Hi all,

Today Jim Brighton and I headed to Assateague to try for the ASH-THROATED
FLYCATCHER, NORTHERN SHRIKE and anything else that might be around.  We
arrived well before first light and did a bit of owling.  Just after dawn
while waiting for the flycatcher to become active, Jim and I heard a RED
CROSSBILL calling (kip-kip notes) overhead flying generally southwest.
As already posted, we were able to enjoy the ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (thanks
Joe!!!) in the good company of Jim Moore, Paul Pisano, Nico Sarbanes, Fred
Shaffer, Jeff Shenot, Leslie Starr, and Joe Turner.  While watching the
flycatcher, an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was heard chipping from the Life of
the Marsh parking area, I believe everyone there got to see this bird.  Jim
B., Jim M., Nico, Leslie, Joe and I birded together the rest of the day, and
were able to re-locate the NORTHERN SHRIKE at the western-most edge of the
Bayside Campground area after missing it earlier in the morning.  From there
we headed back to the mainland where Nico spotted two CATTLE EGRETs across
from the new Assateague Island Visitor center.  We spent time scanning for
Cave Swalows at Rum Pointe without success, though a couple of Western PALM
WARBLERs were a nice addition. Our next highlights came from Bayside
development where a cooperative ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and BALTIMORE ORIOLE
were located among the Water Bushes.  We kept heading west stopping at a
field along Route 50 just outside of Ocean City that was full of gulls.   We
located among the commoner species, two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs (a
third-cycle and an adult).  Continuing West, we stopped outside of the
Salisbury landfill where among the commoner gull species we again located
some LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs (two first-cycle, one third-cycle).  Our next
stop was Hurlock; a field just south of the water treatment facility held
well over 1,000 TUNDRA SWANs feeding and loafing, which was a truly
impressive site!

Good Birding!
Mikey Lutmerding
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeycerw/
Croom, MD