Hi Folks,

As has been my m.o. for the current calendar year, I've been doing
most of my birding locally after burning a lot of gas in 2009 during
the big year.  Since last Sunday I've birded every day, and tallied
the following, all in Anne Arundel Co.:  N. SHOVELER, LESSER SCAUP,
TRICOLORED HERON, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, SORA, SEMI PLOVER,
SANDERLING, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO,
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, VEERY, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, NASHVILLE WARBLER,
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, W. PALM WARBLER, CANADA WARBLER, CONNECTICUT
WARBLER, and SUMMER TANAGER.  Chronologically:

Sunday, 5 Sep, while biking the BWI Trail, where it crosses the
wetland near the amtrak station:  RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, one of my
earliest

Monday, 6 Sep, Elaine had a RUBY-CROWN in the yard.  I went to
Patuxent Ponds Park after school and had a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and
ten species of warbler with YELLOW-THROATED (1) and CANADA (1) being
the highlights.  Also seen were Chestnut-sided (1), Parula (1),
Magnolia (7), Pine (1), Black-and-white (3), Redstart (4), Ovenbird
(1) and Yellowthroat (1).

Tuesday, 7 Sep, I did an afternoon survey of the Swan Creek Wetland
and found N. SHOVELER (6) and LESSER SCAUP (1) in the north dredge
cell along with my first property SANDERLING there.   Nearby was an
imm BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON and in the wetlands a TRICOLORED HERON
continues.

Wed., 8 Sep at Sandy Point State Park were two SANDERLINGs.

Thur, 9 Sep, with no school I did a morning survey of Swan Creek with
Ed Carlson.  The tally was 67 species, my second highest count there
only surpassed by May Count this year.  Our best find was PHILADELPHIA
VIREO.  New for the year was SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and continuing were
the SHOVELERS, SCAUP and TRICOLORED HERON.

Friday, 10 Sep back to Patuxent Ponds Park after school, I enjoyed a
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, VEERY, NASHVILLE WARBLER and a beautiful
dark olive SUMMER TANAGER that was very visible and eventually very
vocal as well.

Today, Sat., 11 Sep at Davidsonville Park not much of note; a male
HOODED WARBLER was probably my first in two months.  Sands Road Park
was quiet, and I missed meadowlark today for the first time in several
visits.  Instead were six BOBOLINKs and three WESTERN PALM WARBLERs.

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary today was quiet when I arrived but when I
got down to the beginning of the railroad trail, there was some
activity in the scrubby area on the left side of the trail (directly
opposite the little boardwalk pull-off on the right).  One bird caught
my eye, and I raised my binoculars fully expecting to see a Common
Yellowthroat; I was shocked to instead see a warbler with a gray hood,
full distinct eyering, and bright yellow undertail coverts--my first
Anne Arundel CONNECTICUT WARBLER.  It was soon joined by a SWAINSON'S
THRUSH.  I hiked to the river at the end of the trail, where things
were quiet, but on the way back took the boardwalk out to the blind.
Before I was half way, a SORA vocalized spontaneously, and then after
a round of applause (actually a couple of loud claps on my part) two
more Soras vocalized.  Once to the blind I had yet another two Soras
vocalizing, almost under my feet.  There were no flats, just submerged
vegetation, and I was not able to see any of these birds.  So, I can
fully appreciate the abundance of these birds that Fred Shaffer
enjoyed while kayaking yesterday.  After returning to the railroad
trail, a stunning male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER flitted across my path,
and then a bit further up I had a nice flock of chickadees and their
friends, eventually attracting a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER.

While I was finding all these great birds in south county, Elaine had
a nice tally of warblers back home with two CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA,
BLACK-AND-WHITE, and CANADA.  Before I had left in the morning we had
an OVENBIRD chipping loudly in the yard.

Great time of year!

Stan Arnold
Ferndale (AA Co.)