Hi Everybody,

I have heard a few wistful comments since the end of August about the 
atlas being over. For practical purposes the nesting season is over for 
most bird species. However, if you still have an itch to look for new 
nesting records there is a way to confirm a number of birds that still 
is available to the end of the year. Birds can be confirmed when you 
find their used nests. The code is "UN" and any bird that nested over 
the last five years that left a the remains of its nest can still be 
confirmed; provided you can identify the nest of course.

Almost every birder is familiar with the sack-like nest of the Baltimore 
Oriole, you may also know the shallower woven nest of Orchard Oriole. 
After the leaves fall, oriole nests are often conspicuous. Vireo nests 
are also distinctive, but you need to know what species of vireo might 
have been in a block to use them. If you have a nest field guide you 
ought to give hunting for used nests a try. At the end of December the 
atlas project will be *really* over.

Good nest-hunting,

Walter Ellison
MD/DC Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator

23460 Clarissa Rd
Chestertown, MD 21620

phone: 410-778-9568

e-mail: rossgull(AT)baybroadband.net

"Nothing is as easy as you would like it to be, and nothing is as hard 
as you might fear"