This morning I walked from Cherry Hill Rd to the University 
of Maryland along the Paint Branch Stream Valley Park trail 
in PG County (first time in a while).  I was rewarded with 
several FOY birds (but very few warblers).  The highlight 
was an immature YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON perched on a snag 
at the swamp and later seen (I presume the same bird) at the 
golf ponds stalking prey.  I am confident of the ID, based 
mostly on feather pattern (no prominent spots, dark gray 
flight feathers) and bill color (uniform dark).  My other 
FOY birds were GREEN HERON (at the golf ponds), WARBLING 
VIREO, WHITE-EYED VIREO, and BLUE GROSBEAK.  Full eBird 
report follows.

D

Location:    Paint Branch Stream Valley Park
Observation date:    5/20/11
Notes:    First time birding the trail in a while (first 
time this year certainly).  The immature Yellow-crowned 
Night-Heron was seen well and fairly close (at the ponds). 
Very few warblers evident (hardly any singing).  Weather 
started with very light fog burning off, wet ground/dripping 
trees, calm, high cloud, cool;  at 08h35: sun and cloud; at 
09h25: mostly cloudy with stiff breeze.  May have heard 
Belted Kingfisher at the start and Brown-headed Cowbird a 
couple of times.  Also saw 1 Red Fox.

Number of species:    46 (+ 2 spuhs)

Canada Goose    14
Mallard    6    maybe 7; male & female
Great Blue Heron    1    maybe 2
GREEN HERON    1    at golf ponds
YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON    1    seen at swamp and golf 
ponds (same bird?) -- ID from bill color (black), uniform 
upperparts (no prominent spots like on BCNH), and dark gray 
flight feathers.
Turkey Vulture    1
Accipiter sp.    1    probably Cooper's -- glimpsed only
Red-shouldered Hawk    2    perched on nearby snags at swamp
Killdeer    2
Mourning Dove    5
Chimney Swift    8
Red-bellied Woodpecker    2	1 female
Downy Woodpecker    2	1 male, 1 female
Northern Flicker    1
Eastern Wood-Pewee    1    heard only
Eastern Phoebe    2
Great Crested Flycatcher    2    heard only
Eastern Kingbird    4
WHITE-EYED VIREO    1    heard only; maybe 2
WARBLING VIREO    1    maybe 2
Red-eyed Vireo    9    heard only
Blue Jay    4    heard only
American Crow    2    heard only
Tree Swallow    1
Barn Swallow    2    maybe 3
Carolina Chickadee    5
Tufted Titmouse    3
Carolina Wren    8    mostly males singing
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher    8
Wood Thrush    1    heard only
American Robin    9
Gray Catbird    3
Northern Mockingbird    2    heard only
European Starling    11
Cedar Waxwing    50    approx, several flocks
Northern Parula    6    heard only
Common Yellowthroat    3    at least 1 male
warbler sp.    2    heard only
Chipping Sparrow    1
Song Sparrow    5
Northern Cardinal    10    probably more; male & female
BLUE GROSBEAK    3	2 males, 1 female
Indigo Bunting    10    probably more; 1 female seen
Red-winged Blackbird    10    probably more; male & female
Common Grackle    20    probably more
Baltimore Oriole    1	male
American Goldfinch    20    probably more; male & female
House Sparrow    5    approx

This report was generated automatically by eBird 
v2(http://ebird.org)

-- 
Derek C. Richardson, Laurel, PG County, MD
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~dcr/personal.html

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