This morning I headed for western Maryland with the modest goal of finding a
Brown-headed Cowbird in Allegany County (yes, it's the last county that I
need for a closeout - don't laugh - it's harder than you think).  My first
stop was at Blair's Valley Lake in Washington County.  It was overcast,
cool, and breezy when I arrived, so there was not a great deal of bird
activity (aside from the Yellow Warblers and Indigo Buntings).  Fortunately
for me, one bird that was vocalizing was a MOURNING WARBLER.  It sang
several times on the far side of the lake, from a large tangle of
honeysuckle and multiflora rose, where a small stream enters the lake and
makes a big puddle in the trail.  This appears to be a different location
from the one reported by Joel Martin for Saturday.  Eventually the sun broke
through the clouds and activity picked up.  Other highlights from the lake
and nearby areas included the following:

Wood Duck - 2
Killdeer - several
Lesser Yellowlegs - 2
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper - 2
Least Sandpiper
Pileated Woodpecker
Least Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Cedar Waxwing - 4
Blue-winged Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat

From there I resumed my trip westward to Allegany County.  I got off the
interstate at Fifteen Mile Creek Road and eventually found myself on Dug
Hill Road - the worst dirt road in Green Ridge State Forest that I have ever
been on in my low-clearance, non-four-wheel-drive car.  At least while I was
navigating some truly scary ruts, I came up with 2 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS and a
MAGNOLIA WARBLER (both county birds for me) as well as a CERULEAN WARBLER.

Eventually I made my way back to civilization at Little Orleans, where I
decided to take a walk along the C & O Canal.  I walked about two miles
south on the towpath - a section that I had never explored before - and
found it very pleasant.  The usual towpath and river birds were
well-represented (except for Prothonotary Warblers, alas).  I got great
looks at two singing NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES along the way.  At the end of
this two-mile section I heard a YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (another county bird)
and several CERULEAN WARBLERS.  Also, there were 2 female COMMON MERGANSERS
camped out on a rock in the middle of river.

I never did find a cowbird, but I'll take a Mourning Warbler any day!

Elaine Hendricks
Greenbelt, MD  (PG County)