Howdy folks!  I wanted to go after the Bar-tailed Godwit in NJ this weekend, but am very happy to have been in MD!  I decided to try for the Alder found at Davidsonville yesterday, and figured I would try around 8 or so.  Meanwhile, I wanted to look around the Governors Bridge Road park in PG County, a place I rarely bird at and don't know well.  I arrived at 6 am and made 6 stops along the road, playing my ipod looking for thrushes.  I was hoping to find a Bicknell's, but not really expecting anything.

On the third stop I got an immediate response!  The bird vocalized several times then began singing and I got out to see if I could video it.  As soon as I moved off the road toward the bird it went flying away, but not far.  I waited a minute then and tried the tape again but it did not reply at first.  On the second try it sang again, and I moved toward it but again it moved, farther this time.  I decided to give it a rest and try something different.  Swainsons; nothing.  Gray-cheek; nothing.  I paused.  It had been several minutes since the thrush flew off, so I tried Bicknells again - and it responded again!  At that point I was happy enough to be confident it was Bicknell's, and left it alone.  I tried several more stops along the road traveling east up to the bridge, but heard nothing else (except Wood Thursh, of course).

I returned to the main park area after that, and was the first car to arrive at the parking lot.  Around the parking lot was very birdy; I had 2 Canada Warblers (FOY) singing mightily.  Plus a bunch of other warblers (best was Cape May).  I then went out toward the ponds to the east and found an empid in a small willow.  I could see an eye ring but could not get on the rest well enough to try id'ing it before it flew off.  I tried playing the Alder on ipod but got no response.  I tried playing Least and got nothing.  I decided to keep going; as I began walking away I heard an Alder calling but thought I somehow must have hit the play button on my ipod.  I tried to turn it off and it took several seconds before I realized it was a real bird not my ipod!

I looked around but could not see the bird.  It moved closer.  I played the tape and then it came right in and called a lot.  It was in a thicket and I was not able to see it well with video, but got some video of it singing anyway.  This was a lifer for me; I've seen plenty of Trail's in the fall and some that I thought were Alder, but have never heard an Alder sing so this is the first I can say Alder for sure!

Shorthly after that I left the park.  I went to my original destination in AA County at Davidsonville Park, and no sooner did arrive and I get out of the car then I heard an Alder calling in some willows right by the parking area (north of the ballfield).  Two Alders in one day!

Driving home I thought about what Hans Holbrook told me - it seems something must have caused many Alders to migrate east of their normal migration route.  There have been numerous reports of them in MD the last few days.  Normally found from Piedmont and west of there, this is a very uncommon bird in MD's coastal plain.  When I got home I decided what the heck, let's have a look in the swamp out back.  It was windy and at first I heard only E Wood Pewee and Phoebe calling, both breed here.  I played the Alder recording and to my amazement - one began calling immediately!  The swamp here has a lot of alders (trees!) in it, and the bird was staying put in them.  It did not come closer but kept calling.  I went in the house and got my son so he could listen to it, and the bird continued calling for several minutes.  P.S.  I also had a FOY (for yard) Canada Warbler singing at same time.

What a morning!
Jeff Sheot
Croom MD