I got out to Hughes Hollow about 10:30 this morning, and felt better about the later than intended arrival when another birder told me she  had been there since 6am and no kite.  There was an immature Little Blue Heron, which she showed me, over on the farther side.  Later it was joined by two Great Egrets, making for a nice size comparison.  There were two Green Herons, and two Great Blues, and by the time I left, around 2:45, another Great Egret had arrived.  Another nice bird was a fly-over Bald Eagle, which I'd have missed if someone else hadn't been thinking there should be an eagle and watching for one.  It showed me it's all too easy to think, "Oh, another tv," without looking closely.  

The great blues seem to like to perch on the swallow boxes--with predatory intent?  The tree swallows seem to think so--I watched them diving at the head of one great blue.  Also saw a red-wing attacking a great blue in the air, even landing on its back!

Nice to see and hear several Baltimore Orioles.  Heard and glimpsed a yellow billed cuckoo, and heard two white eyed vireos.  Otherwise, the usual suspects, but still a nice day.

A bit before I left, I was birding out of sight of the main dike for a little while.  When I returned, I learned that two birders had thought they saw the kite way off past the pond to the left, and had gone off to head in that direction to try for a better look--but that it wasn't that certain if they really saw it.  ??

Patricia Wood
Silver Spring

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