I was birding Thursday morning, April 29, along the C&O Canal within 
the Carderock Recreation Area in Montgomery County.  At about 9:00 
a.m. I started to see groups of Chimney Swifts moving in a direct and 
determined fashion to the Northwest.  They were silent -- no 
twittering -- and moved fast.  I stopped counting at 70, but I 
believe there were probably many more.  A small number of Tree and 
Barn Swallows accompanied them.

I've been in California for more than a week, so this was my first 
Maryland birding since April 17th.  New MD birds for the year for me 
were Spotted Sandpiper, Red-eyed Vireo, Indigo Bunting, and Eastern 
Kingbird.  The Kingbird was perched at the edge of the Potomac, 
singing an uncharacteristic soft song I'd never heard before -- quite 
a contrast with this species' usually loud, distinctive "Tzz-Tzz-Tzz."

Good Birding

Mike Bowen
Montgomery Bird Club, Bethesda

D.H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, MD  20817
Telephone: (301) 530-5764
e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom

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