Hi all --
Back from Maine (no serious birding so, no, I did NOT see the White-chinned
Petrel on that Aug. 24 whale-watching trip out of Bar Harbor, alas!).
Decided to see what was happening at Brookside Botanical Gardens and
adjacent Wheaton Regional Park, Montgomery Co, today. Barry and I started at
the Gardens but found the park more active, especially along Pine Lake ad
the miniature RR line. Most unexpected find was a bright PHILADELPHIA VIREO
-- by far the earliest we have had one of these although others seem to have
been reported recently in the area. Quite a few warblers -- but number-wise,
not diversity! -- and some other migrants. Many many catbirds, they are
really starting to move.
Bird of note:
Green Heron - 3
Belted Kingfisher - 2
Red-shouldered Hawk - 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2
Eastern Wood-pewee - 3
Acadian Flycatcher - 1 (appeared to be a recently fledged juvenile)
Gray Catbird - 30+
Red-eyed Vireo - 8
Warbling Vireo - 1
PHILADELPHIA VIREO - 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1
Canada Warbler - 1
Magnolia Warbler - 5
Pine Warbler - 3
Common Yellowthroat - 8 (!)
Baltimore Oriole - 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1
Indigo Bunting - 1
Chipping Sparrow - 3
Eastern Towhee - 5
As well as the usual suspects...
Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Colesville, MD |