I spent the morning and early afternoon in Washington County, mostly at Big  
Pool and Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area. Big Pool in the morning was  
disappointing, with virtually no migration, the only migrant warblers being 
one  NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and a couple of CANADA WARBLERS (are they numerous 
this  spring or what?). Lots of WARBLING VIREOS and both ORIOLES.
 
Indian Springs was also short on diversity and numbers but did have two  very 
good birds. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO responded to a whistled imitation of its  
call and eventually flew into a tree right over my head for the drop-dead,  
count-every-feather view I've been waiting for on this species. The other goodie  
was an ALDER FLYCATCHER. Very approachable, it was singing a clear Alder song 
 and also responded to spishing with excited series of "pip-pip" calls, very  
unlike the "whit" of the Willow. This bird seemed to want to stay where it 
was  and the spot isn't hard to get to, if anyone is interested. Park at the dam 
and  take the trail across the dam to the west, following the southern edge 
of  the lake. It crosses a boggy swale and then there's a treeline of mostly 
pines  on the left (south) side of the trail and perpendicular to it. Beyond 
that is a  field of mostly exposed earth with sparse sprigs of some grassy stuff 
growing.  Go to the hedgerow at the far (west) side of the field and follow it 
uphill to  the left (south) to the far corner. The bird was partial to a 
particular tree in  that corner, actually several yards in beyond the corner.
 
Indian Springs also had lots of YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, and 1 or 2 WILLOW  
FYCATCHERS at the swampy, north end of the lake. Lots of ticks, too.
 
Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD



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