I went out to the Polo Grounds on Hughes Rd. to look for the Buff-breasted reported yesterday by Lydia Schindler.  The grounds were devoid of birds on the first pass at around 7:15, but when I dropped by 45 mins later the Buff-breasted was there, loosely associating with a Horned Lark flock.  It was in the same vicinity that Lydia reported. This is at least the 4th year in a row Buffies have been at this site, but it is always worth repeated checking as the birds seem to move between visible spots here and elsewhere.
   
  In between I checked Hughes Hollow for shorebirds.  There were around 30 Least Sandpiper, 2 Semipalmated Sandpiper, about 5 Lesser Yellowlegs, a single Pectoral Sandpiper, 4 Solitary Sandpiper and a couple of Killdeer.  Hughes continues to look very good for shorebirds.  I don't know if it is being checked daily but I am surprised something more interesting has not been reported from there over the last few weeks.

   
  Nearly all of the shorebirds seen today were juveniles (95% of the peeps for example).  Oddly the Buffie looked a bit like an adult with very extensive dark centers to the upperparts and not very prominent fringing; juveniles are much more likely though and perhaps it was just that the plumage was wet after a rainy night and looking darker than is typical.

  Good birding
   
  Clive Harris
  Cabin John MD