We are finding the towpath in our area to be too noisy due to the traffic on MacArthur Blvd, the rushing water at that point in the river, and the foot traffic on the towpath itself so we've been looking for other places to bird that are within walking distance of our house.

A slow day today in terms of numbers of birds, but quality was good. We are doing "backyard birding" before work over in our corner of southwest Bethesda, near MacArthur Boulevard. There is a small dog park/softball field behind the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, accessed by a trail between NGIA and the Waldorf School on Sangamore Road. This field is bordered by large trees. There is a footbridge over the creek at the far edge of the field that leads to a private road, and at the top of the road there is a vacant (for now; it is about to be built on) lot and we have obtained the permission of the owners to bird on this small lot that has a nearly panoramic view of the river. The road up from MacArthur is also quite birdy (sorry I can't give better directions to the road but it is a private road and all the houses have MacArthur Boulevard addresses). Plus I can't imagine anyone making an effort to come over here to bird.

So today we had: Magnolia Warbler (2), Canada Warbler (1), a female Bay-breasted, Black-and-White Warbler, and Blackpoll Warbler. Anyone else worried about all these Blackpolls coming through - i.e., are we nearing the end of migration? There were also Scarlet Tanagers, Baltimore Orioles, Yellow-rumped Warblers...the usual suspects. Great-crested Flycatcher, Acadian Flycatcher, and Peewee along the road. American Redstart bathing in the stream. In a tree on the edge of the ball field we had a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 

Two days ago, we had Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Cape May, Northern Parula. 

(A corollary birding rule: as soon as you hit send, you will think of two or three more species that you forgot to list).

Ellen Paul
Tim Boucher
Bethesda MD