I was out before  light this morning to listen for rails and 
bitterns at Hughes Hollow(McKee-Beshers WMA, Montgomery Co).  Ed Carlson was 
already here.  No calling early, but at ca 6 am we briefly heard the Purple 
Gallinule from the cattails(not reeds as some people have written). I was 
doing other things so I really didn't spend much time looking for it.
         Two points of possible interest (1) last Sunday 5-01 I was wading 
through the cattails erecting Tree Swallow nest boxes and didn't find the 
gallinule so May 2 is probably a good arrival date and (2) if this bird 
behaves anything like the one I found in 2004 it will be here quite 
awhile,possibly into June.

Paul Woodward
Fairfax City, VA
 

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