Hi --

Several of us walked out from the Yard via the stable, and ran into another migrant flock which added 4-5 more B-T greens and 1-2 Parulas. Barry and I then lingered in the vicinity of the horse paddocks and woods near the riding arena (where we had the Olive-sided last week) and added a few more birds:

Most interesting, a worn adult YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, showing his yellowish throat & eyering, grayish upper breast, all yellow underneath but quite scruffy and molting. Like most of the YBs we've seen this autumn (there's been an unprecented number at Rock Creek!), sitting low in the undergrowth, staying in cover, giving rapid tail jerks.

Two more warbler species as well -- in the woods, two Ovenbirds and in the low growth near the paddocks, a nice TENNESSEE. Also a Veery and more B-T Blues, Red-eyed Vireos and Scarlet tanagers. And a Broad-wing Hawk flushed from the trees.

There were far fewer Catbirds today, and though we did see a couple of Hummingbirds duking it, numbers of these are also down. 

Best bird for us today was I think the Summer Tanager -- a good contrast with the Scarlets also in the Yard, not only color (this was a really warm orangy bird with an almost Great-Crested-red tail) but bulkier, bigger head with slight crested look and larger bill.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD