We don't have any magic Maintenance Yards out here in Carroll where
warblers, thrushes, flycatchers and trogans and other migrants come thru in
reliable droves. Birds come thru, but you kinda have to be in the right
place at the right time to get something worthwhile.
So today I ran off to the Catoctins just to hike (Ok, so I looked at a
couple trout streams, found that they had already lost the water from the
rains we had earlier this month and grabbed my binoculars instead of a fly
rod).
I spent a couple hours making a big loop that included a short section of
the blue trail. Right at the junction of that trail with the one I started
on I was reminded of an old rule about fall migrant finding - If you find a
band of chickadees & titmice, stop and check it out. There may be some
migrators tagging along with them.
Today's band was accompanied mostly by Black-throated greens, at least one
Maggie and a little brown thing that was either a Tennessee or a Wormeater -
obviously I didn't get a very good look. However I did manage a very good
look at one of the Black-throated Greens. It kept dropping down as it fed
and eventually came within 10 feet of me. In spring these birds are most
happy at the top of the tallest tree in the woods where maybe you can get a
butt shot and that's it. It was nice to have one drop down for a visit. And
I didn't have to play the confusing fall warbler game- it was a nicely
colored adult male.

Other than that I spent most of the hike listening to the pounding of my own
feet and little else other than a few chipmunks. Give me spring birding when
we can listen to them sing and sort out the songs. There were some Ravens
about today, calling as they flew over. Other than that the big thrill was
spotting Brook Trout thru binoculars. I highly recommend this. Brook Trout
are very nicely colored up in fall for their spawn and if you can catch one
drifting around in a shallow pool, stop and put the binocs on it. It will
help you forget you haven't spotted a warbler in over and hour.

Jerry Tarbell
Easily amused in Carroll County and parts of the nearest string of mountains