Hi all --

A very fine day at Rock Creek Park DC, not the numbers of birds we had expected as the expected cold front had not passed through yet (high clouds at dawn were moving to the NE). However lots of diversity and some excellent birds seen. The highlight was a first fall CONNECTICUT WARBLER in the Maintenance Yard, incredibly cooperative for such a skulker, walking about and perching in low bare branches -- once even puttering around on the mud amongst the cattails in the little pond. Originally it flew into the weeds from a thick tree, alerting Mike Bowen and Barry Cooper that "that was something good!" - they saw it to ID before it dived into thick cover.  The rest of us thought "that was it" but persistence by Gary Allport and Greg Butcher relocated it, but it flew into the woods. Amazingly, it flew back and was seen well (finally!) by most of us, as it did a little loop about the edge of the woods, and then disappeared. As we were leaving, it was seen yet again (!) and we trooped ba
ck but this time only had flight views.

Earlier at the Ridge (Picnic areas 17/18) several of us enjoyed views of a PHILADELPHIA VIREO, and Gary Allport found a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER near the stable en route to the Yard. Brad has already reported his Red-headed Woodpecker.

About 9:30-10:00 the cold front really started to move through and it got pretty breezy, and things started to shut down.

Birds seen (not all by us) include:

Warblers: Black-and-White (4-5), Blackpoll (1), Baybreasted (1), Blue-winged (1), Black-throated Blue (3), Black-throated Green (4-5), Blackburnian (1), Chestnut-sided (4), Connecticut (1), Magnolia (5-6), Ovenbird (1), Parula (1), Prairie  (1), Redstart (4), Yellowthroat (8).

Other migrants: Broad-winged Hawk (5), Am. Kestrel (1), Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1), Wood-pewee (4), Phoebe (2), Yellow-bellied FC, "Traill's" FC, Scarlet Tanager (2) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (12 -- at least!), Red-eyed Vireo (8), Philadelphia Vireo (1), House Wren (6), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Swainson's Thrush (2), Brown Thrasher (1). Still lots of Catbirds, Robins and Flickers.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD