Hi Everyone,

I spent today (5/2) birding my way to Frederick Co. and back. I woke up way earlier than expected and decided to get a very early start. When I walked outside at 3:15, a CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW was calling in the distance. Optimistically, I decided to try again for Whip-poor-wills in Montgomery and Howard Counties, where they've sadly become nearly impossible to find. I did pre-dawn in western Howard Co., then birded Lilypons, Weverton, and the Howard/Carroll line in the McKeldin area of Patapsco Valley State Park. Here are the abridged lists:

Pre-dawn at Hipsley Mill Road, Montgomery Co.

Wild Turkey--1
Barred Owl--1
Veery--1; singing
Wood Thrush--1; singing
Eastern Towhee--3

Pre-dawn at Hipsley Mill Road, Howard Co.

Eastern Phoebe--1
Wood Thrush--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Yellow-breasted Chat--1
Eastern Towhee--4
Field Sparrow--1

Patuxent SP--Annapolis Rock Rd, Howard Co.
Pre-dawn and dawn

Wild Turkey--1
American Woodcock--1; one display flight
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--1
Wood Thrush--2
Gray Catbird--3
Blue-winged Warbler--1
Prairie Warbler--2
Common Yellowthroat--7
Yellow-breasted Chat--1
Eastern Towhee--8

South Renn Road, Frederick Co.
Stopped because I heard a Vesper Sparrow singing

Yellow Warbler--1
Vesper Sparrow--1

Oland Road, Frederick Co.

Horned Lark--5
Grasshopper Sparrow--2
Song Sparrow--1
Indigo Bunting--1
Eastern Meadowlark--1

Lilypons Water Gardens, Frederick Co.

Wood Duck--1
Hooded Merganser--3; pair with at least one adorable young (As always, as soon as I noticed them, I turned around and gave the ultra-shy family plenty of room...)
Great Blue Heron--6
Great Egret--1
CATTLE EGRET--2; flew from the west side of the grounds to the east side
Green Heron--3
Bald Eagle--1
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Sora--1; called a couple times in response to my whistled imitation
Killdeer--1
Wilson's Snipe--3; three flushed, calling
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
Eastern Kingbird--3
Purple Martin--32; all houses rented
Tree Swallow--12
Barn Swallow--3
House Wren--2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--7
Gray Catbird--7
Yellow Warbler--4
Prothonotary Warbler--1; singing back along the river
Common Yellowthroat--6
Scarlet Tanager--1
Grasshopper Sparrow--1; singing across the street from the park as I got out of my car
Song Sparrow--8
Swamp Sparrow--1
Baltimore Oriole--2
Non-avian: Red Fox (2), Common Snapping Turtle, E. Painted Turtle, Bullfrogs.

Weverton, Washington Co. 
Three-hour river watch for terns, Anhinga, or my closeout Bonaparte's Gull in Frederick

COMMON MERGANSER--2; pair hanging out together on the rocks, flying several sorties one at a time and returning; no sign of any young or nest while I watched
Double-crested Cormorant--14; roosting in a large tree and flying back and forth over the river
Great Blue Heron--5; lots of coming and going; I've thought for a while now there must be a rookery somewhere near here
Spotted Sandpiper--1
Solitary Sandpiper--1
Chimney Swift--15
Acadian Flycatcher--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
Eastern Kingbird--1
Warbling Vireo--4; singing up a storm
Red-eyed Vireo--3
Purple Martin--3
Tree Swallow--5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--2
Barn Swallow--10
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--2
Brown Thrasher--1
Northern Parula--1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Yellow-throated Warbler (albilora)--2
Prothonotary Warbler--1
Louisiana Waterthrush--1
Song Sparrow--1
Indigo Bunting--1
Baltimore Oriole--2
Non-avian: Zebra Swallowtail

Weverton, Frederick Co.
Viewing from upriver in Washington Co.

Great Blue Heron--6
Great Egret--3; flew by in formation together
Black Vulture--1
Turkey Vulture--14
Osprey--1
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)--1
Chimney Swift--45; feeding high over the river mostly over Frederick
Blue Jay--32; migrants in small flocks flying north over the river from VA
Purple Martin--6
Tree Swallow--5
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--2
Barn Swallow--20

Point of Rocks, Frederick Co.
Viewing Maryland from Virginia

Mallard--2
Blue-winged Teal--1; beautiful drake flew right up the center of the river
Double-crested Cormorant--22; two flyby flocks heading upriver
Black Vulture--3
Turkey Vulture--7
Osprey--1
Rock Pigeon--2
Prothonotary Warbler--1; singing on the MD side

Patapsco Valley SP--McKeldin Area, Carroll Co.
Four-mile hike along the river with excellent songbird activity. Counted birds on both sides of the line (two separate reports below). 

Wood Duck--2
Chimney Swift--2
Belted Kingfisher--2
Acadian Flycatcher--4
Eastern Phoebe--2
Great Crested Flycatcher--3
Yellow-throated Vireo--5
Red-eyed Vireo--9
Northern Rough-winged Swallow--3; local nesters
House Wren--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--29
Wood Thrush--8
Northern Parula--16
Black-throated Blue Warbler--6
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)--1
Cerulean Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--4
American Redstart--4
Worm-eating Warbler--4
Ovenbird--7
Louisiana Waterthrush--4
Common Yellowthroat--4
Scarlet Tanager--2
White-throated Sparrow--9
Rose-breasted Grosbeak--2
Indigo Bunting--3
Brown-headed Cowbird--11
Baltimore Oriole--2
Non-avian: E. Tiger Swallowtails, Green Six-spotted Tiger Beetles, Spring Beauties, Skunk Cabbage, Mayapple, Common Mullein.

Patapsco Valley SP--Marriottsville/Henryton, Howard Co.

Wood Duck--2
Red-shouldered Hawk--1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo--1
Belted Kingfisher--1
Acadian Flycatcher--4
Eastern Phoebe--1
Great Crested Flycatcher--1
White-eyed Vireo--1
Yellow-throated Vireo--5
Red-eyed Vireo--11
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--24; abundant; never out of earshot for a moment
Wood Thrush--11
Gray Catbird--2
Northern Parula--9
Chestnut-sided Warbler--1
Black-throated Blue Warbler--2
Black-throated Green Warbler--1
Yellow-throated Warbler (albilora)--1
Cerulean Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--2
American Redstart--5
Worm-eating Warbler--3
Ovenbird--7
Louisiana Waterthrush--2
Common Yellowthroat--3
Scarlet Tanager--1
Eastern Towhee--1
White-throated Sparrow--5
Rose-breasted Grosbeak--3

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com