There was a joint Patuxent MOS/Prince George's Audubon/Southern Maryland Audubon trip today to southern Prince George's County.  I and six other birders visited several locations along the Patuxent River.  Highlights included a few early warblers, migrant shorebirds, and the usual large number of flyover gulls at Schoolhouse Pond.  Highlights from each stop included:

Schoolhouse Pond:  Huge numbers of gulls were passing overhead.  Most were Laughing Gulls, but smaller numbers of Herring and Ring-billed Gulls were also seen.  Best of all was the group of 7 Bonaparte's Gulls that flew over.  We also heard the first Northern Parula at the pond this season.  The group also got great looks at two close Ruby-crowned Kinglets, one of which had its crest fully raised and in view.  Most dramatic of all was when we saw a Cooper's Hawk pursue a Mourning Dove.  After a long chase, it appeared the dove had dodged the bullet.  However, a minute or two later, we saw the Cooper's Hawk actually catch a dove!  As we walked around the pond, we later saw the hawk consuming its meal in a nearby tree.  Yellow-rumped Warblers are still numerous around the pond, as were Swamp Sparrows.  Several Phoebes and a Belted Kingfisher also made themselves heard.  There was no sign of either teal or the Little Blue Heron.

Mount Calvert:  Fairly slow, but we did get great views of a Brown Thrasher perched in the open.  Also present were several Forster's Terns, a Bald Eagle, singing Chipping Sparrows, and some flyby Greater Yellowlegs.  Large numbers of Laughing Gulls were loafing on the mudflats.

Jug Bay:  The best part of this stop was the hike south from Jackson Landing along the river.  At the observation platform, we got great views of a fairly large flock of yellowlegs.  I counted 16 Lesser Yellowlegs, 5 Greater yellowlegs, and 1 Pector Sandpiper.  This was my first Pectoral Sandpiper in the county in a number of years.  I also briefly saw a flyby Spotted Sandpiper apparently scared up by a passing motor boat.  Also feeding near the platform were both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal.  Forster's and Caspian Terns flew over the water.  We also heard and got brief views of an elusive White-eyed Vireo near the start of the trail.  

Merkle:  This was a fairly slow stop.  Highlights included the large numbers of Purple Martins, two fairly close Palm Warblers, and several Bluebirds.  I also briefly heard and saw a Yellow Warblers in one of the trees near the parking lot.

Milltown Landing:  Perhaps owing to the mid-day hour, this was the slowest stop of all.  However, we did pick up two White-crowned Sparrows in the hedgerow running down the center of the field, as well as a Killdeer.  

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS