Hi Everyone,

I did some birding in Anne Arundel and P.G. Counties this afternoon, the highlight of which was an attractive STILT SANDPIPER at Brown Station. It was in the settlement pond viewable behind the recycling area marked "Convenience Center" on Brown Station Road outside of Upper Marlboro. (Protocol: Park out of the way, stay out of the way of any work activity, etc.) Also present were a single SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, a LESSER YELLOWLEGS, about 15 LEAST SANDPIPERs, and 3 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERs. I had one bird that got me excited as a Western Sandpiper candidate, but I was unable to document it. It was almost certainly a Semipalmated Sandpiper with a few characters on the overlapping end. If I had only texted "possible WESA" instead of "WESA" before I went to get my camera, I could have avoided a half-hour of trash-talking from Hafner. :)

(There are very few records for Western Sandpiper in spring in Maryland, fewer still away from the coast and Hart-Miller.)

Fred Shaffer visited the pond later in the day and the STILT SANDPIPER was still present. 

A walk to the river at Merkle was highlighted by field and scrub habitat species. At least seven GRASSHOPPER SPARROWs were singing, as well as two HORNED LARKs, and a single EASTERN MEADOWLARK. I also watched an intense battle involving at least five different ORCHARD ORIOLEs--quite the drama.

Good birding!

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com