I did a scouting run around Hughes Hollow in the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management area this morning and saw 46 species.  Several folks have reported on sightings at Hughes in the last couple of days.  In addition to what they reported, I had a lingering Gadwall in the back of the east impoundment among the many American Coot and Pied-billed Grebes.  (Another birder reported seeing a female Redhead which I didn't get to see.)  Lots of Wood Duck and some Blue-winged Teal flying around.  For the landbirds, there was a first-of-season Eastern Kingbird along the levee near the woods on the south and two first-of-season White-eyed Vireos back in the hedgerows.  Several singing Ruby-crowned Kinglets were displaying their crests.  A complete list follows below.

Jim Nelson
Montgomery Bird Club
Bethesda, MD

Location:     Hughes Hollow - McKee Beshers WLMA
Observation date:     4/18/09
Number of species:     47

Canada Goose     11
Wood Duck     22
Gadwall     1
Mallard     2
Blue-winged Teal     4
Hooded Merganser     1
Pied-billed Grebe     12
Great Blue Heron     2
Great Egret     2
Green Heron     4
Turkey Vulture     2
Cooper's Hawk     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     2
American Coot     22
Mourning Dove     4
Belted Kingfisher     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     6
Downy Woodpecker     5
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Eastern Phoebe     1
Eastern Kingbird     1
White-eyed Vireo     2
Blue Jay     6
American Crow     4
Fish Crow     1
crow sp.     4
Tree Swallow     24
Carolina Chickadee     8
Tufted Titmouse     7
White-breasted Nuthatch     1
Carolina Wren     7
House Wren     2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     21
Eastern Bluebird     4
Hermit Thrush     2
American Robin     2
European Starling     3
Eastern Towhee     2
Field Sparrow     1
Song Sparrow     11
Swamp Sparrow     1
White-throated Sparrow     67
Northern Cardinal     18
Red-winged Blackbird     36
Common Grackle     20
American Goldfinch     9