Hi all,
   Rob and I had a full day of birding in Montgomery County today. We started off at Little Bennett around 6:30 am. We only ran into a couple flocks of migrants between about 8 and 8:30. We did have some pretty good birds in those flocks, including:

Blackburnian Warbler 2
American Redstart 4
Praire Warbler 2
Canada Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 3
Magnolia Warbler 4-5
Pine Warbler 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 3-4

We later found that two other groups also had a brief period of activity followed by nothing. The highlights for them were a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER found Lydia S. and Linda (F?) in the Kingsley area before the schoolhouse. Another pair had a WILSON"S WARBLER along the stream closer to the parking lot. The latter group also found a Northern Copperhead which Robert and I relocated somewhat more abruptly than planned. Only my second sighting in Maryland, both in my adopted home of Montgomery. I think I still prefer the copperheads of Mont. Co. to the abundant Deer Ticks of PG County.

Our next stop was Blue Mash Nature Trail where we were disappointed to find the shorebird habitat completely submerged. The bird highlights were the raptors that migrated by including Red-tailed, Red-shouldered, and a likely Cooper's. Overall it was slow and we spent more time checking out the butterflies and dragonflies.

Next we headed to Hughes Hollow where it was warm and quiet. We had six Great Egrets, a couple empids, and an uncooperative warbler (Hooded?). 

There was some event at or near the Polo Grounds so we continued straight to Sycamore Landing. The part of the turf farm that has been productive lately is getting pretty grassy and wasn't as wet as I would have expected. We only found Killdeer and a few Least Sandpipers.

As evening approached we hurried over to Patton Turf farm hoping for the Upland Sandpipers reported by Clive Harris. We did some pretty thorough scoping but couldn't find anything except Killdeer. We did have 12 Common Nighthawks fly over around 6:45 as well as a Kestrel and two Red-tailed Hawks.

We ended the day at Hughes Hollow again, but found nothing of note.

Mike Ostrowski
North Bethesda