Greetings,

Today was a ice day to bird, despite the gloomy early morning weather. I 
started at Elk Neck State Forest on the Cecil Bird Club’s field trip led by Parke 
John. I did not keep a separate list for the field trip, but I suppose that 70 of 
my 89 species for the day were seen or heard on the field trip. 

The highlight was certainly the new addition to yard list (it has been a while -
two years?). This was the MISSISSIPPI KITE which was seen very well. It was 
an adult bird with a very clean gray under side. The wings were long and 
pointed (I first thought it to be a Peregrin until I got my bins on it). The bird 
was very high and was flying on a straight line to the east northeast. When it 
was almost out of view it banked and joined a small kettle of broad wings 
which had found a thermal. After about three trips around the thermal it 
straitened out and continued its east northeasterly path! Awesome way to 
end the day for sure! Yard bird # 139 for me!!! (BTW- a Swallow-tailed Kite 
was reported in Delaware this afternoon!).

Other highlights included Bobolink on Elk River Lane (Elk Neck), Least Tern in 
the town of North East (landing on top of a flat roof –nesting?), Whip-poor-
will at Camp Rodney, and Spotted Sandpiper on Hances Point. 

There were 15 species of warbler seen on the Elk Neck State Forest field trip; 
they included Worm-eating, Pine, Ovenbird, Black-throated Green, Black-
throated Blue, BAY-BREASTED, Blackpoll, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Yellow-
rumped, Palm, Yellowthroat, Black and White, Hooded, and Parula. I added 
Redstart later in the day at Hances Point. Other notables from the morning’s 
trip included Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 
Indigo Bunting, Acadian Flycatcher, Great-crested Flycatcher, Baltimore 
Oriole, Broad-winged Hawk (probable “on nest”), White-throated Sparrow, 
Wood Thrush, Veery, SWAMP SPARROW (deep in a dry forest?), Red-breasted 
Nuthatch, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Catbird. I added White-
eyed Vireo to my list later at Hances Point. 

Good Birding,
Chris Starling
North East, MD