Hi Everyone,

I did some after-work birding today (9/8), spending most of my time at Terrapin Nature Park in Queen Anne's Co. Despite more activity than I'm used to due to some kind of track event, I encountered a few small flocks. I had seven species of warbler, including my first-of-season BLACKPOLL WARBLER. I also had a juvenile PRAIRIE WARBLER, only my third in the county. AMERICAN REDSTARTs were most common with a total of 16, of which none were adult males.

After a few quick stops, I positioned myself at Wilmer Park in Chestertown (Kent Co.), hoping for Common Nighthawks working down the Chester River at dusk. It was an enjoyable and productive river watch, with one nighthawk working over Chestertown starting at 7:10 p.m., and two working over the Kingstown treeline in Queen Anne's starting at 7:18 p.m. I'm psyched to be down to just one county (Cecil) for a closeout. 

While walking out to the water, I was surprised to hear a MARSH WREN chipping at me from a tiny patch of Phragmites on the north side of the park. It even perched up on the edge to chastise me, allowing a nice look. During my watch, there was constant CASPIAN TERN movement on the river, mostly adult-juvenile pairs.

Here are the slightly abridged eBird lists:

Terrapin Nature Park

Snowy Egret--1
Turkey Vulture--3
Osprey--1
Royal Tern--1
Belted Kingfisher--1
Hairy Woodpecker--1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher--5
Gray Catbird--2
Northern Parula--3
Magnolia Warbler--1
Prairie Warbler--1. Juvenile. 
Blackpoll Warbler--1. My first of the season.
Black-and-white Warbler--1
American Redstart--16. No adult males.
Common Yellowthroat--2
Blue Grosbeak--1
Common Grackle--3
Baltimore Oriole--1

Langford Road (Kent)

Great Crested Flycatcher--1
Barn Swallow--1
Gray Catbird--2
Magnolia Warbler--1
Black-and-white Warbler--2
Indigo Bunting--1

Chestertown--Wilmer Park

Wood Duck--3. Flybys
Double-crested Cormorant--2
Black Vulture--1
Osprey--2
Laughing Gull--22
Ring-billed Gull--18
Caspian Tern--16. Consistent activity passing the park, mostly adult-juvenile pairs, in the late afternoon.
Forster's Tern--7. Three roosting on the pier flew off to join a southbound group of four.
COMMON NIGHTHAWK--1. Hunting over Chestertown. My first in the county.
MARSH WREN--1. See above. Cool location. Chipped intermittently while I watched the river. 
Bobolink--5. Flyovers, callling.

Kingstown
* Viewed from Wilmer Park in Chestertown.

Double-crested Cormorant--1
Osprey--1
Bald Eagle--1
Laughing Gull--38
Ring-billed Gull--33
Caspian Tern--22
Forster's Tern--7
COMMON NIGHTHAWK--2

On 9/7, I watched an adult BONAPARTE'S GULL fly past Fort Smallwood, my first in September.

If interested, I've posted some photos from a long weekend in Oregon:
http://www.billhubick.com/photos/updates/20100906.php

Good birding,

Bill

Bill Hubick
Pasadena, Maryland

http://www.billhubick.com