Hi all --

Barry and I have been out of town for five days and came home Sunday to find messages about the Sabine's at Conowingo. Argghhh! So we went up today, arriving to find Harvey and Marion Mudd, George Jett, Stan Arnold, Marcia Balestri and other birders waiting for the as-yet-elusive gull. Stan had been there since 9 a.m. I think.

Anyway, despite a lot of looking the only interesting gull seen all afternoon (we left just before 4 p.m.) was a single Bonaparte's flying high downriver.

A lot of birders were still there when we left, so maybe the gull will show up later this evening. Or not.

Since rare birds seem to arrive every time we go out of town (the latest was the Collared Dove while we were in Australia), we think Maryland listers should pay us to go on long trips so that goodies will show up in our absence. We are off to England in a few days so you birders keep your eyes open!

We did enjoy dynamite looks at two bright Cape May Warblers at eye level and almost too close to focus, as well as Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Blackpoll, Parula, Redstart and Yellowthroat in the vegetation alonside the parking lot.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD