I birded along the Patuxent River by foot and kayak this afternoon and early evening.  While I didn't find anything too unusual, I did turn up some nice marsh and woodland birds.  Highlights included four Least Bitterns, two calling Virginia Rails (both species while kayaking between MD 4 and Mt. Calvert), a close singing Summer Tanager and Yellow-throated Warbler, and a somewhat late singing Chestnut-sided Warbler. Highlights from each stop included:

Wooten's Landing - pretty active for early afternoon.  I got good views of several singing Yellow-breasted Chats, Orchard Orioles, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Prothonotary Warblers.  Also present were Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Redstarts, and Northern Parula.

Croom airfield (end of Croom Airport Road) - the highlight was a singing Summer Tanager perched on a bollard.  I got great views of this bird.  Also, several Bluebirds, an Ovenbird, and Wood Thrush were present.  Lots of Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures and one Red-tailed Hawk were riding the thermals, but nothing more unusual was overhead.

On the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Driving Tour, I heard lots of singing birds, including a few warbler species.  The highlight was one Chestnut-sided Warbler.  Also present was a Hooded Warbler, Ovenbird, Redstart, Parula, Towhee, and Pewee.  The observation tower was relatively quiet, but I did have close Yellow-throated and Yellow Warblers from the tower.

Merkle - no shorebirds were present at the pond, but the singing Eastern Meadowlarks were nice.  Also seen or heard were Chipping Sparrows, Field Sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, Purple Martins, and a Great-crested Flycatcher.

I ended the day by kayaking south from MD 4 to the marsh near Mt. Calvert.  Marsh Wren were numerous, and I saw quite a few Wood Ducks.  I heard and saw Least Bitterns scattered along the way (in both Anne Arundel and Prince George's County), and I got great views of an adult male in flight over the marsh off Mt. Calvert.  Songbirds included Red-eyed Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Prothonotary Warbler, Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Wood-Pewee, and many, many Red-winged Blackbirds.  And, right around dusk (I arrived back at the boat launch well after sunset), I heard two Virginia Rails call from the marsh near the river.

Good birding,

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, Anne Arundel

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