SPARROWs, HOODED WARBLERs, PRAIRIE WARBLERs, YELLOW-BREASTED CHATs, and BLUE GROSBEAKs. Two days of hard work brought the block just beyond its 1983 atlas seasons numbers, and the block is now at 72 species with many upgrades and confirmations. Most species were found in all four quarterblocks. Some highlight species included both vultures (O; Black was new for the block), Ospreys (O; new for block), Northern Bobwhite, Killdeer (ON), Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Eastern Screech-owl (new for block), Barred Owls, many hummingbirds, abundant pewees and Acadian Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbird, Yellow-throated Vireos, Pine Warblers, American Redstart, Prothonotary Warblers, Ovenbirds, both tanagers, and Orchard Oriole. Strangely,
 Song Sparrow and kingbird were my toughest birds to locate. It got to be personal. :)
 
Atlas note: Everything is in safe dates besides Black-billed Cuckoo (and Purple Gallinule). As Stan Arnold has pointed out to me in the past, June 20th is the magic day that EVERYTHING is safe. 
 
Grackles and starlings have fledged and were present in ubiquitous large flocks and small family groups. Box Turtles are on the move it seems, and I had at least eight while driving and hiking the area. Mill Swamp is an especially interesting feature of the block, and could probably turn up something interesting in the future. Milkweed was in bloom, and butterflies like Monarchs and Great Spangled Fritillaries were enjoying the feast. 
 
While conducting a nightjar survey for George and Gwen at 4:30 a.m., I was concerned to note strange activity several hundred yard ahead of me. Three cars loomed ahead in the darkness, busy pulling forward and backward, turning lights on and off, and generally making me want to bail on the Whip-poor-wills. They left fairly quickly, though, and I decided to risk moving forward. The cause: Someone had just hit a huge buck and totaled their car. The activity was apparently the people getting the vehicle of the road. Yet another weird night-birding experience. I didn't find any nightjars, but finding a new owl species for the block (screech) was a consolation.
 
On the way home, I stopped at Schoolhouse Pond to have a look at the TRUMPETER SWAN that's been hanging out since early last month. Beautiful bird, and well worth risking the wrath of the local Graylags to see it. Hopefully more and more will be visiting our area as the reintroduction efforts proceed.
 
I've posted photos of the Trumpeter Swan, as well as of highlights from the weekend in Charles Co. (Grasshopper Sparrow, Blue Grosbeaks, Box Turtles, etc.) on my web site: 
 
<http://billhubick.com/new_set.html>
 
Have a great week!
 
Bill
 
Bill Hubick
Elkridge, MD
bill_hubick AT yahoo.com
http://www.billhubick.com/