Hi all --

The contrast between the last few days at Rock Creek (as reported by Wallace
Kornack) and today could not have been more dramatic. Unfortunately, the
trend was definitely in the *downward* direction -- in other words, it was
s-l-o-o-w!

We started at the Ridge (picnic areas 17/18), migrated down the hill to the
Equitation Field, then to the Maintenance Yard where we met a lot of other
folks standing around) and then the Nature Center, Dog Run and home...

Actually, for a change the Ridge was the best site. The dominance of
Blackpolls probably is the handwriting on the wall that migration is close
to the end...

Warblers:
Blackpoll - 15 (of the ones actually seen, more than half were females)
TENNESSEE - 1 (Ridge)
Magnolia - 1, female
another birder had a Canada Warbler

Others:
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH - 1, a bright adult with Chickadees at Ridge --
probably bird of the day, this is pretty late for one.
Red-eyed Vireo - 5-6
Yellow-throated Vireo - 1
Swainson's Thrush - 1
Orchard Oriole - 1, female

We also had Wood Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher,
Phoebe, Baltimore Oriole and Wood Thrush which are now probably all local
breeders. We found one Phoebe nest and saw another adult feeding a Cowbird,
alas. Also a Great Crested carrying food.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD