I attended the Patuxent Bird Club/PG Audubon Society Jug Bay boat trip lead by Greg Kearns this morning.  It was a good morning to be out and the birds were fairly active.  One of the highlights was when the whole group got close views of a Least Bittern as it peered out at us through the marsh vegetation.  For several minutes, the bittern was within 15 or 20 feet of the boat and several people got good photos.  Of course, Osprey were numerous and at one point we got close views of a young Osprey fledgling on a nest.  Marsh Wren sang throughout the marsh and we saw one bird carrying nesting material.  Other highlights included a very active and close Prothonotary Warbler, a few flyover Bald Eagles, calling Barred Owl, and a Great Egret.  Other birds heard in the woods lining Western Branch included Great-crested Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, Baltimore Oriole (near the dock), Brown Thrasher, Eastern Kingbird, Northern Parula, and Yellow-throated Vireo.  

After the trip, I did some birding along Nottingham Road.  At Nottingham NRMA I had singing Prairie Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, Field Sparrows, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Eastern Kingbird, and Summer Tanager.  And, elsewhere along Nottingham Road, I heard a Northern Bobwhite calling repeatedly (thanks for the tip Rob!).  The bird was at the sharp turn near the end of Nottingham Road (very close to the historic schoolhouse).  Chipping Sparrows, Indigo Buntings, Yellow-breasted Chats, and Towhees were also vocalizing.

Fred Shaffer

Crofton, Anne Arundel

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