Hi Folks,

Elaine and I covered the McKeldin Area and other parts of SE Carroll Co. for
the annual May Count, so I'll just add our sightings in with the multitude
of others for the area this past week.  Nothing exceptional, but as others
have noted, more birds than I've seen during migration in years.  The last
time I had this good a May Count was in 2002 when I had 25 species of
warbler.  While today's warbler species total was 17, the activity was
constant throughout the morning, and at noon we were hearing as much singing
as at 8 a.m.  Highlights for us were getting great looks at CERULEAN,
BLACKBURNIAN, and WORM-EATING WARBLERS at McKeldin, and having a flyover N.
HARRIER at Slacks Rd.  Back in our Ferndale (AA Co.) yard during the
afternoon, the unmitigated highlight was a GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH, our second
yard record, and first Spring record for this bird.

Carroll Co. May Count (selected sightings)

    McKeldin Area, Patapsco Valley State Park

Wood Duck--3
Barred Owl--2
B. Kingfisher--1
RB Woodpecker--18
Downy Woodpecker--2
Hairy Woodpecker--1
N. Flicker--1
Pileated Woodpecker--3
E. Wood Pewee--16
Acadian Flycatcher--14
Gr-Cr Flycatcher--3
Yellow-thr. Vireo--1
Red-eyed Vireo--28
Veery--1
Swainson's Thrush--2
Wood Thrush--19
N. Parula--14
Magnolia Warbler--1
Blk-thr. Green Warbler--3
Blackburnian Warbler--3 (large parking area at end of park road, near Oak
_____? Pavillion)
Yellow-throated Warbler--1 (corner of Mariottsville & Mariottsville #2
roads)
Blackpoll Warbler--6
Cerulean Warbler--6
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Am. Redstart--7
Worm-eating Warbler--3 (Switchback Trail)
Ovenbird--17
La. Waterthrush--7
Common Yellowthroat--1
Scarlet Tanager--14
Indigo Bunting--5
Balt. Oriole--4

    Henryton Rd. Area
Wild Turkey--1
Solitary Sandpiper--1
YB Cuckoo--1
Kentucky Warbler--2
Hooded Warbler--1
Balt. Oriole--2

    Slacks Rd. (no Bobolinks today)
Bald Eagle--1 juv
N. Harrier--1
Red-shouldered Hawk--4 overhead
Red-tailed Hawk--1
E. Kingbird--4
Yellow Warbler--1
Field Sparrow--1
Grasshopper Sparrow--1
E. Meadowlark--2

    E. Shore of Piney Run Res.
DC Cormorant--1
Red-shouldered Hawk--4 overhead together
Spotted Sandpiper--1
YB Cuckoo--1
Swainson's Thrush--1
N. Parula--1
Black-throated Green Warbler--2
Black-throated Blue Warbler--1
Blackpoll Warbler--5
Black-and-white Warbler--1
Ovenbird--5
Balt. Oriole--2

    After hiking for four or more hours, we were ready to call it quits with
the count shortly after noon, and headed home to AA Co. to enjoy some of the
migration there, and weren't disapointed as our year's first Magnolia
Warbler, Veery, and Gray-cheeked Thrush dropped into the yard.  Blackpoll
Warblers were noisy all day, as they've been for the past five days, and
both a male and female Redstart were well viewed.  An Ovenbird let out a few
robust calls during the afternoon, while a Black-throated Green gave some
feeble vocalizations several times during the same period.  Other firsts
during the past week:

5/6--Brown Thrasher--though this is our first Spring record, this bird has
been around for 5 days, with a pair seen yesterday
5/6--Black-throated Blue warbler heard, and again on 5/11
5/9--Great Crested Flycatcher made a noisy appearance in the afternoon, and
was back on 5/11 with two on 5/12
5/10--our first Red-eyed Vireo of the season, has been noisy and active now
for three days
5/11--first N. Parula seen and heard by Elaine

Good activity this week, but today was the best.  It is just great when the
height of migration happens to fall on a weekend!

Stan Arnold
Glen Burnie