Hi all,
   Rob and I did some birding in Montgomery, Frederick, and Washington
Counties yesterday. Most of our interesting sightings were at McKee
Beshers/Hughes Hollow where we began and ended the day. In addition to
the Sora, we had an American Bittern and a Marsh Wren. The American
Bittern flew in to the first impoundment on the right while we were
viewing the Sora. After viewing the Sora we walked down the small dike
to the end and turned right. A short way down on our left we heard a
Marsh Wren singing several times. It seemed to be in the small grassy
impoundment across the stream (toward Sycamore Landing).

   Other birds of interest at McKee-Beshers: many White-eyed Vireos
and Common Yellowthroats, singing Swamp Sparrow, Wood Thrush, Gray
Catbird (my first since before the snow), one female Hooded Merganser,
and singing Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

   Also at McKee-Beshers, Rob had brief looks at a likely Fox Squirrel
that I couldn't get on (another one he has on me in my home county),
and I spotted a small rodent in the second impoundment on the right
that I think may be a Marsh Rice Rat. Can anyone comment (off list) on
the status of these animals in Montgomery County?

   From there we birded our way to Weverton and back. Some highlights
were a Wood Duck with 12 chicks and two Great Egrets--one chasing the
other--at White's Ferry, a Broad-winged Hawk briefly perching on a
nest near Sugarloaf, a singing White-crowned Sparrow at Kershner's
Pond, and Prothonotary Warblers and Louisiana Waterthrushes at just
about every stop along the river.

Mike Ostrowski
North Bethesda