My friend Sharon and I walked up the C &O canal towpath from Pennyfield
about half way to Violette's and back late this afternoon. It was a very
birdy walk; lots of migrants. We had good looks at a couple of Prothonotary
warblers ( one a bright male and the other a dimmer female or immature); two
Canada Warblers (both necklaces well seen), a Parula, a Black-and White
warbler,a Waterthrush (seen by Sharon; she didn't know if it was a Northern
or a Louisiana.), and my "bird of the day" .I saw a warbler foraging across
the canal with the other birds. I had a couple of short but clear views of
the head; it had a bright yellow/ golden crown on the top of the head, and a
black mask over the eye on a white face. The light was not great and most of
the rest of the bird was obscured behind a branch much of the time it was in
view.  But I saw the head markings clearly. I feel confident it was a
Golden-wing warbler.  We also saw a couple of Great-Crested flycatchers, a
couple of Empids (probably Acadians), a Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, and  vireo I
could not clearly make into a Philadelphia, so decided it was a Red-eye.
There were some other warblers as well,but in the poor light and with my not
perfect fall warbler skills I could not ID any more of them. We also heard a
couple of Pee-wees and an Indigo Bunting as well.  Lots of birds to see and
hear.
-- 
Donald Sweig
Falls Church, Va.