A pleasant morning at LB despite the cooler weather.  Lots of birds 
around the parking lot, and also near the schoolhouse, but not much in 
between.  At first, I didn't encounter many migrants - Brown Thrashers 
and B-g Gnatcatcher near the parking lot, and several L. Waterthrushes 
near the schoolhouse.  But as I left the schoolhouse area and started 
back toward the parking lot, I heard a C. Yellowthroat.  I never saw it, 
but while I was looking for it, I discovered a male Prairie Warbler. 
Then as I passed the intersection with Hard Cider Trail, I heard an E. 
Wood-Peewee sing several times.  All 3 of those surprised me, because 
that's the earliest I've ever encountered any of those in Maryland, and 
the first time I've ever had Peewee in April.  Since I've misplaced 
(again) my Yellow Book, I'm not sure how surprising that is.

A couple of other interesting notes:

* Three Ruby-crowned Kinglets singing - only saw one of them, but that 
one was spectacular.  In addition to the ruby crown in plain sight, this 
individual had bright yellow and black tail feathers, and a huge white 
wing-patch, like what you would see on a Blackburnian or Magnolia 
Warbler.  I checked 5 field guides, from Golden to Sibley and NG5, and 
none of them show anything like that.

* Near the schoolhouse, I thought I was hearing a House Finch singing, 
but it didn't sound quite right.  Eventually I found out why: it was a 
spectacularly plumaged Purple Finch, which I seldom hear.  He was 
accompanied by at least 4 females, but he seemed much more interested in 
the female junco nearby.

Overall, a fun morning.  Complete list is below.

	Bob Hartman
	Colesville (Silver Spring), MD


Turkey Vulture             1
Red-shouldered Hawk        2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     3
Downy Woodpecker           1
Northern Flicker           2
Pileated Woodpecker        1
Eastern Wood-Pewee         1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet       1
Carolina Wren              2
Northern Mockingbird       3
Brown Thrasher             3
Eastern Bluebird           2
American Robin            15
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher      1
Carolina Chickadee        11
Tufted Titmouse            5
White-breasted Nuthatch    3
Blue Jay                   7
American Crow              4
Prairie Warbler            1
Louisiana Waterthrush      5
Common Yellowthroat        1
Eastern Towhee             8
Chipping Sparrow           1
Field Sparrow              1
Song Sparrow               3
White-throated Sparrow     4
Dark-eyed Junco            1
Northern Cardinal         12
Purple Finch               5
American Goldfinch        15