This morning I went to check out the North Branch of the C&O Canal in
Allegany Co. My hunch that there could be good numbers of shorebirds on the
tarps was right, as I recorded 9 species. After about 10 minutes of scanning
the tarps, I was joined by Ed Boyd and Jim Stasz. Our shorebird highlights
included 40 LEAST SANDPIPER, 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, 1 SEMIPALMATED
SANDPIPER, 1 SOLITARY SANDPIPER, 1 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and after Jim and Ed
left there were 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS and 5 DUNLIN. Unfortunately, the
highlight of the morning at North Branch also came after I was alone, as I
found a singing male YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT in the shrubby understory next to
the tarps.  Other birds of note were 2 BLACKPOLL WARBLER and 4 CLIFF
SWALLOW. I was also able to observe a female WARBLING VIREO build her nest
over the towpath. Altogether there were 66 species at North Branch this
morning. Complete list below:

Canada Goose     X
American Black Duck     1
Mallard     X
Green Heron     1
Black Vulture     1
Turkey Vulture     X
Red-tailed Hawk (Eastern)     1
Semipalmated Plover     10
Killdeer     10
Spotted Sandpiper     5
Solitary Sandpiper     1
Lesser Yellowlegs     1
Semipalmated Sandpiper     1
Least Sandpiper     40
Pectoral Sandpiper     2
Dunlin     5
Rock Pigeon     X
Mourning Dove     X
Chimney Swift     1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird     1
Red-bellied Woodpecker     2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     2
Eastern Wood-Pewee     2
Eastern Phoebe     1
Great Crested Flycatcher     1
Eastern Kingbird     1
White-eyed Vireo     2
Warbling Vireo     2
Red-eyed Vireo     X
American Crow     X
Tree Swallow     X
Northern Rough-winged Swallow     X
Cliff Swallow     4
Barn Swallow     X
Black-capped Chickadee     X
Tufted Titmouse     X
Carolina Wren     1
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     X
Eastern Bluebird     1
Wood Thrush     1
American Robin     X
Gray Catbird     X
Northern Mockingbird     X
Brown Thrasher     1
European Starling     X
Cedar Waxwing     10
Yellow Warbler     6
Magnolia Warbler     1
Blackpoll Warbler     2
Black-and-white Warbler     1
American Redstart     1
Common Yellowthroat     3
Yellow-breasted Chat     1
Scarlet Tanager     2
Chipping Sparrow     2
Song Sparrow     X
Northern Cardinal     X
Indigo Bunting     X
Red-winged Blackbird     X
Eastern Meadowlark     1
Common Grackle     X
Brown-headed Cowbird     1
Orchard Oriole     2
Baltimore Oriole     4
American Goldfinch     X

Good birding,

David

-- 
David Yeany II, M.S.
IBA Program Assistant
Audubon MD-DC
109.5 Pennsylvania Ave.
Cumberland, MD 21502
Phone: 814-221-4361
Email: