I spent the morning poking around some spots along the C&O Canal, prompted by concerns expressed regarding road work on the US 340 bridge and potential to adversely affect Cliff Swallows.   My request for info about Cliff Swallows nesting there posted to MDOsprey yielded a negative from Bob Ringler (citing the Atlas, thanks Bob!) and a maybe from Kevin Graff.  As it turns out, there is no easy access to the canal or most of the bridge and that point, and the work there is already well under way.  So given no positive reports, I judge this to be a non-issue.  That said, I do intend to recontact SHA and try to open some lines of communication.

At the US 340 bridge I found the usual assortment, chickadees, titmice, crows, but also a fair number, half a dozen or so, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers.

Downstream at Brunswick, there was nothing remarkable.

Point of Rock was where the action was.  A lot of work is on-going there, re-doing the boat ramp.  So the parking lot is closed, however, there is limited parking on the road, and lots at the railway station on the weekend.  As I drove in I was treated to two Pileated woodpeckers.  And I'd walked only a short distance upstream when a handful of Fish Crows caught my attention, which led my eye to a HUGE one, that also obligingly croaked.   A short walk up stream yielded nothing, but on the way back I picked out a Black-capped Chickadee with the Carolinas.  Slower, deeper voice, and nice hockey stick.  Then a raven conveniently perched in plain sight, allowing several photos, and a short video.  See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omrlNeKpRkk

Kurt Schwarz
Conservation Chair
MOS
goawaybird at verizon dot net