Memorial Day Greetings all,

I set the alarm for 2AM yesterday, brewed the coffee and headed out
solo to try to get my lifer Ruffed Grouse in Western Maryland.  I am
happy to report, drumroll please, that I happily heard said grouse.  I
wish I could've seen one, but I'm delighted for the percussive hello
that I got yesterday morning at Finzel.

Now I know most of you all were here last week, but regardless of that
fact, here are some highlights from my travels:

At 5AM, Finzel Swamp was noisy upon my arrival:
Ruffed Grouse
Virginia Rail     1
Sora     2
American Woodcock     flew right in front of me at dawn as I crossed
the first bridge
Black-billed Cuckoo     my foy
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Chimney Swift
Willow Flycatcher
Veery
Blue-winged Warbler     singing all morning from the South end of the swamp
Hooded Warbler     singing a very odd tune.  I shot a video of it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nervousbird/5777566684/in/photostream/
Purple Finch

Piney Reservoir held:
Double-crested Cormorant     2
Green Heron
Least Flycatcher     3 my foy

On Pea Ridge Road:

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Purple Martin     One, possibly two, although I was unable to find
their home. Heard and observed flying about near the intersection of
Lancaster Hill Rd.
Blue-winged Warbler     1
Henslow's Sparrow     4, likely a few more.

Around Frank Brenneman Road, I heard a Cerulean *past the road at the
first turn off (to the South) on the left*.  I heard and saw more here
last year, but this year they were not making themselves known.  I
hope it was just the mid-day heat?
On Big Run Road I located the resident Canada Warbler.
At the entrance to New Germany State Park a Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Black-throated Green Warbler and a Blackburnian Warbler were present.

Finally, I visited a scorching hot Old Legislative Road
Notes:     Heard (one time) a bird doing an ALDER FLY song, but since
it didn't sing again and I couldn't even locate it, I left if as ?

Black-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Willow Flycatcher
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     my first of the day
Blue-winged Warbler     1
Golden-winged Warbler     1
Grasshopper Sparrow
Henslow's Sparrow     3

I was driving home and got word of Bonnie Ott's MIKI.  I quickly
stopped into Meadowbrook about 30 minutes after her post to MDOSPREY.
No MIKI, but I did get my Howard County WILLOW FLYCATCHER.

Good Birding and Happy Memorial Day!

Dan Haas
St. Margaret's, MD
nervousbirdsatgmail.com

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