This afternoon Paul & I saw that Yellow-crowned Night Herons have returned to nesting sites along Dead Run in Baltimore County near the border with Baltimore City; and can be viewed from Dogwood Road (the continuation of Franklintown Road) between Fred's Garage and the Millstream Inn.  We counted 11 birds, 10 of them in sycamores at nest sites.  One pair was arranging sticks on a nest.  There was mutual grooming.  In Franklintown, there is a picturesque mill ruin whose owner tells us is a nesting site for Turkey Vultures.   We passed a pair of them perched on a branch above the ruin, preening.   We saw our first Louisiana Waterthrush for the year from Hutton Avenue in Leakin Park, near the intersection with Weatheredsville Road.  

Elise and Paul Kreiss
Baltimore City