I had the chance to do a little birding this afternoon, and went by Merkle to 
check for shorebirds and to see if the White Ibis was still present.  The bird 
was present, feeding along the edge of Windmill Pond.  Also present at this 
pond were the two immature Little Blue Herons.  I spoke with Dan Schlueter 
(Merkle Naturalist), and he said that the ibis had been absent for the last 
three days, but reappeared this morning.  I watched it until about 1:45 PM.

At the pond closest to the visitor's center, shorebirds included 2 Western 
Sandpipers among the group of Least Sandpipers and Killdeer.  Grasshopper 
Sparrows were singing in the field, and an Eastern Meadowlark flushed briefly.

I then kayaked from Jug Bay north to the marsh near Mount Calvert.  It was 
pleasant on the river, and I saw some neat birds despite the high tide.  
Forster's Terns hunted the waters, and one platform on the river had over 30 
terns perched on it.  Marsh Wrens were singing from the wild rice marshes, 
and two Black Ducks flew from the marsh.  However, the highlight was as I 
paddled south on the river back towards Jug Bay.  A Least Bittern called 
several times and flushed from the edge of the marsh, flying up and into the 
open briefly before disappearing from view deeper into the marsh.  After a few 
more agitated calls, the marsh was quiet again.

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS