We also saw one Am. Redstart; plus - Clint (the "Aussie"!) first identified by its call and then pointed out an African Love Bird at the maintenance yard (an obvious escapee) as it flew away toward the ridge.

Cheers-
Jeff Shenot

On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:40:50 -0400, Gail Mackiernan <> wrote:

Hi all --

Rock Creek Park DC continues to attract good birds although things are still slow and numbers are low. It takes a lot of digging to find those migrants!  Today was no exception but redeemed by a brilliant male GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER in the Maintenance Yard. It was, in fact, about the first bird we saw ­ foraging in the dead vine tangle. Fortunately it stuck around and Jeff and an Aussie friend (Clint) also enjoyed it.  At one point it flew into a young ash tree, foraging among the seed clusters, and vigorously defended the tree against all comers ­ chasing off titmice and house finches with determination!

Other species recorded, both by those of us in the Yard, Wallace Kornack and Jim Lemert (who started at the Ridge), and Stephanie (cell tower area) included:

WARBLERS:
Blue-winged  2
Black-and-White  4
Blackburnian  1
Chestnut-sided  2-3
GOLDEN-WINGED  1, male
Ovenbird  1
Worm-eating ­ 2
Yellowthroat  1

OTHER:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  6
Great Crested Flycatcher  3
Empid sp. (probably adult Acadian)  1
Eastern Phoebe  1
Eastern Wood-pewee  8
Scarlet Tanager  4
Gray Catbird  8
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   ~10
Yellow-throated Vireo  1
Red-eyed Vireo  1-2 (heard only)
Baltimore Oriole  3
Indigo Bunting  2
Chipping Sparrow  4

Herps: juvenile Ring-necked Snake ­ 5" cutie!

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD