I also noticed what seemed like a sudden drop-off in activity today.  I went to Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis to photograph birds, and even the local breeders were much less vocal today.  New Migrants were nonexistant.  Yesterday morning, in comparison, was one of those epic mornings up in central PA at my parents house, with the spring greenup nice and delayed, clear blue skies, calm, dewey conditions.  I know it was extralimital, but it was too good not to mention.  Wishing I could follow the wave north!
   
  Ross
   
  

Gail Mackiernan <> wrote:
  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



Ross Geredien
Good Migrations Photography
www.goodmigrationsphoto.com
1-610-850-5035