I had a tremendous morning walk around Schoolhouse Pond today.  Huge numbers of gulls were flying over, as well as some other birds of interest.  Highlights included a flyover Least Tern, which flew in with some Laughers and circled the pond once before flying off towards Jug Bay.  Also of note was a flyover Little Blue Heron.  Unlike the Little Blue Heron of a few weeks ago (that bird was a 1st summer), this bird was a full adult.  Shorebirds included 3 Least Sandpipers and 1 Solitary Sandpiper.  Gulls included:

430 Laughing Gulls.  I love this time of year when I can constantly hear their call as I do my morning walk.
1 Herring Gull
21 Ring-billed Gulls
4 Bonaparte's Gulls (great for May!  Group of 3 with Laughers, and one lone bird)

Other highlights included an Osprey harrassing an adult Bald Eagle, singing Yellow Warbler, singing Prothonatary Warbler, several Parula, and a singing Common Yellowthroat.  Also, there was an adult male Baltimore Oriole singing high atop a sycamore towards one side of the pond.

Yesterday was also interesting at the pond.  I walked in the morning, at lunch, and than in the evening prior to an evening meeting and totaled 62 species.  Nothing too unusual, but a lot of birds present or passing through.  Highlights were a Prairie Warbler, the previously mentioned Prothonatary Warbler, and an Orchard Oriole.  There have also been 5 or 6 Double-crested Cormorants in a tree near Governor Oden Bowie Drive the last several weeks.  I have not seen Trumpeter Swan #962 since March 23.  Perhaps it has returned north to breed?

Fred Shaffer
Patuxent MOS