I spent Sunday in the middle section of the Eastern Shore.  I began the day in 
Caroline County with some pre-dawn owling around Tuckahoe SP.  I heard 2 
Barred Owls and 2 Eastern Screech-owls.

I spent most of the morning at Pickering Creek in Talbot County.  It was quite 
birdy with Blue Jays, Northern Flickers, Common Grackles, Swamp Sparrows,
and White-throated Sparrows.  Other birds included 1 Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker, 1 House Wren, 1 Blue-headed Vireo, 1 Black-throated Green 
Warbler, 3 White-crowned Sparrows, 1 Blue Grosbeak, and 2 Rusty Blackbirds.

Next stop was Blackwater in Dorchester County.  Shorebirds were the highlight 
here, with 25 Stilt Sandpipers, 8 Semi-palmated Plovers, and 2 Pectoral 
Sandpipers in addition to yellowlegs and peeps.  I didn't see any dowichers, 
but one of the Little Blue Herons reported last week was still present.  The
feeder area behind the visitor center had 2 Palm Warblers -- 1 yellow and 1 
western.  3 Caspian Terns and 50 Forsters Terns were at the bend of Key 
Wallace Drive.

Last stop was Old Bradley Rd just into Wicomico County.  I found 2 flocks of 
birds along the road -- 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1 Golden-crowned Kinglet, 
1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1 Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1 Hermit Thrush, 2 
Blackpoll Warblers, and 2 Black-throated Green Warblers.

The screech-owls in Caroline and the Black-throated Greens in Wicomico were 
county close-outs.

John Hubbell
Washington DC