I spent this morning chasing a few good county birds in Anne Arundel, PG  
and Calvert Counties. Intrigued by Jim Stasz's recent report from Sands Road  
Park in AA County, I made it my first stop of the day, and first trip ever 
to  this location. The weedy edge habitat in this park is beautiful, rich 
and  extensive. Within ten minutes I'd seen the first of 2 LINCOLN'S SPARROWS 
and  a CONNECTICUT WARBLER. I had just jumped across a ditch bordering the 
main  field when I heard an excited series of chip notes that were unfamiliar 
to me; a  squeaky, rising "wheet" or "whit." I soon spotted the very 
agitated bird in the  low branches of a young tree. It was uncharacteristically 
warbler-like as it  flitted and chipped at me for what seemed like a couple of 
minutes but  was probably half that time, only occasionally striding along 
the branches. But  I got close, perfect looks at all of the field marks of 
this brown-hooded first  year bird. Gradually it settled down into the 
weed-choked ditch. To reach this  location, walk to the right from the end of the 
gravel path  beyond the gate and go north along the mowed field edge for 
100-150 yards;  look for a clump of young trees along the edge, just before a 
long stretch with  no trees.
 
Next stop was North Beach marsh, where Jim Stasz and Rob Hilton immediately 
 put me on the BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER; the RED KNOT flew in after a  
little more waiting. The BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER from yesterday was not seen while  
I was there.
 
On the way home I visited the recycling pond on Brown Station Road, where  
the DUNLIN found by Jim Green was still present. Not much else of interest; 
4  NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 7 GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 
 
Joel Martin
Catonsville, MD