Hi everyone,

Highlights of birding in the rain at Little Bennett Regional Park this past weekend are as follows:

Saturday 9/27:

Swainson's Thrush (singing)
Wood Thrush (a few)
Magnolia Warbler (several)
Black-and-White Warbler (several)
Common Yellowthroat (several)

... and there were definitely a few other warbler species present, as I found a couple of very active warbler/chickadee/titmouse flocks along Browning Run and Tobacco Barn trails, but in the rain I just couldn't quite get them all IDd. I'm pretty sure a Pine Warbler was present, and a probable fall-plumaged Blackpoll, among others... but they stayed pretty high in the treetops and they got away. Ah, well.

Sunday 9/28:

Blue-headed Vireo (singing in the rain! My favorite find of the weekend)
Veery
Swainson's Thrush
Black-throated Blue Warbler mini-flock (1+ male and 3+ females)
American Redstart (2+, females or young males)
Pine Warbler
Magnolia Warbler (several)
Black-and-White Warbler (several)
Common Yellowthroat (several)
Common Raven (1; rather vocal, and flew over Clarksburg Road near Browning Run Trail)
Eastern Towhee family (adult male, adult female, and 2+ molting juveniles)

... I did a little sparrow-watching as well, but only found Field and Chipping Sparrows before I had to leave. I did have a nice encounter with a White-breasted Nuthatch, who landed rather close to me on a branch before realizing I was there. At least three nuthatches were rather vocal and very active in the vicinity.

Jessica Bruland
Monrovia, MD
aderynyreira -at- yahoo.com