Hi everyone,

After returning home from birding with David Kidwell over at 
Terrapin Park and also AA County haunts, I had 2 very nice birds 
in my yard.  This was around 3 in the afternoon and although 
I didn't expect much given the time of the day... boy am I glad
I checked!  I was checking a corner of my yard that's adjacent
to some extensive woods and started spishing and squeaking. Shorty
thereafter I had many White-throated Sparrows.. then, all of a sudden
I see this BRIGHT yellow bird.  I get on it and I can't believe my
eyes!  I was looking at a beautiful female HOODED WARBLER just 20' away!  I got great looks at it for about 3 minutes.  This was my first fall record for my yard and according to the yellow book is pretty late.  Shortly thereafter (as I kept squeaking to "work" the birds), 
I saw a huge figure fly in.  I dropped my nocs, and sitting on a limb about 30' from me was a Barred Owl!  I have never recorded this species in my yard, so, that became a NEW yard bird for me and #135!

Good birding to all.

Peter Osenton
Jessup, Md. [AA Co.]