Hi All,

Jo Anna and I headed out to Western Maryland to do some birding on
Saturday.  Our first stop was at Old Legislative Road in Allegany where we
were able to locate 3 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERs, 2 males and 1 female, a bit of
chasing broke out when the female went from one territory to the other.  Our
next stop was Finzel Swamp, highlights from here included at least 4
NASHVILLE WARBLERS, 1 WESTERN PALM WARBLER and a BAY-BREASTED WARBLER.  We
then headed to Little Meadows Campground where we located a SHORT-BILLED
DOWITCHER on the rocks in the southwest corner of the lake, on our return
visit in the evening, the dowitcher had been replaced by 2 FORSTER'S and 2
COMMON TERNs.   Also around the lake we heard 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, and 2
more NASHVILLE WARBLERS among all the local breeders.   On Mountain Road
near Route 50, we located a LINCOLN'S SPARROW in a small clearcut as well as
a KENTUCKY WARBLER, which is a species I have not heard at this location
before.  On the way back downstate, we stopped at North Branch where we
located 1 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 5 LEAST
SANDPIPERS, 4 LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 3 SOLITARY
SANDPIPERS, and many KILLDEER.


This morning I birded around Jug Bay the migrants were putting on quite a
show!   At Jackson Landing, there was a mixed flock of migrants that
contained 12 BLACKPOLL WARBLERs, 1 BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, 1 WILSONs WARBLER,
3 CANADA WARBLERS, 2 MAGNOLIA WARBLERs, 2 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHes, and 1
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER as well as some of the local residents.  From there, I
headed to the Critical Area Driving Tour, on the wooden bridge over
Mattaponi Creek, I located 1 calling ALDER FLYCATCHER as well as several
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHes and CANADA WARBLERs.  At the observation tower
further on down the drive, I heard another ALDER FLYCATCHER.   The field at
Merkle had a flock of BOBOLINKs ~50 strong circling and landing repeatedly,
there were no shorebids at the pond.  The highlight of the day was locating
a singing BICKNELL's THRUSH on the closed portion of Fenno Road, the bird
sang and called the entire time I was there and even allowed some photos to
be taken.  Other birds of interest here were a SWAINSON'S THRUSH, a female
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, and 2 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS among the other
breeders.

I will post some photos soon from the weekend

Good Birding!
Mikey Lutmerding
Croom, MD