Hi everyone,

Today, after work, I stopped by Governor Bridge for an hour or so. The highlight came when I was walking along the south side of the pond and I found five warblers in a birch tree no taller than 20 feet. Present on the little tree were a Parula, Blackpoll Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, and a beautiful male Bay-breasted Warbler. I enjoyed this little flock of migrants for two minutes before a Red-winged Blackbird came into the tree and literally chased off every warbler almost one by one.  I also had a White-crowned Sparrow near the Canoe Launch, which is the first I've seen at Governor Bridge.

I birded Fran Uhler, among other locations, with my brother Mike yesterday. Highlights were a female Hooded Merganser with her eight ducklings and one Mallard duckling. The Mallard duckling was swimming inline with the baby Hoodeds and trying to follow the adult Hooded. The Mergansers appeared to accept the Mallard as part of the family. I assume the Mallard duckling got separated from its family after hatching, but is it possible the egg was somehow moved before hatching? Also, I wonder how common this is and if the Mallard duckling has a good survival chance, and if it does, will it exhibit Hooded Merganser-like behavior. Certainly some behavior is from nurturing, rather than nature. The other highlight were two SUMMER TANAGERS singing from some Virginia Pines near a clearing. A very nice surprise.

Full Lists:

Location:     Governor Bridge Natural Area
Observation date:     5/11/09
Number of species:     41

Canada Goose     7
Wood Duck     4
Mallard     2
Black Vulture     1
Turkey Vulture     1
Solitary Sandpiper     2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Acadian Flycatcher     1
White-eyed Vireo     2
Yellow-throated Vireo     2
Red-eyed Vireo     4
American Crow     1
Carolina Chickadee     1
Tufted Titmouse     2
Carolina Wren     2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     6
Swainson's Thrush     2
Wood Thrush     5
Gray Catbird     1
Cedar Waxwing     7
Northern Parula     4
Chestnut-sided Warbler     1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)     1
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER     1
Blackpoll Warbler     3
Black-and-white Warbler     1
Ovenbird     3
Common Yellowthroat     3
Hooded Warbler     1
Yellow-breasted Chat     1
Scarlet Tanager     1
Eastern Towhee     2
White-crowned Sparrow     1
Northern Cardinal     6
Indigo Bunting     6
Red-winged Blackbird     10
Orchard Oriole     2
Baltimore Oriole     4
American Goldfinch     3


Location:     Fran Uhler Natural Area
Observation date:     5/10/09
Number of species:     46

Canada Goose     4
Mallard     1     One Mallard duckling with 8 Hooded Merganser ducklings.
Hooded Merganser     9
Double-crested Cormorant     1
Great Blue Heron     1
Black Vulture     2
Turkey Vulture     1
Bald Eagle     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     3
Rock Pigeon     1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo     1
Chimney Swift     3
Eastern Wood-Pewee     2
Acadian Flycatcher     3
White-eyed Vireo     4
Yellow-throated Vireo     1
Red-eyed Vireo     4
American Crow     2
Barn Swallow     6
Carolina Chickadee     4
Tufted Titmouse     3
Carolina Wren     1
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     5
Eastern Bluebird     2
Swainson's Thrush     2
Wood Thrush     3
American Robin     2
Northern Parula     3
Prairie Warbler     3
American Redstart     2
Ovenbird     3
Hooded Warbler     2
SUMMER TANAGER    2
Scarlet Tanager     1
Eastern Towhee     2
Field Sparrow     2
White-throated Sparrow     2
Northern Cardinal     10
Blue Grosbeak     1
Indigo Bunting     6
Red-winged Blackbird     15
Common Grackle     1
Brown-headed Cowbird     1
Orchard Oriole     2
American Goldfinch     1


Robert Ostrowski
Bowie