On Sunday, September 24, six of us from the Montgomery County Bird 
Club ventured out for a half day's birding from Violette's to 
Pennyfield Lock. Overall, it seemed a bit slow but regular pockets of 
activity, including perhaps five chickadee flocks to scour. The list 
of 55 species reflects the season, an interesting mix of summer to 
fall birds, with singleton lingerers and first-of-the-season showings:

Highlights included one green heron, an immature bald eagle,  an 
osprey, a PEREGRINE FALCON, three female blue-winged teal, a female 
northern pintail (the last two at the waterfowl sanctuary just north 
of Pennyfield on the toepath), one solitary solitary sandpiper, a 
last ruby-throated hummingbird, three common nighthawks over 
Violette's early, two or three imm. RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS, a 
northern rough-winged swallow, an immature white-eyed vireo, a 
probable Philadelphia vireo, three ruby-crowned kinglets, a flyover 
indigo bunting, and individuals of seven warbler species:

northern parula
chestnut-sided
magnolia
black-throated green
Cape May
common yellowthroat
palm warbler

Surprise misses included gulls and accipiters.

Howard Youth

Bethesda, MD