I had a good walk around Schoolhouse Pond at lunchtime today.  There were lots of swallows flying over the pond and surrounding wetlands including 1 Bank Swallow which gave me very close views, and a second Bank Swallow seen from further off.  Other swallows included large numbers of Barn and Tree Swallows and smaller numbers of Northern Rough-winged Swallows.  Singing along the rear of the pond was a Yellow-throated Vireo, which was atop one of the Ash trees near the rear platform, a Prothonotary Warbler (lower in the trees near the rear platform), and an Orchard Oriole.  I got good views of the vireo as it sang from varioius perches along the edge of the trees.  I also saw 1 Solitary Sandpiper and 1 Spotted Sandpiper on the rear mudflats.

This morning's highlights included 2 Northern Waterthrush, many Blackpoll Warblers, an American Redstart, Northern Parula, and a pair (male and female) of Yellow Warblers in the trees between the pond and the residential townhouses.

Fred Shaffer
Crofton, Anne Arundel