All,

It was a cool and rainy walk around Lake Needwood this morning. The
water level is very low and the mud flats are extensive near Needwood
Road. I observed Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Solitary Sandpiper,
Killdeer, peeps and what I believe to be 2 Wilson's Snipes, a first
for me (see notes below). There were other birds out of binocular
range so it might be worth scoping this week.

Ron Johnson
Derwood, MD

Location:     Lake Needwood
Observation date:     9/26/10
Notes:     cool cloudy morning that started dry until showers began at
about 7:30. first of season ruby crowned kinglets and brown thrashers.
the lake level is very low with extensive mudflats. the wilson's
snipes were out in the mud near the center. they were the size of a
killdeer though very rotund and brownish. the straight bill was 1 1/2
to 2 times the length of the head. when viewed head-on as they were
probing the mud, I could see 3 dark stripes along the head and back
with lighter brown stripes in between. I could not observe the legs or
rump.
Number of species:     36

Canada Goose     460
Mallard     21
Great Blue Heron     3
Great Egret     2
Osprey     1
Red-shouldered Hawk     1
Killdeer     10
Solitary Sandpiper     2
Greater Yellowlegs     2
Lesser Yellowlegs     1
Wilson's Snipe     2
Chimney Swift     30
Belted Kingfisher     2
Red-bellied Woodpecker     4
Downy Woodpecker     1
Northern Flicker     3
Pileated Woodpecker     1
Eastern Phoebe     2
White-eyed Vireo     1
Blue Jay     13
American Crow     4
Fish Crow     2
Carolina Chickadee     10
Tufted Titmouse     4
White-breasted Nuthatch     5
Carolina Wren     2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet     3
American Robin     6
Gray Catbird     13
Northern Mockingbird     1
Brown Thrasher     2
European Starling     1
Black-and-white Warbler     1
Chipping Sparrow     5
Northern Cardinal     5
American Goldfinch     7

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