There are some good photographers on this site, but Bill Hubick wins first
place. I've had half a dozen looks at a Mourning Warbler in my life and he
gets not 1 but 2 shots like the ones he just posted. Amazing.

Weekend highlights:

Saturday I went over to Sugarloaf to see what was loafing around. I hiked
the Blue Trail back into the hinterlands of the shorter part of the
mountain. I was somewhat disappointed in the number (3) of Worm-eating
Warblers I heard. Someone had posted earlier that the numbers seemed good
this year. Not on my watch.

I was not disappointed to hear a singing Swainson's THRUSH ;-) (The wink is
for Kurt Schwarz who got excited and wrote in Warbler on his post)

Plenty of Blackpolls still around and a few Black-throated Greens. I heard
one bird singing that may have been a Black-throated Blue but he was
sounding so much like a Cerulean I was not sure.

While I was talking to some nature enthusiasts from the Audubon Society in
Chevy Chase along Mt Ephraim Rd, we had a LA Waterthrush singing nearby.
These folks were equipped with binocs, plant guides, herp guides, butterfly
guides. Whatever showed up they were ready for it. I pointed out to them
that the Mountain Laurel was in bloom. I think they had already noticed that
show.

I had nice looks at Ovenbirds and Great-Crested FC as well as some other
usual birds.

Yesterday we went up to a town named Harrisburg on a nearby planet and were
delighted with our third look at a Blackpoll this spring. Might set a new
record. Like I told the Audubon group, you hear 50 for every one you see.
Also had a Redstart come down so close Bill Hubick would have had to switch
to a close-up lens. Nice looks at Green Herons, Orioles (both) and Yellow
Warblers that seemed to be around us in the thousands. We heard one trying
to cross everybody up by sounding like a Chestnut-sided. He would have got
away with it if we hadn't caught him at it. Has anybody else seen/heard
this? I seem to recall having found other Yellows pulling this mimic thrush
stunt.
    Repeat after me ya dumb bird, "Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweeter than sweet."
Now get it right next time.

    Jerry Tarbell
    Carroll County