For the last year, the Montgomery Bird Club and the Montgomery County Chapter of the Sierra Club have been doing monthly invasive plant removal projects at the Blue Mash Nature Trail in Montgomery County.  These projects are typically done on the third Sunday of the month.  In the spring and fall, the work is preceded by a beginners bird walk.

I led the bird walk today.  No migrants at this point so we were seeing and hearing local breeders.  We had 39 species.  Highlights were an extremely cooperative Yellow-breasted Chat who was sitting on a telephone/power line in plain view singing robustly for several minutes giving us good views.  Most of the other birds were more likely seen than heard though we did have quick glimpses of both Orioles, Yellow Warbler, Indigo Bunting, and Common Yellowthroat.  John Combs reported that Eastern Bluebirds have already successfully fledged from a number of the boxes, and the Tree Swallows now appear to be using them.  Had good views of Purple Martins over the Oaks Landfill.  We didn't do the full circuit because of time constraints, so we likely missed woodland birds that would have been seen or heard in the back area.

A complete list from my eBird report appears below.

Jim Nelson
Montgomery Bird Club

Location:     Blue Mash Nature Trail
Observation date:     5/30/10
Notes:     Beginner bird walk before invasive plant removal project co-sponsored by Mont. Co. Sierra Club and Montgomery Bird Club.
Number of species:     39

Canada Goose     18
Black Vulture     1
Killdeer     3
Rock Pigeon     1
Mourning Dove     3
Chimney Swift     2
Northern Flicker     2
Willow Flycatcher     1
Great Crested Flycatcher     1
White-eyed Vireo     5
Blue Jay     2
American Crow     2
crow sp.     2
Purple Martin     3
Tree Swallow     9
Barn Swallow     1
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     2
Eastern Bluebird     8
American Robin     1
Gray Catbird     22
Northern Mockingbird     1
Brown Thrasher     2
European Starling     11
Cedar Waxwing     12
Yellow Warbler     5
Prairie Warbler     1
Common Yellowthroat     6
Yellow-breasted Chat     3
Eastern Towhee     5
Chipping Sparrow     4
Field Sparrow     2
Northern Cardinal     3
Indigo Bunting     3
Red-winged Blackbird     12
Brown-headed Cowbird     4
Orchard Oriole     1
Baltimore Oriole     1
American Goldfinch     2
House Sparrow     1